I think this is on topic. Perhaps some midwesterners can give this NC guy some advice.
I bought a 1978 MB 300CD a few months ago. Upon getting the car home (a mildly eventful 800 mile drive), discovered quite a bit of rust on the floors and rockers that needed work. After removing the carpet and seats, I found what I thought were a few dead brown recluses. Well, the car was stored in an open carport, in Mississippi, with a car cover for several years, so of course it has some dead spiders. After removing the fenders, found about 5-6 more dead recluses. Well come to find out that these weren't dead spiders but rather recent moltings. I confirmed 2 live ones with fiddles and 3 sets of eyes, and keep finding disorganized webs spun around the engine and interior. Now, I have also seen several normal house spiders with similar webs in the car so perhaps there were only a few recluses... but I'd like to make sure and take care of them. I'm a also a little concerned now that I've pulled the seats and brought them into the spare bedroom in my house!
I've ordered glue traps to put around the car, but people at work keep telling me to set off some bug bombs and then wash the paint. Now, the car can move under it's own power but I cannot wash it since there is still untreated fresh metal to be taken care of first. I'm probably a month away from where I can get it wet. The bug bombs also seem to be one can per 2000ft^2, and it may be over treatment for a car. I also read that unless the spider is directly contacted by aerosol, they won't die. These recluses seem pretty adept at remaining out of sight until their hiding spot is disturbed.
I also have a plethora of wolf spiders around the house/garage/yard, and I'd like to not kill them (since they may be a natural predator of the recluse). I thought about trapping a dozen or so and setting them loose in the car, but I'm not at that point yet.
Anyone else have a history with these darn things? I have learned to live alongside wolf spiders, but I am not a fan of brown recluses and black widows.
Brown Recluses in an old Mercedes
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4WD
$50 site donor 2023
Had them in my camp … fought them with the sticky tents and essential oils in water … when you ruin thier abilities to hunt (with the mint, citrus smells, they’re gonna move on ...
Sure smells better than Raid too ... one oz per 16 spray bottle …
Nick1994
$100 site donor 2023
I'd talk to an exterminator and see if they can swing by and spray inside the car with the interior out, I doubt it would cost much.
Do you have a cat, or can you borrow a cat? 
It is too bad the car has to go... 
Hedge Apples emit a smell that brown recluse hate. We had plenty in our home when we moved in and I even got bitten and had treatment for months to heal from it. I put a few hedge apples near the air intake for our AC and in the bedroom closets. Also put some in the garage. Used old coffee cans to put them in. After a few weeks no more spiders. I was surprised.
I had some infest my car, would see them all the time (I don't eat or leave trash in my vehicles). I couldn't figure out why they kept coming back then one day I took everything out of the car and sprayed the floor around the trim and under the dash. Was nothing major at all just a quick line as well as a fast pass in the trunk.
Didn't see any for a good week then on morning there was a spider web coming from my drivers side mirror to the window. I swatted it away, a few days later I seen about a hundred little baby's back on a new web coming from and going to the same spot.
Grabbed the sprayer and sprayed it really well inside of the mirror housing then made a pass across the bottom of the car an into the wheel wells. Popped the hood and sprayed in between the cracks of the door (leafs get trapped in there) easier to get at from under the hood.
Haven't seen anything in over a year. It was a secondary vehicle tho. Sat up for a week at a time or so and I guess that was probably the main reason why they choose to seek shelter in it.
I have become an expert at killing black widow spiders. I'm probably one of the top five best black widow spider hunters in the world. I have a method that is quick and painless. No chemicals involved.
It's very simple. They always set up their webs within about 12 inches off the ground. All you do is dive at them with a good broom and then they themselves and their webs get caught up in the broom bristles. You then keep your flashlight aimed at the broom as you find the nearest concrete surface. You then tamp the broom against the concrete to shake the spider off the broom. This will take awhile because they get stuck on there good. After you get them on the concrete, you then take a hard rubber Stanley mallet and...
Hire an exterminator! Those things are nothing to mess around with. Get rid of them before they spread to your house. Though it sounds like you may have already brought some in on your own.
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Just blow the da*m thing up and set it on fire!
Originally Posted By: Blkstanger
Hire an exterminator!
Shannow is right. Someone complained about my locale trying to kill them at every turn, copperheads, lyme carrying ticks, etc. I just laughed and said "It's not Australia".
4WD
$50 site donor 2023
My former boss was bitten by a BR … spent 4 days unconscious in ICU … and a couple surgeries … and many days in the hospital when infection set in. Granted we don’t have all the nasty spiders and snakes Oz does … but they are not fun and folks loose a portion of mobility from these little dudes …
The OP mentioned broadcast spraying not being effective … experts say they “tip toe” past residual spray looking for clean surfaces to start hunting again … mint oil works great for me … have not seen one in a couple years …
Every time it is below 0 during the winter I remind myself that I don't have to worry as much about these nasty spiders haha. What do these look like?
It is interesting how some species have been adapting and migrating to different areas. A few towns in CT have reported Copperhead snakes.
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