Something I spotted the very first time I visited my lovely Mum in Law Jessie, was that in a corner of every windowsill all around her house was a conker.
Just one little conker, sitting in a corner or tucked behind an ornament. When I asked her why, she said it was to keep the spiders away. I didn't know how or why she thought it worked but she did, and do you know what thinking back I very rarely, if ever, saw a spider in her house.
I've tried it for myself over the course of the last couple of weeks, I had hoovered up so many spiders with my little hand held Dyson and relocated them back outside, and no matter how many times a day I did it they were always back, glaring at me from the corner. Maybe they enjoyed the manic spinning of their Dyson ride and then the cool fresh air before they made their way back inside for another go, or maybe there really were just hundreds of the bloody little things wanting to live in our house.
But since I put a conker in just three of the rooms (I only picked up three during my doggy walk the other week), there have been NO spiders in our house.
I'm a convert.
I thought I'd let you in on this little tip while there are still conkers lying on the ground. It's worth a go if you don't like sharing your house with spiders, if you don't mind sharing with them you could still pick up a conker or two on your travels and play conkers with bits of string and much swinging. Something that was banned during my sons last year in school for health and safety reasons ....Huh!!
And of course while photographing the conker for this post my eyes as usual were drawn to the view. Swirls of mist drifting around the valley and the trees turning all shades of green, amber and brown. Just magical.
(My eyes are getting accustomed to ignoring all the works in progress on our little hillside.)
Have a good day.
Sue xx
I think I have heard that about confers too but never tried it...I'm sure you know that conkers are poisonous to dogs. I daren't put any on my windowsills as my pup is growing fast and is already trying to get at plants on the downstairs windowsills. I might try it upstairs though as she is not allowed up there....stair gate in place for both grandchildren and pup!
ReplyDeleteLuckily our little dogs can't reach the window sills, all except Mavis who can manage to get on the one behind the sofa ... which will remain conker-less!!
DeleteThanks for the warning for everyone :-)
shh I am marvelling at the view. what a cracker!
ReplyDeleteI will try it!
ReplyDeleteLet's hope that you don't get a spider large enough to kick the conker out of the way!
ReplyDeleteJane x
Trust you Jane .... now you've got me worried. Spiders playing football :-(
DeleteThis is the second blog where I've read about the conker tip! And not that our new life in the nearly country gives us a chestnut tree in the garden, I think I can bedeck our windowsills this very afternoon!
ReplyDeleteInteresting.... I will pass this nugget of information along to my eldest son who despises spiders. I wonder if UK spiders are different than Canadian spiders......
ReplyDeleteGod bless.
I know a few people who will be going bonkers for conkers when I tell them this x
ReplyDeleteWell they don't stop spiders in our house! I have read that they are more successful with moths though, they kill the female moths, but if eggs have already been laid, don't stop that.
ReplyDeleteI always fought the spiders in our house, calling for my husband to carry them out, then one day I found a scorpion in a spider's web and decided that maybe the spiders weren't too bad.
ReplyDeleteWe've got spiders big enough to pick up a conker and run with it! Will definitely try that!
ReplyDeleteLike Serenata, they don't work in our house either! Sister has one of those electronic gadgets you plug in that's supposed to emit some high pitched frequency that they can't stand (or something like that)......guess what, she still gets them!
ReplyDeleteApparently the worst thing you can do to a house spider is to put it outside as it cannot survive ( I always thought the worst thing you could do to them was stomp on them, but there you go).
ReplyDeleteOn a nicer note, they say if youve got spiders you wont have mice (mice eat them), so there you go.
Well impressed with your beautiful view.
I have pretty much managed to teach myself to ignore the spiders, it has taken a while I am 65! LOL, occasionally a whopper appears in the bedroom and gets re-homed to our garage/utility. I do, however, try and collect new conkers each year to put in with my yarn and woollie jumpers. I was surprised and extremely pleased last week when OH came in and presented me with a couple of dozen conkers, he had stopped whilst out on a cycle ride, I should add that he is a serious cyclist who rides a lot of miles, so for him to actually stop was quite something.
ReplyDeleteI was told this a couple of weeks ago and have just acquired a large bag of conkers for this very purpose! UJ has a tree in his garden and has picked up some for us to try this out. I will let you know if it works on Fen spiders....
ReplyDeleteI've just seen a massive spider run across the living room carpet. I have two cats that catch spiders so I don't think I'll need conkers. Besides, I like spiders.
ReplyDeleteLove the swirling mists. Will give the spider thing a try - we have resident ones that just keep coming back - I heard salt does the same thing.
ReplyDeleteGoing to give it a go.....and starting in the bathroom! Where do they hide before showing themselves when you're most vulnerable?! x
ReplyDeleteThat is always my worry too!
DeleteI can never find conkers, the local kids always beat me to it
ReplyDeleteYes, I heard the same thing recently - I wonder if you can build a wall around the house with them...
ReplyDeleteI've heard of this too. Luckily I've got lots of boys to get the spider out the bath for me!
ReplyDeleteI'll try this because Management hates spiders. I like them 'cos they eat aphids in the garden and are wonderful creatures but they do make a mess inside.
ReplyDelete