Huntman spiders ... Should i pay for pest control ??

[Snacks]

I'm pretty sure I've seen it at the grocery store? But you could probably find citronella oil at Bunnings. You can make up your own citrus mix with essential oils too.

[smiles4u]

Oh thanks a million Snacks ... Bunnings sounds like the place then ... Well, Bunnings here i come, LOL

[AnyDream]

Smiles I just wanted to add - are you sure they are actually huntsmen...in my experience the hunties are the ceiling dwellers, and it tends to be nastier species like black spiders and white-tails that dash about on the floor. I had our last house sprayed twice because it was totally infested - I was finding 1-3 spiders a DAY - many of which were in places like - on a towel you're about to use, in the piece of clothing you just picked up. Ugh. And they were actually poisonous species (incl lots of redbacks) - the doctor had a poster in their office of the ones to watch out for. So make sure you know what species you're finding...it might help to ask someone with local knowledge.

[smiles4u]

Yeh, unfortunately they are MARYDEAN ... also DP witnessed them too. Guess i've seen too many in my years to know them now, LOL (also i did check on a website recently) BUT THANKS heaps for your advice

Thanks to all for your wonderful advice & suggestions ... Citronella is looking like the go

Pest control was an extreme option as i've mentioned above ... obviously for OUTDOOR use only as it's the Huntsman's coming IN to the house ... i like any other Mother naturally wouldn't put my child at risk before a spider if i thought it would cause her health problems (so sad other Mother's would think a Mother would do so).

So, Bunnings here i come ....

Thanks again to those with KIND replies & an understanding of how i feel as For Me it is a really horrid feeling to live with each day ... My thread was NOT a question asked of who is scared of huntsman spiders or not ... (Sorry to put a damper on those that got a buzz out of it) !!!!!! ... Lucky i have a sense of humour

[Lulu]

Poor smiles - looking them up on the net....sorta makes me hide under the desk.

It did strike me as odd too, I've never seen a hunty run across the floor (I've had one chase me down the hall on the ceiling though *shudder), it sounds like your ones have big spider BALLS

We have plenty of redbacks and HUGE white tails and as much as the huntys scare me, its the others that I'm really worried about. I got the citronella from bunnings, just be careful with it on the paintwork xoxoxoxo

[briggsy's girl]

Smiles I just wanted to add - are you sure they are actually huntsmen...in my experience the hunties are the ceiling dwellers, and it tends to be nastier species like black spiders and white-tails that dash about on the floor. I had our last house sprayed twice because it was totally infested - I was finding 1-3 spiders a DAY - many of which were in places like - on a towel you're about to use, in the piece of clothing you just picked up. Ugh. And they were actually poisonous species (incl lots of redbacks) - the doctor had a poster in their office of the ones to watch out for. So make sure you know what species you're finding...it might help to ask someone with local knowledge.

MD - our hunties are almost always down low. we've caught them and checked, and yep, definitely huntsman. we do sometimes get while tails (but not very often) which get splattered, and we found some young red backs (which my bro dealt with (i prefer to not know how!).

[AnyDream]

Ok, well good luck with the Citronella, do post again and let us know how effective you find it.

[Lulu]

I crack myself up - your huntsmen dragging their balls across your floor.....

Sorry, getting off the puter now..

[smiles4u]

Yeh Lulu can you imagine i check the net last night about an hour after my scary episode only to have a heap of pictures of more huntsmans staring at me ... eekkkkk !!

Thanks for the tip about using as i was wondering as our house is weatherboard & i was worried about the paintwork peeling with the Citronella

Marydean ... will def keep everyone posted with results

THANKS again all xox

[smiles4u]

whoops double post, darn computer !!