this post was submitted on 24 Apr 2025
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Mildly Interesting

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They're the same price at Walmart, so it pretty much always makes sense to go with the spider-spray.

The flies don't die 'on-contact' like they do with the fly-specific spray, but they do die after a brief period of delirium.

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[–] [email protected] 12 points 6 hours ago

Are you crazy! I mean if you live somewhere were dangerous spiders I could see it but spiders mostly stay out of the way and kill insects. I totally don't want to kill them.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 7 hours ago

As a representative from the spider community, I'm very disappointed in your callous treatment of our very well intentioned community.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 8 hours ago

Why do you want to kill spiders? They're like natural fly-spray.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 8 hours ago

Killing flies eventually kills spiders by starvation.

[–] [email protected] 21 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago) (2 children)

At least where I live, it doesn't make sense to kill spiders at all. There literally is not a single local spider species that you might encounter at home that's even somewhat dangerous (AFAIK even in the wild there's only one, and even that one usually won't kill you). If there's something that's too gross for you, just pick it up with a glass and throw it out of the window (which is much easier with spiders than with flies). Spiders do kill flies and other critters that are annoying or even dangerous, so you definitely want the poison that kills flies but not spiders.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 8 hours ago (1 children)

We have black widows, brown recluse, and wolf spiders, but bites are extremely uncommon and actually less dangerous than advertised. Yes, you should see a doctor right away for at least the first two, but it's not worth killing all the house spiders to avoid them.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago) (1 children)

Not sure what wolf spiders are doing on that list, they are totally harmless. Also everyone (except people in Antartica) has wolf spiders.

Black widows and brown recluses are medically significant but haven't killed anyone in the US in decades. But do go and see a doctor if you get bitten.

Also check this map to make sure you actually have brown recluses where you live. A lot of spiders are mistaken for them.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 5 hours ago* (last edited 5 hours ago)

I only mention them because they can bite, and it hurts. I got bit by one on the foot when it made a home in my shoe, and it felt like a wasp sting. Can't say I blame him, because if a giant foot smashed into my house, I might react the same. But normally if you leave them alone, they leave you alone.

As for the brown recluses, I can't say I've ever seen one, I just heard from an EMT that they are trained for those and black widow bites. I have seen black widows, but I've never personally known of anyone bitten by one.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago) (1 children)

Yeah. Forget where I heard this, but it was something like "For every spider you see in your basement, that's like 1000 other bugs you won't".

Unless it's an infestation, I tend to leave individual spiders alone.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 8 hours ago (2 children)

Yes but that's my contract with the bugs. If they don't cause structural damage, and I don't see them we can have peace. Pest or allie, if you have more than 4 legs and I see you in my domicile - I will do my best to destroy you as soon as I'm done screaming.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 2 hours ago

I’m good until they’re in my furniture or the bedroom.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 8 hours ago

As soon as I'm done screaming

Hahahahahaha, have your upvote

[–] [email protected] 9 points 9 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago) (1 children)

I buy this stuff (foaming glass cleaner spray). It'll clean my windows, stainless steel fixtures, screens, and kill just about every bug I spray it on (or at least knock them down/incapacitate them so I can go in for the kill squish). Only weakness is its limited spray range (though I did kill a yellow-jacket queen with it yesterday when I was outside cleaning the windows).