Thanks, J.S.

I started using the Phantom Aerosol we have posted here:

http://www.bugspray.com/item/phantom_aerosol.html

It's very different compared to any other aerosol in that it goes on dry when used properly. So a light misting over my boat railings where the cover snaps on won't leave any "wetness" on the cover or the deck of the boat. I've been using it on my boat for over a year and I've been spraying my trolling motor, anchor, deck, lights, bimini top frame (where spiders love to make webs), on and around my dock box and slip edge. There is no "overspray" marks on my gelcoat, chrome or any other place on my boat to show I've sprayed so it's pretty much invisible on these sensitive areas which before would leave all kinds of marks and sometimes even damage if I tried to spray anything directly on these same surfaces.

And since my dock is covered, I find them nesting above my boat so I keep a 14 foot collapsible pole:

http://www.bugspray.com/item/288350.html

Which I fitted with an aerosol holder and trigger string like this:

http://www.bugspray.com/item/282296.html

I also keep a web remover top:

http://www.bugspray.com/item/288381.html

So at the beginning of the spring (for us in GA, that would be the start of March) I apply some Phantom to my boat ( I don't treat the ceiling just yet). That one treatment usually lasts till April and I apply some again to the boat only. When we get to May, the webs really start getting bad and that's when I treat everything including the ceiling. Usually I only have to treat the ceiling once for the whole season but the boat I'll treat twice a month and I'll remove webs as needed. What I find is that the treatment seems to last a good 2 weeks during May-June and into July. At some point in July the treatments last longer but I'm sure it's because the local spider pressure is decreasing so there simply aren't as many coming on board. All I know is by July-August-Sept, I only have to spray once a month a little bit and I have very little if any spider webs to remove. Right now I do find some webs on my boat but the treatments, because they're still fresh, seem to kill the spiders so they don't get established. It sure is nice not having any spider poo on the boat and when I take out the family, we're not fighting any spiders dropping down on our heads.

First, you'll only know if "it's enough" based on the results. If you're still seeing active spiders, you'll need to treat some more. Additionally, you didn't mention if you sprayed outside or not. Spraying the perimeter of the home – outside on the foundation and in the turf – is paramount to solving the problem as explained here:

http://www.brownrecluse.com/brown-recluse-spider-control/spiders-outside

No doubt spiders come in from the outside if you aren't treating the outside perimeter of the building, I'm afraid you'll have a never ending stream of them finding their way to your living spaces.

As for the frequency you need to treat; this will depend on the level of the problem. With the products we have listed in our SPIDER CONTROL ARTICLE, they generally only need to be applied once every 1-2 months.

For the tiled floor you mentioned; the PT PHANTOM AEROSOL would be the better option here over the liquid since it's designed for these areas. It's virtually odorless and goes on dry to the touch and not messy. No doubt spiders pose a hazard to people and pets as their venom is something most all people can have a reaction to which is why we don't like having them in our homes. Here are direct links to the products and information mentioned above:

Outside Spider Control: http://www.brownrecluse.com/brown-recluse-spider-control/spiders-outside

Indoor Spider Control:  http://www.brownrecluse.com/brown-recluse-spider-control

PT-Phantom: http://www.bugspray.com/item/phantom_aerosol.html

As you will learn in our SPIDER CONTROL ARTICLE, the best way to beat this pest and their webs is to treat all the areas they like to nest. The best product for this job is the DELTAMETHRIN. Long lasting and repellent to spiders, it will both kill what's living on your home and prevent new ones from coming around. We recommend doing a good web removal cleanup first using one of our SPIDER WEB REMOVERS first. This will allow you to treat the open areas thoroughly without obstructions.

When spraying, be sure to get up under decking as best as possible, They also like to live in the corners of the home, up under eaves and soffits and around doorways and windows. A light treating in these key areas will go a long way.

Here are direct links to all the information and products mentioned above:

Spider Article:  http://www.brownrecluse.com/brown-recluse-spider-control/spiders-outside

Deltamethrin:  http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page70.html

Web Removers: http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page2121.html

Spiders are unique in that they don't all migrate and move about the same way as they develop. True they can all walk. But when it comes to "leaving the nest", they do it many different ways. Some spiders carry their young on their backs. When old enough, the young will simply move off and leave.

Other spiders abandon eggs and young are forced to live on their own from their very first moments upon hatching out. Still others relocate by leaving their mothers web home when old enough to forage on their own.

