Spiders can swim?!

[CalvertNewbie]

I knew that moving to a house surrounded by woods would force me to confront my biggest fear - spiders! I never knew that they could float & breathe underwater. I just looked in the pool. There were about 10 spiders in there, most of them under water, and one of them looked like a big wolf spider. He appeared to be swimming, not even touching the walls, about 3 feet from the surface.

Please, please tell me what we can do to keep them out of the water! Or will I not be swimming this summer? I know this all sounds childish but I've always hated spiders. I'm so disgusted right now. Will spraying around the pool possibly help?

 

[theArtistFormerlyKnownAs]

I knew that moving to a house surrounded by woods would force me to confront my biggest fear - spiders! I never knew that they could float & breathe underwater. I just looked in the pool. There were about 10 spiders in there, most of them under water, and one of them looked like a big wolf spider. He appeared to be swimming, not even touching the walls, about 3 feet from the surface.

Please, please tell me what we can do to keep them out of the water! Or will I not be swimming this summer? I know this all sounds childish but I've always hated spiders. I'm so disgusted right now. Will spraying around the pool possibly help?

if they are in the pool, underwater, they aren't alive

if the pool has been sitting over the winter then they tend to collect among the leaves and such...once you clean the pool out they won't be back (noticeably) until you close the pool again

 

[CalvertNewbie]

if they are in the pool, underwater, they aren't alive

if the pool has been sitting over the winter then they tend to collect among the leaves and such...once you clean the pool out they won't be back (noticeably) until you close the pool again

I wish that were true but they are alive - I attempted to get 'em with the brush and they started crawling up the walls and on the bottom. Imagine my surprise! I almost lost my balance and wouldn't have been too happy if I fell in!!

 

[theArtistFormerlyKnownAs]

I wish that were true but they are alive - I attempted to get 'em with the brush and they started crawling up the walls and on the bottom. Imagine my surprise! I almost lost my balance and wouldn't have been too happy if I fell in!!

 

[CalvertNewbie]

At least I'm not the only one who thought they were dead.

 

[ImAChvyGirl]

Yes they can swim but not for very long we had them in our pool last year. I would not sugest spraying around the pool for fear that the chemicals might get in. You just have to keep scooping them out and squishing them. you especially want to get them out if they are carrying babies because the babies are hard to get out of the water. My fiance' hates spiders too!!!

 

[CalvertNewbie]

Yes they can swim but not for very long we had them in our pool last year. I would not sugest spraying around the pool for fear that the chemicals might get in. You just have to keep scooping them out and squishing them. you especially want to get them out if they are carrying babies because the babies are hard to get out of the water. My fiance' hates spiders too!!!

Good point, never thought about the babies. Looks like hubby has some fun lined up for tonight! Glad he's not a wimp like me. Other bugs don't really bother me, just spiders. Thanks!

 

[theArtistFormerlyKnownAs]

Good point, never thought about the babies. Looks like hubby has some fun lined up for tonight! Glad he's not a wimp like me. Other bugs don't really bother me, just spiders. Thanks!

try this...pour gasoline on top of the water and light it...either the spiders will come up and burn or they will be forced to suffocate...




(JIC...this was )

 

[Lugnut]

There are several spiders that can swim and even hunt underwater. Some even catch small fish!!

Best thing you can do is to make sure your filter system is functional and spray around the pool to kill insects.

 

[goodoleboy]

I knew that moving to a house surrounded by woods would force me to confront my biggest fear - spiders! I never knew that they could float & breathe underwater. I just looked in the pool. There were about 10 spiders in there, most of them under water, and one of them looked like a big wolf spider. He appeared to be swimming, not even touching the walls, about 3 feet from the surface.

Please, please tell me what we can do to keep them out of the water! Or will I not be swimming this summer? I know this all sounds childish but I've always hated spiders. I'm so disgusted right now. Will spraying around the pool possibly help?

Drain about half the water out of the pool and refill with DDT. You'll never see another spider again.

