Conkers

nilequeen

Hi
Does anyone know if and where I can buy some conkers from?
I can`t get to a park or wood or wherever their habitat is.
Need them to repel spiders. stop them coming into the house.

Davesnave

I don't think there is a lot of hard evidence that conkers repel spiders.

Those that make this claim suggest there is a chemical in the conkers which spiders dislike. However, as we know from childhood, conkers quickly dry up and the distinctive conker smell fades, so they are unlikely to stay effective for long, if they are effective at all.

Most large spiders which come into houses are males looking for females, which tend to be very elusive.

So, any repellent has to be stronger than a spider's sex drive.

My money isn't on the conkers!

Elsewhere

Conkers work very well in our house, they seem to be effective all year until we can get a new supply in the autumn. Trouble is, finding any conkers - they are scarce this year in our area, and the horse chestnut trees are looking very sickly, probably as a result of the leaf miner which has invaded

http://www.forestry.gov.uk/fr/INFD-68JJRC

I don't mind spiders in the house, but they occasionally set off our burglar alarm, so we try to put conkers near the detectors. From personal observation (aided by the fact I hate dusting) I know they repel spiders because of the plentiful webs which are never near the conkers.

Nilequeen, if you can't get hold of conkers try Spiderex - I was told it contains horse chestnut extract. The guy who services our burglar alarm swears by it

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Spiderex-Aerosol-Spray/dp/B003R0E9V6/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

nilequeen

Thanks Elsewhere
I will try that, what exactly did the alarm guy say? Have you tried it?
Do you know if I can get it on high street ie Wilko etc?
I have not seen conkers since school so where do you get yours from ,when you manage to get hold of them?
There is always the costly option I was trying to avoid, peppermint oil, they hate it because of the strong smell, but at £3.00 + for a tiny 10ml size, I may need a few, hence the avoiding.
Those pest magic plugs that emit soundwaves into walls don`t seem to work on spiders anyway.

Elsewhere

We have lots of trees in our garden, but no horse chestnuts, alas.

They are not a native tree, so don't tend to be found wild. Try a local park, or there may be some planted along a street - or the grounds of a stately home . That's what we do. Rather hit and miss! The trees are easy enough to recognise, very distinctive leaf.

http://naturelocator.ilrt.bris.ac.uk/files/2011/05/110425-horse-chestnut-0370.jpg

As for Spiderex - I live miles away from the main shops so I have no idea who'd sell it (our local hardware shop doesn't). I'd order it from the internet and save the time and petrol combing the shops.

Russ (the alarm guy) sprays the stuff on and around the detectors and reckons it works well. - and since he provides a year-long callout cover for a flat fee I assume it saves him money not being called out to mend "faulty" alarms which aren't faulty at all, just home to spiders!

I certainly wouldn't use peppermint oil - I loathe peppermint!

Davesnave

Elsewhere wrote: »

I certainly wouldn't use peppermint oil - I loathe peppermint!

Probably lots of essential oils would have some effect. The question is, for how long?

There's a research project just waiting for someone here!

Elsewhere

LOL - or aftershave. That's smelly and persists for ages.

Many years ago we had a rat die under our kitchen floor (it electrocuted itself trying to gnaw through our wiring). Even after we had removed it (the awful pong alerted us to its presence) the smell persisted. I had a brainwave - disguise the smell with one I like!

I poured a good dollop of "Brut" in the space before we nailed the floorboards back.

Did it work? Nope - and I can testify to the fact that the combination of dead rat and Brut is a damn sight worse than pure dead rat . Close to the spot you could still smell it after a couple of years.

nilequeen

Davesnave wrote: »

Probably lots of essential oils would have some effect. The question is, for how long?

There's a research project just waiting for someone here!

Apparently they smell with their feet/legs so any strong smell particularly peppermint is unpopular with them.
You`d think they`d give up coming into houses and stick to derelict buildings or outdoors, one woman said she discovered one in her car whilst driving and nearly had a collision with a tanker!

nilequeen

Elsewhere wrote: »

LOL - or aftershave. That's smelly and persists for ages.

Many years ago we had a rat die under our kitchen floor (it electrocuted itself trying to gnaw through our wiring). Even after we had removed it (the awful pong alerted us to its presence) the smell persisted. I had a brainwave - disguise the smell with one I like!

I poured a good dollop of "Brut" in the space before we nailed the floorboards back.

Did it work? Nope - and I can testify to the fact that the combination of dead rat and Brut is a damn sight worse than pure dead rat . Close to the spot you could still smell it after a couple of years.

Hilarious post, shame to waste a good scent though.
Could you do me a favour? next time Russ comes round would you mind asking him where he gets it from and put it on here?
In the meantime I will look but I always try and avoid buying online I don`t really like putting too much info card etc on.
Thanks Elsewhere

wellused

In America they are called 'Buckeyes' good eh? In fact the state of Ohio is called "The Buckeye State".

Davesnave

What about edible chestnuts?

They will be in the shops now.

Those of us lucky enough to live in the Westcountry might even harvest our own.