But there are many species of spiders which "parachute" to relocate. This is the process of creating a small web like umbrella which serves as a type of parachute. This umbrella can many times pick up and relocate spiders great distances. It's pretty amazing how far some can be redirected so even if your island is several miles offshore, there is no doubt in my mind that some species should be able to find it under the right conditions. And if you find some appearing and need to do some spider control, review our SPIDER CONTROL ARTICLE which covers most every needed treatment option for any given situation.

Spiders will be hard at work creating new nests every spring. We see this all over so what you are experiencing is no surprise. They love to build these nests in two main locations: baseboard floor molding and up high around crown molding. Outside spiders commonly nest around windows, door frames, attic vents and under eaves. My guess is you have had some living in these areas over the years and from there they've migrated inside the home.

Once they get inside, they'll live in attic spaces, basements and crawlspaces or directly enter living areas from the outside. In homes which provide good attic spaces, we find spiders commonly appearing up high, along the ceiling perimeter, much like you describe. And since web building spiders don't much like moving around, they'll use the first location they find when migrating. My guess is a new supply of spiders is entering your living spaces every day or two and when they find vacant areas (where you just killed 1-2), they decide to grab and use this space. I also suspect more are active but might be missed. The ones up high are probably the easiest to see which is why they seemingly always appear in this one location.

Why they choose this specific location is a bit more complicated. In most cases it's due to wind and light levels. I know there probably isn't any "wind" in your house but remember, to a spider any air movement is wind. Web makers are trying to catch prey and where air is moving is where they expect food to be present. Ceiling lines are great locations for this – as are flooring baseboards – which is why these two areas commonly see activity.

At this point I suggest some control measures put in place which will prevent this problem from happening. If you review our SPIDER CONTROL ARTICLE, you'll learn several treatments that can be done which will help. For your situation, I'm thinking you should start on the outside with a good barrier application. Apply some DELTAMETHRIN all the way around the home focusing your attention on the spots where sopiders are likely to enter. These will probably be under the eaves, around windows and by soffit vents. Attic vents are another great entry point so don't rule them out. The key to your outside treatments is get up as high as you can reach as all areas of your home are likely entry points.

Inside the home be sure to treat attic and crawl spaces if you have any. You don't mention this but my guess is you do and I also suspect these areas are involved. A good dusting with the DRIONE DUST will take care of this area and treatments last 6-12 months so you'll achieve long term protection from your effort.

Lastly, in the living spaces, apply the PT-PHANTOM AEROSOL. I find this works the best in the home mostly due to it being odorless and dry to the touch when applied. I have hardwood floors so spraying a liquid or most any aerosol can be messy. But the Phantom goes on dry and is invisible when applied properly. For me this is important as I get to treat my house without making a mess. And I find treatments last 1-2 months. In the spring I do a treatment March-April-May and then I don't find any more as long as I stay on it every 45 days till Christmas. Inside the house spiders can remain active all year long but we do find treating January and February isn't needed. For you the Phantom would be ideal for treating up high where you seeing a recurring problem. If you treat the area monthly, you won't see any return and combined with the other treatments I listed above, you should be able to stop them altogether.

Here are direct links to the information and products mentioned above:

http://www.brownrecluse.com/brown-recluse-spider-control

http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page349.html

http://www.bugspray.com/item/phantom_aerosol.html

jonathan

www.bugspray.com

Is it OK to spray over one insecticide with another? I have problems with Spiders and Camelback Crickets and I’d like to know if I can use both before I buy the products.
Thank you.

As a general rule you don't need to mix adulticides. All three chemicals you mentioned are good for the pests you're targeting. If I had spiders and crickets, I'd go with just the DELTAMETHRIN as it will handle all your needs fine. Odorless and long lasting, it's all you'll need this season. When you need to get a refill, you might consider changing but if you don't have any problems at that time, you can stick with it for maintenance for many years. Excellent product for sure.

Here is a link to the item mentioned above:

http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page70.html

jonathan

www.bugspray.com

I found your company with a google search.  We have a 55’ ceiling.  Do you have a web remover that will work at that height?

Or any suggestions as to where I could look?

Thank you.

As I'm sure you surmised from our online catalog, the longest WEB REMOVER we have is our 30 FOOT MODEL. People have used this to reach over 30 feet high and I don't know if one is available any longer. There are obvious hazards and problems constructing these poles and I just don't think it's cost effective for the companies who make this line of equipment.

