![]() ![]() ![]() Females were introduced to the initial arm (left) of the Y-tube and were considered to have made a choice if they remained with their entire body length inside either decision arm (the two arms at right) for at least 30 seconds. A dual-choice Y-maze with air pump and sample bags was used to test the response of female adult spiders each putative repellent compared to a stimulus-free control. To test the spider-repellent properties (or lack thereof) of certain natural compounds, a group of researchers subjected three species of spider to choice tests, in the setup shown here. The choice test consisted of a Y-shaped tube, with a test substance in one arm of the forked end and no substance (i.e., control) in the other fork a spider placed in the central tube was recorded as having made a “choice” if it entered and remained in either of the other two arms of the tube for at least 30 seconds. All three are common in or around human dwellings in Europe or North America. To see how spiders reacted to each substance, the researchers conducted choice tests with adult females of three spider species: Latrodectus geometricus (the brown widow) and Steatoda grossa (both of the Theridiidae family) and Araneus diadematus (Araneidae family). “So, we thought to test the three most recommended folklore for spider repellents in hope to find something.”įischer-along with colleagues Manfred Ayasse, Ph.D., at the University of Ulm in Germany and Maydianne CB Andrade, Ph.D., at the University of Toronto Scarborough in Canada-tested the top three substances cited in online search results as natural spider repellents: lemon oil, peppermint oil, and chestnuts. “My personal research interest is in finding repellents to repel spiders out of the homes of arachnophobic people, to reduce the amount of pesticides used,” says Andreas Fischer, a masters’ student in the Department of Biological Sciences at Simon Fraser University and lead author on the study. Adding to a long line of tests on all varieties of household pest repellents, a new study published in December in the Journal of Economic Entomology puts three natural compounds to the test for their efficacy in repelling spiders. The internet suffers no lack of suggestions for methods to repel common household pests, and that sheer volume of claims makes scientific testing of such repellents all the more valuable.Įntomologists, of course, are here to help. (Photo credit: Sturgis McKeever, Georgia Southern University, ) One of the species included in the study, the brown widow spider ( Latrodectus geometricus), avoided chestnut and peppermint oil in more than 75 percent of choice tests, but it appeared unaffected by lemon oil. ![]() If other insects are hanging off of a web, they will not die until they contact the spray.A new study of natural spider repellents finds mixed results among three commonly cited options: chestnut, lemon oil, and peppermint oil. ![]() Pesticides that are sprayed directly onto spider webs will only kill the insects that come into contact with these sprays. Even though pesticides are very effective in killing spiders, you should never spray these chemicals on or around your body. However, if you want to kill spiders instantly without causing any harm to your family members or pets, you should use a pesticide that contains chemicals. If you want to use a less harmful pesticide, you should check out the all-natural products containing peppermint oil, eucalyptus oil, castor oil, etc. These sprays are available in both natural and chemical forms. Pesticides that are sprayed on spider webs kill these insects quickly and effectively. You should make it a point to carefully read all the product’s instructions and safety precautions before using any pesticide. One of the most popular and easiest ways to get rid of spiders is to spray them with a strong pesticide. ![]()
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