Big, fat, hairy black spider in my mailbox!!

[Winter Biscuit]

A big, fat, hairy black spider has made a little home inside my mailbox :eek: It scared the crap out of me when I went to get the mail the other day. i remember reading somewhere that there is a certain type of spider that can nest inside mailboxes and can be dangerous if it bites you (or the mailman/woman) when mail is delivered or retrieved. Does anyone have any ideas for how to get that scary thing to go away? I love getting mail, but I'm afraid of my mailbox :rolleyes: :o

I did a Google search and all I really found (so far) is that a mothball in the mailbox might help keep any critters - including spiders - out of the mailbox (assuming one does not have sensitivities to moth balls).

An article I found also warns NOT to spray poison inside the mailbox because most spiders need to have the poison applied directly TO them, not to the places they frequent, in order for it to be effective. Plus, the poison will just get on the mail that is delivered, and then be transferred to the hands that retrieve the mail.

Any other ideas?

[honeygirl]

I don't really have any helpful advice. I usually ask DH to get rid of all spiders/scary creatures for me. Sometimes he uses a hand-vac to get them, not sure if that would work in a mailbox.

When I was a teenager we had a very hairy/scary spider that lived near the freezer (in the garage). I didn't know how to get rid of him so I named him "Fred" and would talk to Fred when I went into the garage. I felt less anxious making him more of a pet than a predator.

[Mindy3094]

Is it possible to just move him? When we have spiders in the office, I get a piece of paper and "persuade" them to crawl on the paper, then I take them outside. Could you move your little spider?

I do agree with mothballs. Our friend is a "critter getter" and he says that everything hates mothballs. So, maybe try that. I would also let your mail carrier know there is a spider residing in your mailbox for now so he/she doesn't get bitten by accident (if it is that type of spider).

[Winter Biscuit]

I didn't know how to get rid of him so I named him "Fred" and would talk to Fred when I went into the garage. I felt less anxious making him more of a pet than a predator.

:D This cracks me up because my DH's name is Fred :D :D

I saw Mr. Spider again yesterday and looked at him long enough to notice the red spot on his back. That leads me to think it's a black widow. :eek: I am so cautious when I open the mailbox to retrieve the mail, because he is usually there. Yesterday he was choking a fly in his long legs. I hate spiders.

[screetch]

Do you have a power washer that you can use to spray down the inside and outside and surrounding area? That's probably what I would try. I would probably also spray 409 or bathroom cleaner all over the inside and outside. (Don't know how those work on black widows, but it's what I use to kill most bugs, including spiders. Or maybe you could take some spider killer or cleanser type stuff (since spider spray might linger?) out with you when you get the mail and try to off him when you see him.

[DiscoDiva]

Just spray the mailbox out with a hose, then wipe it down with cleaner.

[jimmysgirl424]

Red spot= Black Widow

Be very careful! I would maybe call an exterminator and ask them what to do.

[houseblend]

Please be careful!!! Personally I think I would call an exterminator to get rid of it, but I have recently become a big wimp with spiders. Most websites recommend wearing gloves when getting near a black widow, so even when getting your mail, you should take those safety precautions. If you decide to tackle it yourself, I agree a power washer (from a distance) would be the way to go.

[Winter Biscuit]

Thanks ladies. I'm think I'm going to try the power washer, maybe followed by a moth ball or two. I'd like to avoid any poison or heavy cleaner because it will just get on our mail, which will get on our hands when we retrieve the mail, and could potentially get in our eyes, etc. I even need to be careful with the mothball if we go that route as I thought I remembered reading that they can be toxic?

Wait, let me re-phrase that. I'm going to let DH try the power washer while I hide in the house and watch out the window ;)

[houseblend]

Yes - this is definitely a job for a DH! ;)

Moth balls are indeed toxic and are actually thought to be carcogenic. I would recommend avoiding them, but I'm not sure what else works on preventing big, ugly spiders.