I do know we have suggested some work around's that have helped people in the past and maybe one of these ideas will help you too. The two we've suggested before involve positioning yourself on a high platform, possibly a ladder, and from there using the Web Remover. In one scenario we had a homeowner reach over 40 feet while working from a ladder that was about 10 feet tall. In another the people had a scaffolding platform up almost 20 feet high and from there they were reaching close to 50 feet up. I'm guessing if you have any maintenace done to lights or something else up near the ceiling there could very well be something already at the location that could help achieve this height.

Let us know if you have other questions or concerns; we're just a phone call away at 1-800-877-7290. Remember, the 30 foot pole we have listed has a threaded end and will readily accept paint rollers, window cleaners and a wide range of tools making it handy for anyone needing to maintain a large or tall building.

I have a big problem with spiderwebs in my South Florida screened in pool area.  They seem to like to make their webs on the screens covering the pool and porch areas.  Is there any product I can spray or apply to the screens to repell them?

Thanks.

Areas with moisture, light and structure are ideal for web making spiders. All of these components will attract flying insects many of which are prime food for spiders. If you aren't doing regular pest control in and around this area, I would expect all kind of pest activity since it's such a prime spot for what insects need to thrive. Based on what you're reporting, it sounds like the local pests are finally figuring this out.

The good news is you have lots of options to stop both the spiders and any other pest like roaches and ants which are sure to get active in this area if it's left untreated. I'd say to start with the DELTAMETHRIN. It's odorless, easy to mix and treatments will last 2-3 months. Apply it as a light fan pattern spray using a good PUMP SPRAYER over all surfaces where you see webbing or activity. I also suggest you treat around the home focusing in on the foundation, windows and other points of entry.

If you start seeing activity inside the home, install some SPIDER TRAPS to start. They do a good job of catching foraging pests and can alert you to problems you may have otherwise overlooked. If activity is noted, the Deltamethrin can be applied in this area as well as the BAYGON AEROSOL. All these products can be seen on our SPIDER PRODUCTS PAGE. If you have further questions, give us a call on our toll free at 1-800-877-7290.

Thanks for any advice/clarification!

There is little to no difference in overall performance from either of the actives you listed. Both have low to no odor, both work well on a wide range of pests and both can last 2-3 months. Overall they are excellent choices for use in and around the home. When combined with the other materials we have listed on our SPIDER CONTROL PRODUCT PAGE, I'm sure you'll be satisifed with the level of pest control you'll be able to maintain around the home. When used throughout the year, you should be able to keep a pest free environment if either is employed. Should you have further questions, give us a call on our toll free 1-800-877-7290 and Thanks for the great feedback!

Vinyl siding does have  a tendency to attract small insects and promote algae growth just inside the overlapping sections. Spiders will eventually find the activity and move in hoping to harvest some of the insects in the area. There are several sprays we have which can be used to stop both the insects and the spiders. Though none of them will stain, some of the wettable powders can leave a visible residue which can be seen on dark surfaces. If you have dark colored siding, go with the CYPERMETHRIN or the DELTAMETHRIN. Both will dry invisible, work well on spiders and not hurt the siding in any way.

We also recommend taking down any webs you find around the home so the use of a WEB REMOVER can really help. The best procedure is to first remove the webs and then do a good treatment with either the Cypermethrin or Deltamethrin immediately afterwards.

Since spiders will many times nest up under the eaves and soffits, it's important to treat most of the siding on the home. This will require a lot of product to be applied so expect to use 3-4 gallons of finished spray per treatment.

Lastly, vinyl siding has a tendency to promote mold and algae growth. For this reason we recommend spraying it at least once a year with a mold killer/inhibitor like MOLD AND ALGAE KILLER. This will indirectly stop the insect activity which in turn will cut down on the spiders too. If you note a lot of moss, mold or algae growth, take care of it and this in turn will help cut down on all the other insect activity including the spiders.

Here are direct links to the products and information mentioned above:

Cypermethrin:  http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page18.html

Deltamethrin: http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page70.html

Web Remover:  http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page2121.html

Mold and Algae Killer: http://www.bugspray.com/catalog/products/page1623.html

Spider Control Article: http://www.brownrecluse.com/brown-recluse-spider-control