Are Conkers Good For Spiders?
WouterConkers are a shiny brown jewel. A conker is a seed of a Horse Chestnut tree, which is known as Aesculus hippocastanum in Latin. They are thought to repel spiders and other arachnids thanks to their unique odour and shiny surface.
The conker myth has been debunked by scientists. Although conkers are commonly seen in the UK, they are unlikely to be found in the British countryside, where they would be a natural part of the landscape. Despite this, it is still a good idea to keep them in a shady corner of your garden in the winter.
One way of debunking the conker myth is to test it out. For example, you can plant conkers in a pot to see if they grow. If you do, they should be planted at least two centimetres deep and covered with soil and compost.
If you really want to keep out spiders, try using a spray made from a chestnut extract. You can also use peppermint oil as a natural insecticide.
Some people believe that the conker is an ancient technique for repelling arachnids. However, no one has been able to scientifically prove that it is effective.
On the other hand, some claim that conkers do indeed contain a noxious chemical that causes spiders to curl up and die. This is the old wives’ tale.
However, the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) isn’t buying it. In fact, they challenged schools across Britain to test the conker and the spider, or at least the one mentioned above.
