How to get rid of Crab spiders in trees

[skhan]

For the last 6 months or so there have been crab spiders all over the yard.
I'm tired of getting webs all over my hair, is there something I can spray that is particularly good for spiders?
I don't mind if they are high up in the tree but they are at face level so it's really bad.

I'm going to start trimming and shaping my trees in a few weeks, would that be a better time to spray.

I have:
Pyrethrin
Liquid Sevin
AzaMaz
BT
Horticultural Oil
Limonene

Do any of these work for spiders well enough?

[bsbullie]

They are harmless, just leave them be.  If the webs bother you that much, use a stick/tree stake and swat at the webs as you go.

[Evildeadguy]

They are harmless.... But if you must get rid of them spray them down with your water hose

[WGphil]

We had kid in school we called Spider-Man

He would eat a crab spider for a quarter and garden spider for thirty five cents.

He was at our 20 th reunion and on the self written name tag on his shirt in case we forgot was Spiderman.   

Some peak way too early

[skhan]

I understand there harmless but its getting to be a big nuisance in my front yard especially.
Every day the webs are back over the driveway, from cars to trees, in front of the front door etc.
I used to break them but then its back up the next day.

Myself, spouse, kids and guests get a face or hair full of webs when walking to the front door.
I don't mind them in the backyard as much though

There call spiny back orb weavers I believe.

[fliptop]

My question is, where does all that web come from??? I somehow got a small garden spider indoors and then moved it out to the porch, where it tried to take up residence. Little did it know I'd be inadvertently messing up all its hard work every time I went out on my porch to have coffee, check on/water plants, etc. And sure enough, the next day there'd be a whole lot of newly spun web to get messed up by me.

So how does a little spider kick out that much web?! How?!?!?! On a side note, maybe a well-placed spider web can help with the leaf hoppers you mention in another post?

[skhan]

My question is, where does all that web come from??? I somehow got a small garden spider indoors and then moved it out to the porch, where it tried to take up residence. Little did it know I'd be inadvertently messing up all its hard work every time I went out on my porch to have coffee, check on/water plants, etc. And sure enough, the next day there'd be a whole lot of newly spun web to get messed up by me.

So how does a little spider kick out that much web?! How?!?!?! On a side note, maybe a well-placed spider web can help with the leaf hoppers you mention in another post?

Yup that would be great if they set up shop by my annonas

[scashaggy]

Just pick them by hand and move them somewhere else. 

[bsbullie]

You do realize they are not there to pass you off. They are attracted to where insects are, so they are building the nests not only for convenience and location but because there must be a food source there.

[scashaggy]

Personally, I leave them where they are.  If they are there, they are catching bugs.  Bugs that may damage my plants.

[Tropicalgrower89]

Usually, I move crab spiders to where they won't be in the way. I'll use a long stick or wood pole to transfer them to another tree. Funny thing, in locations where I had to knock them down between the house and the fence, they end up building their new web in a higher location at the same spot. One of the crab spiders at my home actually built a web a foot above my height at one of the paths I walk through with the perfect curvature for maximum clearance. It's like they knew my height.. lol

[fisherking73]

I just break the webs with my hand. Have tons of them in backyard certain times of years. Appreciate any mosquito or fly they take care of, or any other insect that can be a detriment to my plants. Its annoying for sure, but I just let them be. and yes it sucks when one catches you off guard in the face lol

[roblack]

Have been getting these large fat spiders that spin HUGE webs at night. Using bamboos poles to relocate them. More than once I've walked into a web, it sticks to me, and when I retreat the spider and web comes with me. Gets the heart pumping.

Don't ever recall being bit by a spider, glad they are out there eating mosquitos and other pests.

[pineislander]

My question is, where does all that web come from??? I somehow got a small garden spider indoors and then moved it out to the porch, where it tried to take up residence. Little did it know I'd be inadvertently messing up all its hard work every time I went out on my porch to have coffee, check on/water plants, etc. And sure enough, the next day there'd be a whole lot of newly spun web to get messed up by me.

So how does a little spider kick out that much web?! How?!?!?! On a side note, maybe a well-placed spider web can help with the leaf hoppers you mention in another post?

Spider webs are made of proteins mainly glycine and alanine. They have silk glands which extrude the silk.
Very interesting when viewed in an electron microscope:



many orb weavers re-consume and thus recycle their silk.
 https://indianapublicmedia.org/amomentofscience/spiders-recycling/

[skhan]

Thanks, I think try relocating them to the annonas.
Never tried that before. Always just broke the webs

[fruitlovers]

Crab spider webs can get out of control here in the winter. The rest of the year they are not much of a problem. They are a nuisance when mowing through orchard. Yes they will sting you if you get them down your shirt. I usually just use a stick to move web to one side. I think if you kill them by spraying you might get some other insects they are preying on go out of control. If you are intent on spraying them anyway you would need to use a miticide, not an insecticide.

[skhan]

Crab spider webs can get out of control here in the winter. The rest of the year they are not much of a problem. They are a nuisance when mowing through orchard. Yes they will sting you if you get them down your shirt. I usually just use a stick to move web to one side. I think if you kill them by spraying you might get some other insects they are preying on go out of control. If you are intent on spraying them anyway you would need to use a miticide, not an insecticide.

Thanks Oscar, that was a pretty thorough response.
I completely understand that they are there for a reason (just like the insects).
I'm not trying to get rid of all just a few in the high traffic areas.
Miticide or repellent will do if simply relocating doesn't work.

I think they started coming ever since the influx of neighboorhood cats.
More cat crap draws in more flys, and that's what I've been seeing in the webs

So I'll be addressing that problem as well

[pineislander]

I've seen someone install fiberglass flag rods like golf carts use on their riding mowers to help knock down webs when underway.