Keeping a shed insect-free

Is it feasible to have a standard wooden garden shed (mar ea) completely free of insects and other intruders? I want to move my bike and bits and bobs in there, but at the moment, it's a staging area of spiders and other creepy crawly nasties. No point in clearing them all out if they're just going to move back in next week.

I'm thinking my choice of shed was a bad idea if that's what I want, but even if I got a metal shed or built a brick shed, I'm still going to be dealing with unwanted guests.

Ideally, there's something you can buy in B&Q that you spray on the walls that stops things getting in. And if that's not possible, why not? It's 2010.

I'm sure you could fumigate the place or spray insecticide at various intervals.

It would be far more practical, and healthy, to live with the insects though. In 2010, humans still need insects to survive.

I think you are looking at an impossible task.

You probably could keep the shed insect free, but at a high cost. I reckon it would be a lot cheaper getting professional help to get over your phobia of creepy crawlies.

Hey, a phobia is an irrational fear. If you saw the size of some of the spiders in my shed, you'd see the fear is not irrational

I figured there was an outside chance, I'm guessing I need a more permanent structure with a foundation, floor and plasterboard, etc. I'm far from going down that route, but just wanted to be sure there was nothing I could do for my little shed.

Right, continue to clean and maintain my bike in the sitting room it is then. Order of askaboutmoney

We have a metal shed with a concrete floor and we still have heaps of spiders. My solution is to hoover them and their cobwebs up and send them off to the giant wheelie bin in the sky...

Interesting thread......I put my bike in the shed for the winter and was just thinking last week that I must take it out and now I am afraid to get it out because of spiders. I am also afraid to get anything else out of the shed because of them too. So, things are put into the shed and forgotten about (accidently on purpose) because I am afraid to get them out as the shed is a no go area.

Just two minutes before I saw this (sitting up in bed) I noticed quite a large spider over my head up the side of the wardrobe. I wont relax till its gone.

For a woman who saw off two male burglers by herself, I know it is silly to be afraid of a spider, but I cant help it. It is the speed at which they scuttle along I think. I am not afraid of rats or mice and would go into a room if they were there, just not a spider.

Next door is not up (I usually get one of them for spider duty) , so I have just hoovered up the spider - I feel sick now and wonder if it can can come back down the hoover? Thinking of babaduck hoovering up lots of them and its just turning my stomach thinking of them living in the hoover bag.

I bought one of those "spider catchers" in Atlantic, but wont use it because the spiders move too quick. I am not afraid of tiny spiders, just anything middle to large. Also, they seem to be getting bigger lately. I hate September/October because it is spider season

Try to get comfort from knowing that Irish spiders are harmless and just want to get out of your way as quickly as possible. But I understand how you would feel a bit scared by them and how they might fall on you or whatever. They do give some people the jitters they way they sucttle along. Personallly I quite like them - at a distance of course - and their webs are so wonderfully intricate; to me they are just wildlife and add to the diversity of the enivornment. I think if you dust out the place regularly and hoover up the webs it would cut down on the amount of spiders.

Cleaning the shed

Ahhh, the thought of them falling on me. And people say you eat so many flies, spiders in your sleep.....you might be right about the dust......dusting would not be my forte.

I might get some insect repellant so I can visit the shed. Glad I am not the only one who does not visit the garden shed.

MandaC said:

Ahhh, the thought of them falling on me. And people say you eat so many flies, spiders in your sleep.....you might be right about the dust......dusting would not be my forte.

I might get some insect repellant so I can visit the shed. Glad I am not the only one who does not visit the garden shed.

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An urban myth. Absolute tosh.

RMCF said:

An urban myth. Absolute tosh.

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Good. Still dont like the thought of it though. There is a spider under my front window cill that I could probably put a leash on his neck and take for a walk. I havent cut the grass for weeks because I know he is there (well that is my excuse and I am sticking to it)

babaduck said:

We have a metal shed with a concrete floor and we still have heaps of spiders. My solution is to hoover them and their cobwebs up and send them off to the giant wheelie bin in the sky...

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Is carting a hoover and feather duster out to the shed not the first sign of madness in some cultures? I may need to do it under cover of darkness....

We have two hoovers - we bought a new anti-allergen one when I was diagnosed with asthma last year and the 9 y/o old now lives in the shed where it hoovers up pine needles and cobwebs (the shed is 17 x 10ft, so it's worth leaving it down there). It's also the one we lend to the BIL when he needs to borrow one

HI all
Has anyone tried WD4 (yes thats right) or a line of "Vasline" some insects stick to it wipe them up with kitchen roll I do this outside of my greenhouse try anything once and see what you think

The spiders will keep the other insects at bay. Spiders are our freinds