Birds. It comes as no surprise that birds are a significant threat to spiders of virtually all kinds, except perhaps the extremely large spiders, such as tarantulas.
These eight-legged creatures hate the smell of citrus fruits such as lemons and oranges. They also don't like peppermint oils, tea tree oils, eucalyptus, and vinegar. Using any of these around your home will keep spiders away.
Spider Predators: Birds
Aside from gigantic spiders such as tarantulas, it is not surprising that birds are top predators to almost all species of spiders (including sparrows, blackbirds, crows, bluebirds, and wrens). Some of the most common birds in the United States, such as robins, eat spiders daily.
Animals which feed directly on spiders include birds, reptiles, mammals and many arthropods, including other spiders, centipedes, scorpions and even some insects.
Are spiders afraid of humans? Yes. This is why spiders are most commonly encountered in seldom used areas such as garages, attics, basements, closets, or guest rooms. Spiders are antisocial and try their best to avoid human contact.
Some strong smells, such as citrus and vinegar, may deter spiders. To make a natural spider repellent, mix equal parts water and lemon juice or white vinegar in a small spray bottle. When using these repellents in your yard, always spray at the weeds and surrounding areas of your plants.
While the theory is unproven, it is likely that spiders can detect human fear. However, there are only few studies about this topic and it is not yet known for certain. Different animals have sensory organs that are able to identify different stimuli.
In Australia they are only found in the southeastern part of the country, from South Australia to Queensland via Victoria, New South Wales and Tasmania. You won't find them in the dry and arid zones. On the other hand, huntsman and wolf-spiders are found all over the country.
Spiders don't like the smells of strong odours such as cinnamon, eucalyptus oil and citrus. Use cinnamon candles and spray eucalyptus and lemon/orange oil in areas where you often see webs.
Sydney Funnel Web Spider
Found nearly exclusively in Sydney, this spider is often considered the most deadly in the world. With fangs that can pierce through fingernails, and one specimen reaching 10cm stretched out, this spider is serious business. A single bite can kill a human in 15 minutes.
The first thing is to ignore the impulse to get all Hulk-like when you see a spider and squish the little terror. Killing spiders will only attract other spiders; often, this makes way for nastier spiders. Some spiders are doing you a favor and are good to have in your home.
The 14 reported deaths each for the funnel web, which can kill in 15 minutes, and the redback, whose venom is even deadlier, exclude anaphylaxis, he said. The funnel web “classically speaking” is considered the world's deadliest spider because it “kills so quickly”.
Additionally, other common household pets, like our furry friends, lizards, frogs, hedgehogs, and birds, are good examples of what eats spiders.
Amphibians, Reptiles, and Fish
Some hunt spiders, while others wait near their nesting places to ambush them. Snakes and lizards like geckos, chameleons, and anoles also help keep the spider population in check.
Sometimes when we get too close or disturb them, they treat us like they would treat any predator. Many spiders have threat displays intended to scare off predators, such as rearing up or lunging. Biting in self-defence is another strategy that spiders can use when they are afraid for their lives.
The color that spiders tend to hate is light blue. People don't just paint their porches light blue for the aesthetic. Painting your porch ceiling in this shade is a pretty effective way of keeping spiders away. The color is also known to repel wasps.
Before use, mix peppermint with some water and spray it all over your room, especially in areas insects like spiders are likely to hide out. You may also consider combining the peppermint with detergents while washing your bedding. Lavender, rose, eucalyptus, tea tree, and lemon essential oils also repel spiders.
White Vinegar
In a spray bottle, mix white vinegar and water in equal parts. Then, get ready to spray whenever you see a spider—the acidic nature of the vinegar will kill the spider on contact.
That is quite the sight, but picture this — millions of tiny spiders raining from the sky. While it can sound like something out of a horror movie, in Australia the transition from late summer to fall can trigger what is known to the locals as spider season.
An estimated 5 per cent of Australians have arachnophobia, but there are plenty of others happy to get close to the creepy crawlies. "People find it thrilling," said Catherine Timbrell, the producer of a major exhibition on spiders opening on Saturday at the Australian Museum.
A large species of tarantula native to the east coast region of Australia, the whistling spider, is the largest spider in the country. As the largest spider in Australia, whistling spiders can grow a leg span of up to 16 cm (6.2 inches) and a body size of around 6 cm (2.3 inches).
The vast majority of spiders are harmless and serve a critical purpose: controlling insect populations that could otherwise devastate crops. Without spiders to eat pests harmful to agriculture, it's thought that our food supply would be put at risk.
We found that perceived fear and disgust of spiders were triggered predominantly by enlarged chelicerae, enlarged abdomen, and the presence of body hair. Longer legs were associated with perceived fear as well; however, the presence of two eyes did not produce any statistical significance in terms of fear.
Scientists have discovered that spiders are so scary, even other spiders are scared of them. New research published by the British Ecological Society put spiders in front of other spiders — and they were so scared, they jumped or ran away.