Spider Balls | How to Repel and Rid Your House of Spiders

Spider Balls… Monkey Balls… Hedge Apples…

Have you ever heard of such a thing? If you are familiar with them, what do you call them? Have you ever used them? What kind of results did you have?

Spider Balls can be found at many Farmer’s Markets in Autumn. Prices near me vary anywhere from 3 for $2.00 to $1.00 each. The main use of these fruits seems to be to repel spiders and other insects, as well as possibly mice. I have been placing spider balls in my basement and my garage for about 8 years now. The spider population in my home and basement is almost non-existent, and I’ve seen a dramatic decrease in spiders within my garage.

Spider Balls/ Osage Oranges

To Use: Place the spider ball in your basement or garage (on a paper plate, as they are slightly sticky), and leave them alone. They repel spiders all year long! As time passes, they will begin to turn brown and shrivel but don’t throw them away- they are still working. From personal experience, I don’t recommend placing them inside your home. I tried it a couple of times and because it’s so much warmer than a basement or garage but they got moldy and began to rot. I replace mine yearly and I swear by them for keeping the spiders at bay

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Osage-Orange Usage Instructions from a farmer at the Farmer’s Market.

Spiders balls are the fruits of the Osage-Orange tree and are found in a small area of the United States, including Eastern Texas, Southeastern Oklahoma and Southwestern Arkansas. The green, wrinkled fruits are about 3-5 inches (8-13 cm) in diameter and ripen in September and October. As they can weigh up to 2 pounds (907 g) each, they fall to the ground upon ripening. From what I’ve read, birds and other wildlife, except for squirrels, don’t seem to care for the fruits, however, the thorn-filled trees provide cover and make great nesting areas for birds.

Hedge Apple close-up

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