 

[HouseCat]

I knew that moving to a house surrounded by woods would force me to confront my biggest fear - spiders! I never knew that they could float & breathe underwater. I just looked in the pool. There were about 10 spiders in there, most of them under water, and one of them looked like a big wolf spider. He appeared to be swimming, not even touching the walls, about 3 feet from the surface.

Please, please tell me what we can do to keep them out of the water! Or will I not be swimming this summer? I know this all sounds childish but I've always hated spiders. I'm so disgusted right now. Will spraying around the pool possibly help?

Benelli makes a 12 gauge (M-4) riot shotgun that works great on spiders. I wouldn't use anything of less caliber.

What you saw was more in likely a hunstman spider....google that evil thing and see if its the same....they're great for target practice.

 

[CalvertNewbie]

Thanks everyone, for some really great ideas. I think I may go for the gasoline, although maybe some target practice would be fun. I don't know what the heck kind of spiders they are, but I'd rather not think of them catching small fish (thanks Lugnut!)

 

[Lugnut]

Thanks everyone, for some really great ideas. I think I may go for the gasoline, although maybe some target practice would be fun. I don't know what the heck kind of spiders they are, but I'd rather not think of them catching small fish (thanks Lugnut!)

Sorry for any nightmares I inadvertantly caused.

Do you clorinate or use teh enviro friendly stuff? Chlorine makes short work of creepy crawlies but the new stuff seems to be bug friendly.

 

[CalvertNewbie]

Sorry for any nightmares I inadvertantly caused.

Do you clorinate or use teh enviro friendly stuff? Chlorine makes short work of creepy crawlies but the new stuff seems to be bug friendly.

Hmmm, good to know - I'll stick to the non-enviro-friendly stuff. I don't need anything bug friendly around here. The filters are in good working order but I'll just hope that once the chlorine count is higher, we'll have less spiders in there. Btw, you were joking about the several spiders that can swim, right?

 

[desertrat]

Hmmm, good to know - I'll stick to the non-enviro-friendly stuff. I don't need anything bug friendly around here. The filters are in good working order but I'll just hope that once the chlorine count is higher, we'll have less spiders in there. Btw, you were joking about the several spiders that can swim, right?

There are spiders who build their nests underwater by carrying air down and anchoring it with webs. They build an underwater bubble and live in it. They prey on small fish.

But.

Are you sure yours aren't some kind of water bug?

 

[CalvertNewbie]

There are spiders who build their nests underwater by carrying air down and anchoring it with webs. They build an underwater bubble and live in it. They prey on small fish.

But.

Are you sure yours aren't some kind of water bug?

Oh - there are spiders like that here in MD? I wish they were just water bugs but they are the same type of spiders that we've seen in our house a few times recently (luckily the dog & cat always spot them so we can get them right away). The really big one was a different type (looked like a mini tarantula). I think that one may have been a wolf spider but who knows? :shrug:

 

[desertrat]

Oh - there are spiders like that here in MD? I wish they were just water bugs but they are the same type of spiders that we've seen in our house a few times recently (luckily the dog & cat always spot them so we can get them right away). The really big one was a different type (looked like a mini tarantula). I think that one may have been a wolf spider but who knows? :shrug:

I don't know if they live here or not. Just that they exist. That may be the weirdest thing I have heard in a long time. Spiders swimming and under the water at that. I'd say shock your pool with chlorine.

 

[CalvertNewbie]

I don't know if they live here or not. Just that they exist. That may be the weirdest thing I have heard in a long time. Spiders swimming and under the water at that. I'd say shock your pool with chlorine.

Yeah, sounds like a plan. Thanks!

 

[toppick08]

Yeah, sounds like a plan. Thanks!

It don't phase Black Widows.....

 

[CalvertNewbie]

It don't phase Black Widows.....

Does anything phase them? They're nasty! There seems to be a lot of wolf spiders around here and some other one that I see alot (black with brown marking on its back) - do you know what type of spiders those are? Sure love livin in the country!!