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Spider infestation in our new overgrown garden

tesabeartesabear Posts: 5
in Problem solving
Please someone could you advise the best way to solve this issue?
We are renting in Sutton,moved in about 2 weeks ago. There are so many spider webs in this yard on lots of old Trellises and Wooden huts and amongst the plants and around the house windows.As I hear they like to find a place inside to aviod the cold weather coming soon .What is the best way to contain this problem ?
 I was bitten 5 times and had extreme reaction and blisters after I started stripping the garden that was overgrown with Bindweed and about a hundred plants that looks like a wild Gooseberry or a weed,that covered everywhere and everything.
 I found underneath about 15 smallish rose bushes, Lavender bush, 2 large unknown trees, 2 large Camellias, red hot pokers and a large old dark purple Clematis which has grown up high into the trees,which I am thrilled with. I am a keen gardener and have not had a garden since I moved to the UK in Dec 2018 ,which was really hard during Lockdown.
So we are super excited and really eager to get it back in good shape as soon as possible to enjoy it.
Thanks Teresa
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Posts

  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    Were you bitten by the spiders (very unusual) or something else (such as mozzies; I get bit almost daily)?

    Having a bit of a tidy up and getting rid of decrepit structures and any vegetation hanging near the house will help reduce the issue. But garden spiders (the tawny looking ones with fat bums) don't really come in the house. It's the big tegenaria species which you will see coming inside when the weather turns colder - they're not biters and they're almost certainly not the ones creating webs in your garden.

    Spiders are good, they control potential pests. But I can relate to not wanting a garden totally full of webs.
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
  • B3B3 Posts: 27,505
    The webs get more noticeable later in the year, but they disappear eventually.
    In London. Keen but lazy.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    I very much doubt that the bites are from spiders as the UK varieties are notoriously hard to provoke.    It's more likely to been have some other insect so make sure you spray on some insect repellant for next time you tackle the jungle and take a non-drowsy anti-histamine just in case.

    Here's some info on the usual suspects and their habitats - http://britishspiders.org.uk/wiki2015/index.php?title=Garden_Spiders 
    They are the gardeners' friend so don't be too tidy and their webs, with the dew or frost on them in autumn and winter, can be a thing of beauty. 
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    I agree, spiders are a friend in the garden and now you've cleared the overgrowth, things will settle down.  As @Loxley says, the 'bitey' ones won't come (or survive) in the house.
    I get bitten by gnats quite often if out in the evenings and the effects of those lasts for days (itching>swelling>blister>open blister>scab>more itching>scab scratched off>new scab.) 😖😖
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • Valley GardenerValley Gardener Posts: 2,851
    When I lived in Brittany I got seriously bitten by a spider or spiders living in the logs for the wood burner.  So painful I had to see the doctor. I will never hold an armful of logs again.😕
    The whole truth is an instrument that can only be played by an expert.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    I expect French spiders have quite a lot to be cross about @Valey Gardener.

    I know our garden birds don't trust hoomans, not even when they've been born and brought up in the garden and regularly fed by us.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • tesabeartesabear Posts: 5
    Thanks all for your help. As I am new to UK I appreciate the help.I have not seen a harvester myself, interesting thanks for info.
    You could not walk anywhere without walking into the spider webs and around all the fences and sheds and house window frames.There were cobwebs along the ceilings as I am sure the house was not lived in for a long period had to do a big clean up inside to.
    As this is my third time I’ve had this cellulitis from bites and had to get antibiotics for Red swollen legs and blisters was very painful had bites twice before in SA.
     I know I am highly sensitive to any insect bites. I know the spiders eat pests and don’t want to use harmful chemicals really but want to have safer place for my family especially my little grandson who is already so keen on the garden and flowers. Enjoy your gardens everyone.
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    UK insects and arachnids have not developed highly poisonous venoms and bites to protect themselves or subdue prey so you might have a bad reaction to a midgie or a horse-fly but it won't be a spider.

    You can get non-drowsy making anti-histamines form LIDL, Boots and pharmacies.   Those will help reduce reactions to bites.  I suggest you also buy some insect repellent spray to protect you as yo clear the garden - far better to do that than start a chemical warfare that will have knock-on effects on loads of beneficial species and essential pollinators and their predators all the way up to birds.


    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    Are you sure your blisters weren't a reaction to plant sap? Hogweed, euphorbia and a few others have sap that will blister your skin, especially on a sunny day.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • LoxleyLoxley Posts: 5,698
    Keeping tidy is all you need to do (so you aren't walking through webs!) The spiders will be catching the insects that actually do bite (mozzies, wasps, horseflies etc), so are actually probably reducing your chance of being bitten.
    "What is hateful to you, do not do to your neighbour". 
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