I live in southern California. I moved into my current place 1 year ago and have been dealing with brown widow spiders for the first time. My yard has been infested with them. Literally, I find dozens at night. Their favorite place is under the 4" wood lip along the perimeter of my tortoise pens.
When I go out during the early evening to put the Russians away and bring the Leopards inside I don't see them so I'm not as bothered. At that time they are still hiding under the lip. But on nights when I come home after dark and go out there the spiders are all out and I have to kill them off and carefully round up the torts. Tonight I killed 2 dozen and I didn't even get them all. Last week on another late night, I killed 17! It's creepy and freaks me out.
I will use a Widow poison spray by Raid for any that are not in tortoise territory. The problem is I'm trying to figure out the best way to kill the ones in the pens. I either use some scissors to cut them in half..yuck. Or depending on their location in the pen, I'll spray them and then scoop out the area and replace the dirt or wash the wall.. There has got to be a better way. I don't like doing either of those methods.
Is there a safe spray/ non poison to kill them without the clean up?
Would vinegar work??
I've tried googling for an answer but the recommendations I read are to use poison (not tortoise safe) or squash them with something flat. I tried that before but they would scurry up under the lip before I could get them...hence how the scissor method was created.
Maybe you being outside the box will have an idea? Or maybe you've dealt with them and have a solution? Help please
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When I go out during the early evening to put the Russians away and bring the Leopards inside I don't see them so I'm not as bothered. At that time they are still hiding under the lip. But on nights when I come home after dark and go out there the spiders are all out and I have to kill them off and carefully round up the torts. Tonight I killed 2 dozen and I didn't even get them all. Last week on another late night, I killed 17! It's creepy and freaks me out.
I will use a Widow poison spray by Raid for any that are not in tortoise territory. The problem is I'm trying to figure out the best way to kill the ones in the pens. I either use some scissors to cut them in half..yuck. Or depending on their location in the pen, I'll spray them and then scoop out the area and replace the dirt or wash the wall.. There has got to be a better way. I don't like doing either of those methods.
Is there a safe spray/ non poison to kill them without the clean up?
Would vinegar work??
I've tried googling for an answer but the recommendations I read are to use poison (not tortoise safe) or squash them with something flat. I tried that before but they would scurry up under the lip before I could get them...hence how the scissor method was created.
Maybe you being outside the box will have an idea? Or maybe you've dealt with them and have a solution? Help please
Sent from my TFOapp
