They are called conkers her in the UK but Americans know them as horse chestnuts. And, it appears to be widely known over here that spiders do not like them. So, if you pick some up off the ground and take them home and disperse them around your house, magically no more pesky spiders and spider webs!
I first heard about conkers and spiders when I was walking along the canal and came upon an older (probably around my age come to think of it) couple picking them up off the ground. Now I like them, too and usually pick up a few shiny ones, put them in my jacket pocket and completely forget about them until much later when they are all shriveled. Then I throw them out.
But this nice lady told me that she actually had a purpose for them: to ward off spiders. She said she did this every year and she swore it worked. I must admit I was, at best, skeptical.
But then I read a blog about them. The woman's mother in law always placed a conker on the window sill in each room to stop the spiders from living in her house. The blogger was also skeptical and for years just filed the information away as a good old wives' tale.
And then came this fall. She has been waging a losing battle with the hordes of spiders that have moved into her house and seem to like the neighborhood so much that they invited their friends to live there, too. She was desperate. So out came the old wives' tale.
She took the three conkers that she had picked up when out on a walk and dispersed them around the house. Just 3, remember. And no, that was not enough for one in every room. But they did the trick.
She reported that there are now no more spiders in her house!
Well, spiders seem to love boats, too. But, I don't like spiders. The only spider I have ever felt close to was fictional, could spell words in her web, and was named Charlotte.
So, excuse me while I get some conkers and spread them around the boat. Spiders, you have just been evicted.
I first heard about conkers and spiders when I was walking along the canal and came upon an older (probably around my age come to think of it) couple picking them up off the ground. Now I like them, too and usually pick up a few shiny ones, put them in my jacket pocket and completely forget about them until much later when they are all shriveled. Then I throw them out.
But this nice lady told me that she actually had a purpose for them: to ward off spiders. She said she did this every year and she swore it worked. I must admit I was, at best, skeptical.
But then I read a blog about them. The woman's mother in law always placed a conker on the window sill in each room to stop the spiders from living in her house. The blogger was also skeptical and for years just filed the information away as a good old wives' tale.
And then came this fall. She has been waging a losing battle with the hordes of spiders that have moved into her house and seem to like the neighborhood so much that they invited their friends to live there, too. She was desperate. So out came the old wives' tale.
She took the three conkers that she had picked up when out on a walk and dispersed them around the house. Just 3, remember. And no, that was not enough for one in every room. But they did the trick.
She reported that there are now no more spiders in her house!
Well, spiders seem to love boats, too. But, I don't like spiders. The only spider I have ever felt close to was fictional, could spell words in her web, and was named Charlotte.
So, excuse me while I get some conkers and spread them around the boat. Spiders, you have just been evicted.
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