The Derby Telegraph's story last week about giant spiders about to descend on Derbyshire had many people all of a quiver.
Here is our guide on ways in which you can keep the air-breathing arthropods at bay!
- Horse chestnuts are known to repel spiders, although it is not known why. Chestnuts, walnuts and the fruit of the Osage orange tree appear to have a similar effect. Some speculate that some form of noxious chemical is emitted in the scent. To maximise this, try poking holes into a few horse chestnuts, or cutting them open, and leaving them where you are most likely to find spiders.
- Spiders cannot tolerate the smell of the following essential oils: citrus, lavender, cinnamon, citronella, peppermint, tea tree or eucalyptus. Dilute 15 – 20 drops in a spray bottle of water and spray around the entrances to your home, or dab some undiluted onto balls of cotton wool and leave in likely hiding places.
- Alternatively, mix five drops of any of the above oils with five drops of natural dishwashing liquid and one litre of water and spray once a week onto areas where you have seen spiders. Also try growing mint or lavender around the outside of your house.
- Scatter a fine layer of diatomaceous earth, made from naturally-formed fossils of a water creature called the diatom (it's available from hardware stores), anywhere you expect a spider to be. When a spider crosses over the substance, its exterior gets cut open and its bodily fluids leak out, killing it.
- Vinegar is both repellent and toxic to spiders. Place small dishes in dark corners to act as a repellent, or spray an equal mix of white vinegar and water onto any spider you see. Or replace vinegar with chilli powder or sauce.
- Wipe surfaces with a mix of any citrus juice and water, as spiders cannot stand citrus fruits. Also try placing citrus peels in your garden.
- Wipe outside window frames with kerosene-soaked newspapers. The combination of the ink and the kerosene dries almost immediately, leaving a residue that repels spiders.
- Mix 12 ounces of five percent distilled white vinegar with a tablespoon of coconut oil and spray anywhere you are likely to find a spider.
