# Tarantula Invasion - Help



## RMcC (Dec 31, 2013)

Hi All,
Having been in Cyprus now for just over 2 months and not having seen any of our big spider friends in the Villa for the first 6 weeks, recently we have had 3-4 inside. This is really starting to unsettle my good lady( and if truth be told, me too!!!!!).
Does anyone have any good tips to help keep them out of the Villa and is there any reason why we should be seeing as many just recently - is this a period when they are more active?
We dont at all mind the local wildlife, just want it to remain outside the villa.
Any tips and suggestions greatly received


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## MacManiac (Jan 25, 2012)

We spray our thresholds every month with BioKill and this seems to deter most potential invaders. On the odd occasion that big, ugly spiders get into the house a quick spray of BioKill slows them down and then my size 9 boot completes the job. Spider lovers we are not, and there is a zero tolerance policy inside the house. It sounds to me that you may have a nest nearby, so no doubt other long-term residents may advise you how to deal with that.


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## David_&_Letitia (Jul 8, 2012)

Q


RMcC said:


> Hi All,
> Having been in Cyprus now for just over 2 months and not having seen any of our big spider friends in the Villa for the first 6 weeks, recently we have had 3-4 inside. This is really starting to unsettle my good lady( and if truth be told, me too!!!!!).
> Does anyone have any good tips to help keep them out of the Villa and is there any reason why we should be seeing as many just recently - is this a period when they are more active?
> We dont at all mind the local wildlife, just want it to remain outside the villa.
> Any tips and suggestions greatly received


Roy,

Around 6 weeks ago, we had 2 tarantulas within a week found floating in the pool (not dead either!). Thankfully, we have not found any in the house yet. However, we have fly screens and keep them closed all the time we have any patio doors or windows open. No doubt this will go some way to preventing them from getting into the house in the first place. Do you have fly screens and if so are you using them?

I fully endorse MacManiacs advice regarding Biokill. He advised us to get this when we arrived last October and use it on all thresholds. It really does work for all sorts of bugs, including ants.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

Definitely when it comes to the bigger spiders keeping fly screens closed will help.
We did have two in the house last year for the first time but we found that there was a fairly big gap under the front door which Dennis dealt with and it has stopped them getting in.


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

Veronica said:


> Definitely when it comes to the bigger spiders keeping fly screens closed will help.
> We did have two in the house last year for the first time but we found that there was a fairly big gap under the front door which Dennis dealt with and it has stopped them getting in.


Today morning one of them sat outside the door, waiting to come in. But instead he was caught with the pool net and moved to the grape-fiield outside the fence


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## MacManiac (Jan 25, 2012)

Baywatch said:


> Today morning one of them sat outside the door, waiting to come in. But instead he was caught with the pool net and moved to the grape-fiield outside the fence


And, no doubt, like The Terminator, he was shouting "I'll be back."


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

MacManiac said:


> And, no doubt, like The Terminator, he was shouting "I'll be back."


If so he will be back out, I can*t see the meaning in killing something that make no harm. It is the same with snakes. Its a human phobia, not a real danger.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

I don't kill spiders. I have a spidercatcher for the smaller ones and as Anders says a pool net is handy if you happen to get a tarantula.


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## RMcC (Dec 31, 2013)

Thanks everyone, I have to admit I will be in the size 9 boot camp on this one as my wife would never forgive me if i set one free and it had a chance to return.
I have tried to get hold of some BioKill but not yet been able to source it, if anyone knows where i can get hold of it please let me know. our local DIY store provided me with (in his words) a good product which was better than BioKill.
No sightings to report today, so fingers crossed


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

RMcC said:


> Thanks everyone, I have to admit I will be in the size 9 boot camp on this one as my wife would never forgive me if i set one free and it had a chance to return.
> I have tried to get hold of some BioKill but not yet been able to source it, if anyone knows where i can get hold of it please let me know. our local DIY store provided me with (in his words) a good product which was better than BioKill.
> No sightings to report today, so fingers crossed


Pap's normally have it


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## PeteandSylv (Sep 24, 2008)

Biokill is readily available in all the main supermarkets. We have some and it works very well but it has been suggested to us that making up a spray of standard insecticide, such as used to spray your garden plants, will work just as well and is a fraction of the price. We may yet test this when the Biokill runs out.

By the way I do think they came up with a clever name as the "Bio" tends to imply there is something natural about it distancing it from the harmful, poisonous chemical insecticides. There is however nothing "bio" about it. The active ingredient is Permethrin a synthetic chemical which is relatively safe for humans.

Pete


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

PeteandSylv said:


> Biokill is readily available in all the main supermarkets. We have some and it works very well but it has been suggested to us that making up a spray of standard insecticide, such as used to spray your garden plants, will work just as well and is a fraction of the price. We may yet test this when the Biokill runs out.
> 
> By the way I do think they came up with a clever name as the "Bio" tends to imply there is something natural about it distancing it from the harmful, poisonous chemical insecticides. There is however nothing "bio" about it. The active ingredient is Permethrin a synthetic chemical which is relatively safe for humans.
> 
> Pete


I am sure you are right Pete. More then one will buy because of the name


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## southcoastlady (Apr 18, 2015)

Baywatch said:


> Pap's normally have it


Well I am sure you never buy it as you don't want to kill these vial things! 

We get ours from Paps.


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## Veronica (Apr 5, 2008)

I'm not sure how effective these sprays are agaisnt large spiders like tarantulas.


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## southcoastlady (Apr 18, 2015)

Veronica said:


> I'm not sure how effective these sprays are agaisnt large spiders like tarantulas.


Trust me - it stuns them and makes it easier to 'dispose' of them. :fingerscrossed:


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

southcoastlady said:


> Well I am sure you never buy it as you don't want to kill these vial things!
> 
> We get ours from Paps.


No why should I. I have no phobia


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## bwfcwood (Jul 23, 2012)

Veronica said:


> I'm not sure how effective these sprays are agaisnt large spiders like tarantulas.


We have been spraying the thresholds of our holiday home each time we leave and it's been very effective.....until we had friends use our ground floor apartment this week and they found these 'little' critters, one in the bed eek! And one in the lounge. More biokill methinks ?de28


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## southcoastlady (Apr 18, 2015)

Baywatch said:


> No why should I. I have no phobia


Glad to hear it.


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## Rema (Aug 12, 2012)

In an effort to be as free from chemicals as possible we spray a mixture of peppermint oil and water on our thresholds, it seems to work well without high cost of environmental impact - at least no spiders, it's not so good with lizards though!


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

Rema said:


> In an effort to be as free from chemicals as possible we spray a mixture of peppermint oil and water on our thresholds, it seems to work well without high cost of environmental impact - at least no spiders, it's not so good with lizards though!


Luckily the big lizards keep out. we now have a number of 30 cm long ones. They are amazing to look at.

Inside is only Geckos and they are good so they dont have anything to fear as long as they stay higher than the dog reach


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## Baywatch (Mar 30, 2014)

Baywatch said:


> Luckily the big lizards keep out. we now have a number of 30 cm long ones. They are amazing to look at.
> 
> Inside is only Geckos and they are good so they dont have anything to fear as long as they stay higher than the dog reach


These we now see daily in the garden. Fantastic creatures


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