I just put my van up on ramps to do a little wiring and mechanical work today.
I had to cut my plans short when I noticed the undercarriage is supporting a mass of cobwebs just about down to the floor.

Also, I spotted one redback on a quick inspection. I kind of didn't want to look after that.

These spiders. These nasty, venomous little sods. How do I get rid of them???

I'm not entirely convinced sprays will do the job.
If there was a river crossing nearby, I think I'd go for a little drive and give my not in the slightest bit waterproof van a dunk.
The ones near the motor can be baked by running it for a while, but the rest aren't so easy.

I was going to blank off the mechanical fuel pump and relocate the electric one today too. And if I had time, rewire the auxiliary battery and pull off the exhaust for repairs.
Typical.

Although I doubt it's effectiveness, I might give another spray underneath.

Any suggestions what to do with this nasty problem?

Dont worry no-one has died from a redback spider bite since anti-venom has been introduced for them. That was in 1956.

Only 12 deaths have been recorded by redback and they are all pre-1956.

i used a perimeter spray on mine and havent seen anything with 8 legs in it since

Spray WILL work,a river crossing will not.You could always park it on a fire

take a set of wheel ramps and go to your nearest car wash, get cracking with the pressure washer under it....

a big can of surface spray will fix em up. Dont breathe the fumes.....

i would use some spray around the underside of the car... give it a really good going over then leave it for a day... most sprays will not kill spiders immediately but they run like buggery and end up dead.
good luck

when i got my buggy it had been refuge for redbacks for countless aeons.

nuked it with surface spray. haha you should have seen all the little suckers absieling down to the ground and trying to run away. i just mashed them into the concrete. haha

wow impressive

spray will kill redbacks, water will just make them swim to shore
have thousands of them in this area you will find they love dark spots
on the northern side of buildings for the warmth in winter.
another option is sell the van & buy one from new zealand(no spiders):P

bummer next they will have snakes

I imagine parking in water will also make them all scurry up to dry ground..ie the cabin!
classic 'darwin awards' scenario!

Your dreaming - no redbacks in NZ!
No crockadiles-
No snakes-
No venomous jellyfish-
No shark attacks-
No stinking cane toads-

Grass and wilderness you can just frolick in and sea you can swim in.
Makes me homesick thinking about it!

I had an 11 window, the first I bought in Oz. Turned out to be a shed ... but not before I sent it to the local shop for them to 'quote' and evaluate it. I got a call from a pissed off mechanic, told to get down there pronto. They has a jar with dozens of Redbacks in it. It went on the hoist, they started to blow air into the dirt, and crud to see what was what, and they literally parachuted down....they caught some and splatted the rest.

Now they have a policy, Spray anything that has cobwebs but 'driving' and call the 'flick man' on anything that's been standing and sent for resto.

All ended up okay, but keep an eye out for those little white balls that look like marshmellows .. not a good sign. I now do as the others, barrier spray on the chassis and rails where the suckers like to breed.

Buses come with redbacks and rust....lol

Thanks everyone!

So surface spray and/or perimeter spray will do it. Great! I'll have to get some more.
I know the standard spray does very little.

Last time I rebuilt the topend there was a redback living on the engine case near the crank pulley. I sprayed it until it turned the spider and the engine white. Then I hit it with a breaker bar.
The next day when I went to work on it, the spider was very alive.
I then hit it with more insect spray (2 types) The aerostart, the degreaser, the WD-40 and whatever aerosols I could get my hands on. Still wouldn't die! It came out a bit further eventually, where I mashed it to oblivion.

Nice story, crewcabconnection. Scary too. My hillmans were full of huntsmans, but they don't bother me as much.
My beetle had whitetails, a funnelweb and an ants nest under the spare tyre

I did briefly consider fire under the van. Very briefly. Probably because I can't seem to fix it properly either

Looking forward to hearing some more spider stories.

Quote:

Originally posted by kombi-troppo Your dreaming - no redbacks in NZ! No crockadiles- No snakes- No venomous jellyfish- No shark attacks- No stinking cane toads- Grass and wilderness you can just frolick in and sea you can swim in. Makes me homesick thinking about it!

Quote:

Originally posted by General_Failure Thanks everyone! So surface spray and/or perimeter spray will do it. Great! I'll have to get some more. I know the standard spray does very little. Last time I rebuilt the topend there was a redback living on the engine case near the crank pulley. I sprayed it until it turned the spider and the engine white. Then I hit it with a breaker bar. The next day when I went to work on it, the spider was very alive. I then hit it with more insect spray (2 types) The aerostart, the degreaser, the WD-40 and whatever aerosols I could get my hands on. Still wouldn't die! It came out a bit further eventually, where I mashed it to oblivion. Nice story, crewcabconnection. Scary too. My hillmans were full of huntsmans, but they don't bother me as much. My beetle had whitetails, a funnelweb and an ants nest under the spare tyre I did briefly consider fire under the van. Very briefly. Probably because I can't seem to fix it properly either Looking forward to hearing some more spider stories.

Henry the Huntsman lives in the boot of my bug

huntsmans are cool unless one is in your wetsuit when you put it on
& very close to the jewels too if you get my drift:o ouch

I think one of the worst things a spider can do is crawl out onto the inside of the windscreen in front of my face while I'm driving at a decent speed at night. Had that happen a few too many times.

I did have a little albino gecko crawl out onto the windscreen once during the day. That was pretty cool.

Aerosols and flame? naah....I've neeeever done anything as irresponsible and fun as that.

Pretty scary when you turn the wipers on to remove a huntsman from the windscreen of the bus and the wiper goes straight past the spider, because it is on the INSIDE!

hellbus that one i like

Here's one I prepared earlier...

This one thought it had me figured out, til I spray painted it blue. It survived for about 4 or 5 days like that and then shead it's skin. So I now have the oportunity to paint it a different colour. Me thinks pink...

Did this at my place,
If you have a shed, get some Roach and Spider "Bombs". Set them off, close the door and don't go back in for 24 hours. Cleared mine for 6 months.

But they are back now....


Ctefeh

In Perth we have a spider called a white tail .These a bad buggers and spray can will not kill them .

they come out at night .

yeah did the bombs too was pretty happy with those ;-)knocked most things out also did the james bond things with the lighter and the aersol can, that too the little buggers out too. and I am a pomme so I was afraid.

only have to worry about rust in england ;-)

my best result was with a disconnected battery, a dozen bricks holding a tarp down (like a tent) over the whole car, and two bug bombs. No effort involved and you can go grab some lunch while the buggers are being fumigated