Red back in the house, time to spray?

[SeymoreButts]

Ok, so this morning I was getting dressed in the laundry (there are painters here, and no curtains anywhere, so the laundry is the best place at the mo) and when I closed the door I spotted a red back spider sitting happily in a web behind it.
After a few minutes of freaking out I decided to hoover it up, but when I'd finally plucked up the courage it had gone! I think the hoover noise disturbed it.
I'm wondering if it is worth getting the house sprayed, or does that make me a hysterical pom? It's quite an old house with loads of patio doors that seem like an ideal way in for spiders...

I wouldn't worry about it too much personally. Would you get the house sprayed every time a spider comes inside? It happens occasionally.

Don't bother with the vacuum cleaner next time, just grab the nearest object and squish it! You don't want it laying eggs in your vacuum cleaner...

I have the opposite view. I would get the Hitman in and spray - as long as you are not pregnant or have a newborn. We regularly check under outdoor furniture and near doors for redbacks - as we cannot spray at the moment (pregnant). So you could do this. My neighbours have the outside of their houses sprayed every year, which helps our non-spraying cause.

Good point about the vacuum cleaner!

I still haven't managed to kill it, it only comes out at night. I might have to camp out in the laundry tonight, mortein in hand. DH mentioned it to our letting agent and they will spray the house for us because we've just moved in.

at spider laying eggs in the hoover!

I would probably do a DIY job with a spider spray (from Bunnings or Mitre 10). I don't disturb spiders outside the house but redbacks indoors are fair game.

Don't forget to make everyone check their shoes before they put them on, if you know there's a live one somewhere around.

And if you do spray, do all the door thresholds. I have a theory that redbacks come indoors during wet weather, as we've been having lately.

Thanks ninedragons. I finally dispatched with the red back last week (DH was too chicken). It was hiding in hole in the brickwork around the door frame and only coming onto its web at night. It wasn't doing any harm there really because it was somewhere the kids never go, but I didn't want to run the risk of red back babies everywhere!

Barrier spray your boundaries as well. Doors, any little nooks etc.

I never have the house sprayed, always keep an eye myself & deal with it. If you see a dodgy looking web, spray it anyway as as soon as the spider comes into contact with it, they get affected by the spray!