Cobwebs and spiders in the barn – friend or foe?
Spiders give me the willies when they are actually crawling on me, but if they are just chillin’ on their web, I’m in awe of their architecture skills. In the barn, however, I have a compulsion to remove all cobwebs and try and make the barn a spider-free zone.
jump to shopping
Hi Dude, don’t crawl on me and we will both be fine!
Cobwebs are GREAT at spreading fire.
- While I understand that some of us view cobwebs as a great way to help control flies in the barn, it’s hard pass for me.
- Cobwebs are SUPER talented at moving fires from one stall to the next, and when they fall from the ceilings and rafters they can ignite more fire-starting materials in the stalls, like bedding and hay and any wood. Not so awesome.
- Fly control is a multi-pronged effort, and if you practice good fly control on your farm the presence of spiders and cobwebs in the barn won’t make a difference.
Cobwebs!
Types of spiders you may find
- Most spiders that live in barns pose little risk to horses, humans, and barn critters. Black Widows and Brown Recluse spiders have a reputation of being dangerous, but you must take into account a zillion different factors.
- What’s the species of the spider? Widows and Brown Recluse spiders have multiple species in the US, some are more dangerous than others. Also, there are many species of spiders that are virtually identical to the Brown Recluse, the only difference being their tiny, tiny eyes.
- Did the spider break the skin? Many spiders can’t bite through skin, much less the hair of a horse, cat, or dog.
- What’s your medical history? Elderly and young people are more likely to have a reaction to a spider bite.
- How did you, your horse, or a barn dog/cat come into contact with a spider? Widows and Brown Recluse spiders like to hide, in dark and undisturbed places. Most only bite when physically pressed, so if you have a stack of blankets in the back of your tack room, you’re more likely to find one there than making a web around a busy stall.
EEEKKKK….. But these ladies are super shy!
If you suspect a spider bite on you, your horse, your barn cat or dog, please call your Doctor or veterinarian for a check-up.
-
Spider bites can cause massive tissue damage, often taking weeks to heal.
- The Brown Recluse spider can cause neurological issues and skin damage in a small percentage of cases.
Brooms are easy and inexpensive cobweb clearing tools!
This brings me back to the whole cobweb in the barn thing.
- I’m a big fan of minimizing all risks when working around horses, and that includes spreading fires via cobwebs and the minor possibility of a bad spider bite, and the major possibility of getting totally creeped out if a spider lands on me. For these reasons, I prefer to remove spider webs and make the barn as unwelcoming to spiders as possible.
- Clear cobwebs with brooms or a vacuum. Shop vacs are great for this, as they wheel around and are easy to use. Your horse vac could work, also, but it’s not as easy to cart around. Using a broom works, but sometimes you end up with spiders and webs falling.
- Store your spider-friendly stuff, which is stuff you don’t use a lot, in sealed containers. Looking for uses for those giant supplement tubs? There you go. Bag up your horse blankets for storage in warmer months.
- It’s believed that some citrus oils and eucalyptus oils work to keep spiders away. But, many flies and gnats are attracted to delicious-smelling things.
- Seal off storage areas if you can. Cabinets work to create a spider-free zone, as does caulking around windows and other gaps in your barn, such as the wall-to-floor junction. Weatherproofing doors helps, too.
- Add a “spider plan” into your barn and home’s overall pest control plan if you have one.
- Stay on top of clutter. Clutter is a dream castle for most spiders, especially clutter that doesn’t get moved around a lot.
Stock up here for your horse supplies! As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases, but it’s ZERO extra cents to you. You can also visit my Amazon storefront here: PEG storefront.
This is the best broom for getting every last bit of shavings out of the barn aisle.
Because horses, where every mess is a big mess, and those extra bristles come in handy.
One for your tack room and one for you!
When you need to get rid of the barn gossip, and pronto.
These expandy-hoses are infinitely easier to coil than what you have now. Also there are like 7,100 reviews for this hose!
You will be amazed at what the ground will throw at ya.
Nothing says posh like a manure fork that holds more.
Thank you!
