How to Keep Spiders Out of the Barn

There are thousands of different species of spiders in the United States that provide a valuable benefit to humans. Consider them your eight-legged bug guys: Their main job in life is to eat the insects that pester you. While mostly benign, species such as black widow and brown recluse spiders can be toxic to humans and exposure to them should be avoided. The key to effective spider control is making your environment less hospitable. A darkened barn with lots of attractive hiding places poses a bit of a challenge, but with a little tenacity you can control any spider population that worries you in three basic steps.

Instructions

- 1
  Address any insect problem that you have in your barn. Some insecticides are ineffective on spiders themselves because they are designed to work primarily on insects (spiders are arthropods). However, those spiders that are not affected directly by the insecticide tend to relocate after you cut off their food supply.
- 2
  Destroy and clean away any webbing in your barn when you find it. Keeping any area clean discourages a spider population, but consistent web removal ensures that you rid your barn of any egg sacs that could fuel another outbreak. It also forces spiders to make contact with treated areas that they are able to avoid when on the web.
- 3
  Kill any residual spiders with a pesticide that is specially created to handle spiders, rather than an insecticide. Read labels carefully to select one that will not be toxic to anything inside your barn, such as livestock. If you choose to go "green" with a natural alternative, spiders show an aversion to lemon-oil products. Chestnuts also make spiders vacate the premises.

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