The Osage Orange AKA Hedge Apple Can Repel Spiders

I don’t know about you but I do not like spiders. I know that spiders are our friends. They eat bugs and other insects. I have tried to desensitize myself to spiders. I watched through my dining room window as a Garden Spider spun her web. I found is repulsively fascinating. As her underbelly undulated a web was woven. She then preceded to lay her eggs and kill and devour her trapped prey. I am sorry, fascinated or not, I was not desensitized, only horrified.

My son’s girlfriend was recently bitten my a Brown Recluse Spider. She doesn’t know when it happened but it made her horribly sick. She had to take strong antibiotics and the poison from the bite then oozed onto her other leg causing infection in several places on that leg too. I think what was is even more horrifying is not knowing where or when it happened.

We live in Indiana, we shouldn’t have to worry about things like poisonous, hideously large spiders or poisononus snakes. Well ignorance is bliss sometimes. I have found out that that is a myth. We do have poisonous snakes and spiders. I was told recently by a friend of mine that she has spiders the size of a silver dollar in her back yard near her pool. I had a spider drop from the ceiling out of the clear blue. I am innocently walking to my kitchen sink and a spider fell on me and ran across my top. I batted at it and it fell and slithered under the cabinet. I will never be the same after this experience. Yes, I am an arachnaphobic.I admit it.

What to do? What to do? I will not sleep tonight. I am going to gather up as many Osage Oranges, which are commonly called Hedge Apples, and place them in the basement, and all around the house. It is reputed to be a repellent of insects and better yet spiders. Farmers have used this method for years. I have heard it is a myth. I am willing to try it. I think they are beautiful and can be used to decorate so even if it doesn’t work, it will not poison me or anyone else. I also read that you can dilute dish soap and essential oils, such as peppermint or any other oil you may like and spray in areas that spiders and insects like to hang out. It is important to keep clothes off of the floor. I know that spiders like to lay under the dirty clothes in the laundry room. I started keeping them up because I have had too many nasty surprises when I pick them up to put them in the washer. I am convinced that the spiders in the laundry room lurking under the clothes are Brown Recluse Spiders. I have seen photos of them, but to me a brown spider is a Brown Recluse Spider and they do like to hide in clothes. They also like to hide in dark places. I might even start sleeping with Hedge Apples! People often are bitten in their beds because of squashing a Brown Recluse Spider. Supposedly they are shy, they just don’t like being smashed between your clothes or sheets.

Another reminder to prevent the Brown Recluse from sharing your bed, is not to have bed skirts on your bed or clothing piled under it. It will prevent them from climbing up and sharing your sleep with you. It is a little less tempting for them to climb up the bed legs.

At this point I will try anything. Hedge Apples, or Osage Oranges, are not dangerous to you or your pets. Essential oils and dish soap are not harmful to you either. I am on a mission to rid my house of spiders. If you have any other information on ridding these nasty creatures please inform us.

On that pleasant note, Pleasant Dreams!