Hello there,

I have a lot of problems with insects inhabiting the drivers side rear view mirror, like spiders. This is a big problem because it happens every day.
The solution i found, only one that works for more than one day, is to apply dielectric grease to the outside of the mirror body. Sure enough though, i missed the bottom part and still three spiders got into the mirror again and made webs and everything from the mirror to the door, half way across the door.

So i was thinking of maybe an electronic device that could blast them like the kind you have in the home, except made for the car mirror. It could run off the battery i guess.

Any ideas for the electronic device, or even non electronic at this point?
If electronic it would have to be lower power when there were no insects present to conserve the car's battery power.

Thanks.

 

Is your car a Mazda?

Have you tried insecticide?

Get a few small garden snakes.

Try an Osage orange -- some people say it works; others say its a myth. They do not a strong citrus odor.

John

 

Option 1: Cut open the back of the mirror housing - this takes away their safe space.

Option 2: Add mothballs (obtained at great sacrifice to the moth so use them respectfully).

Option 3: Turn off the heated mirrors that attracts them and keeps them toasty warm.

Option 4: spray with methyl ethyl death every morning until mirrors are free of squatters.

 

Raid insecticide can applied as needed 100% effective. No power required.

 

Raid insecticide can applied as needed 100% effective. No power required.

But think of the effectiveness if you could take a can of Raid and add 120VAC,

 

Spray the inside with powdered boric acid. Or, just live with them.

 

But think of the effectiveness if you could take a can of Raid and add 120VAC,

You have too much time on your hands so step away from the computer and go outside for a while.

I know it may be scary out there at first (that bright hot light in the sky is supposed to be there then go away then com back) but it will be okay.

 

Time for some Spidey sense.
Spiders place webs in a flowing air stream because that's where small, flying bugs are.
Other spiders place webs where other food crawls.
The point is, spiders won't waste their silk booby-trapping a starvation site.
What do you have going on that makes spiders think there is food in your mirror?

 

Is your car a Mazda?

Have you tried insecticide?

Get a few small garden snakes.

Try an Osage orange -- some people say it works; others say its a myth. They do not a strong citrus odor.

John

Hi,

No not a Mazda.
Yes, any kind of spray only lasts a day or two, not enough.
I didnt want to bother with citrus (which bothers spiders feet so they dont like it) because it will wash away too easy.

 

Option 1: Cut open the back of the mirror housing - this takes away their safe space.

Option 2: Add mothballs (obtained at great sacrifice to the moth so use them respectfully).

Option 3: Turn off the heated mirrors that attracts them and keeps them toasty warm.

Option 4: spray with methyl ethyl death every morning until mirrors are free of squatters.

Hi,

Well, cant cut open the back, that would ruin the mirror and also expose the electronics.
Maybe moth balls, but they also hang out on the external part of the mirror.
This happens while the car sits, so no heated mirrors. Dont think they are heated anyway.
What is that, alcohol? Once it dries, they come right back.

 

Raid insecticide can applied as needed 100% effective. No power required.

Hi,

Bug spray doesnt seem to last very long, a day or two, but if it rains it washes away right off.

 

Spray the inside with powdered boric acid. Or, just live with them.

Hi,

Thanks, bugs on outside of mirror too though. Very strange and a pain in the neck.

 

Time for some Spidey sense.
Spiders place webs in a flowing air stream because that's where small, flying bugs are.
Other spiders place webs where other food crawls.
The point is, spiders won't waste their silk booby-trapping a starvation site.
What do you have going on that makes spiders think there is food in your mirror?

Hi,

That's an interesting view, and because this has been happening for so long now i had plenty of time to think about it, that's why i was asking for some ideas on this electronic or even non electronic. So i thought about the food line, and so i make sure that there is no uneaten food left in the car after a trip say to McDonalds or similar
I take it all out when i leave the car, even the empty bags most of the time.
I'll recheck though to make sure. That's on the inside of the car too, but i still take it all out.

As far as air flow, yeah there is probably that when the wind gently blows outside, but i cant really do anything about that. I'd have to pot a cover over it or something, and not sure how well that would work out over time after taking it off and putting it back on when the car is used.

They also hang out on the mirror, under the mirror, on the side of the mirror, in the webs they make from the mirror to the door. It's like the summer house for all the spiders on the block

This is a pain in the neck problem, and it doesnt seem that difficult but it turns out it's not easy to fix, and i figure any problem like this should have a solution.

The dielectric grease (or any silicone based grease) worked the best so far, although i did not do the bottom of the mirror yet. I tried silicone spray, but that didnt do anything as two days later they were back. Once the spray dries it does not seem to bother them at all.
Of course i dont use petroleum based grease as it might hurt the paint.

The downside to grease is that small grass pieces can get stuck to it too, and that looks funny.

 

Hi,

No not a Mazda.

For some reason, Mazda's seem to have had more problems with spiders. Otherwise , good cars.

I didnt want to bother with citrus (which bothers spiders feet so they dont like it) because it will wash away too easy.

The Osage orange is supposed to keep small spiders away. It is not citrus, it is the fruit of a deciduous tree that grows near water (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maclura_pomifera). I could not smell any odor -- certainly not nearly as noticeable as Raid.. The trees grow on my "farm" near the river. A local mom and pop nursery (both OSU graduates) clued me in to their anti-spider activity. I put one in the kitchen near the sink each Summer and don't see those little pesky spiders. I am referring to tiny spiders. A lot of people swear by them. I read the Iowa study using the Osage extract that said it had no effect, and do not believe it was properly designed in accord with how the fruit is typically used. Besides, they are great conversation pieces.

See if you can find one locally and test it. People who have them locally usually just give them away. They are non-edible for all practical purposes, not just for spiderman.

John

 

Oh, I forget to ask why you ruled out a friendly little snake or two? With the exception of those those who eat my waterfowl eggs, they are great helpers to keep bugs in control, and I leave them alone. Of course, this being our area's time for 17-year cicadas, there are a lot of hungry and fat snakes just now. How many do you want? Shipping will be free, but we will need to check the USDA to be sure it is legal.

John

 

I don't know which of us is unlucky. Apparently Cat Headquarters is under my car, and the office is staffed every day. At least the cats leave when I approach.

 

I'll gladly trade chipmunks for cats. Cats can be useful, but coyotes in my area pretty much eliminate them. Unfortunately, chipmunks are much more destructive. They eat automotive wiring. (Peanut oils attract them, which are apparently used in production of the PVC insulation.)

John

 

Hi,

Bug spray doesn't seem to last very long, a day or two, but if it rains it washes away right off.

Gotta use the right stuff first.

I use the Ortho Home Defense sprays, http://www.ortho.com/smg/gocat/ortho-insect-killers/cat50084 , and they have a solid multi-week to several month residual effect that kills most any type of insects.

Hose down the inside of the mirror every month or two and I have serious doubts anything is going to move back in.

Option two is to blow a bunch of Pyrethrin powder in behind the mirror.

http://www.pyrethrum.com/faqs.aspx

 

Thanks, bugs on outside of mirror too though. Very strange and a pain in the neck.

Yes, I know. But they will retreat into there when they are too hot, or for protection. Boric acid works on ants, cockroaches and crickets. Not really sure if it will work on arachnids.

Try parking somewhere else, or park differently, to get out of the insect flow.

 

i thought about the food line, and so i make sure that there is no uneaten food left in the car

I didn't mean people food. I meant spider food; crawling, flying, on-the-hoof spider food.
But I can imagine an oven glove over your side mirror at night.