Spiders in boat

[saurav16]

What should I do, I have a lot of spiders on my boat. Is bombing the boat with defogger for stuff on the boat besides ppl of course.

[Sapperwhite]

Leave them alone, they will take care of the fly and mosquito problem. I come out of the companionway in the morning and find big webs in the pushpit full of gnats and mosquitos. Spiders creep me out, but I hate flying pests even more.

[Sailormann]

Spiders are your friends. Flies and mosquitos lay their eggs in your bilge water, the spiders are much better for your lungs than pesticides.

[LaPlaya]

They are not allowed on our boat...Wife has a REAL serious problem with them.
We spray raid with everything removeable out, then wash down at the start of the year that usually takes care of the worst of em...Guy up here swears by bounce fabric softener sheets says a couple of those in the boat and no spiders....Have not tried it myself.
AL

[yotphix]

They weren't allowed on my boat for the same reason so I spent about ten or fifteen minutes a day evicting them. Not much harder to pick up live ones then dead ones and if you move them to the dock they keep eating the mosquitos too.

[sailingdog]

The real trick to evicting them is getting rid of the eggs. They lay thousands of the damn things. You need to vacuum the boat rather thouroughly, especially if you're not going to fog bomb the boat. BTW, I really don't like fog bombing a boat, since it is hard to clean up afterwards, and the stuff is really bad news.

Vacuum the boat completely and pitch the bag immediately. Also, make sure that you have screens over the vents and such. If you do so regularly, it will prevent them from taking over the boat.

[SailorMitch]

The spiders are there because of the available food supply. To get rid of the spiders, get rid of all the other bugs. Given that the latter is almost impossible on a boat, learn to live with the spiders and let them take care of the other bugs.

[sailingdog]

Originally Posted by SailorMitch

The spiders are there because of the available food supply. To get rid of the spiders, get rid of all the other bugs. Given that the latter is almost impossible on a boat, learn to live with the spiders and let them take care of the other bugs.

Not necessarily true... spiders aren't that smart. Most would rather starve to death than move to a location that has more abundant food. If a spider migrated there and laid eggs... it may just be that they're stuck in the boat, since most boats are fairly tightly sealed.

This is from a website about brown recluse spiders, but applies to most other species as well:

Preventing spider bites

• Shake out clothing and shoes before getting dressed.
• Inspect bedding and towels before use.
• Wear gloves when handling firewood, lumber, and rocks (be sure to inspect the gloves for spiders before putting them on).
• Remove bedskirts and storage boxes from underneath beds. Move the bed away from the wall.
• Exercise care when handling cardboard boxes (recluse spiders often are found in the space under folded cardboard flaps).

Exclusion

• Install tight-fitting screens on windows and doors; also install door sweeps.
• Seal or caulk cracks and crevices where spiders can enter the house.
• Install yellow or sodium vapor light bulbs outdoors since these attract fewer insects for spiders to feed upon.
• Tape the edges of cardboard boxes to prevent spider entry.
• Use plastic bags (sealed) to store loose items in the garage, basement, and attic.

Sanitation

• Remove trash, old boxes, old clothing, wood piles, rock piles, and other unwanted items.
• Eliminate clutter in closets, basements, attics, garages, and outbuildings.
• Do not stack wood against the house.
• Clean up dead insects that the brown recluse spider can feed on.

Non-chemical control

• Use sticky traps or glueboards to capture spiders.
• Dust and vacuum thoroughly to remove spiders, webs, and egg sacs (dispose of the vacuum bag in a container outdoors).
• Use a rolled up newspaper or fly swatter to kill individual spiders.

Insecticides

There are many labeled pesticides for spider control. Some are labeled for homeowner use, while others are labeled only for the licensed, certified pesticide applicator. It would be prudent to enlist the services of a professional pest management company when dealing with an indoor infestation of the brown recluse spider.


Research indicates that recently developed pyrethroids (e.g., cyfluthrin, cypermethrin, etc.) are particularly effective against brown recluse spiders. Wettable powders and microencapsuled "slow-release" formulations of these chemicals provide residual activity and are preferable to using emulsion-type sprays. Insecticide treatments should be applied so that the chemical contacts as many spiders and webs as possible. Residual liquid sprays should be applied to the outside perimeter of the home (including under eaves, patios, and decks; behind window shutters), baseboards, undisturbed corners, and other suspected spider harborages. Residual dusts should be applied to voids and inaccessible areas where spiders may hide. Aerosol flushing agents such as pyrethrins, though ineffective by themselves in providing control, can cause spiders to move about so that they contact treated surfaces.

Just be glad that you don't have brown recluse or funnel web spiders in your boat.

[eherlihy]

Just be glad that you don't have brown recluse or funnel web spiders in your boat.

and then I followed the link to the Mouse spider...

Jaysus! And I had always wanted to visit Australia.

Now, fuggedaboudit.

[Giulietta]

THERE SHOULD BE A FREKING LAW..


IF YOU CAN'T HANDLE OR DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH SPIDERS ON YOUR BOAT....YOU SHOULDN'T BE SAILING......ENDANGERING THE LIFES OF OTHERS ON THE WATER