Visit Burke from Home to enjoy the museum when you can't visit in person. Experience even more. This is a preventative action to slow the spread of COVID-19 and ensure the safety of our community, visitors, staff, and volunteers. Pluck or buy a bag of hedge apples. You need gloves or any other protection when handling, especially slicing the fruit. The Osage Orange AKA Hedge Apple Can Repel Spiders. The only study that discusses the pest-repelling properties of the hedge apple is a 10-year old study from the University of Illinois. While we want to use organic products as much as possible, it seems that there is no scientific evidence about hedge apples being used to repel insects. Do Hedge Apples Repel Spiders? So, don't be fooled into spending much to use hedge apples as an insect repellent." A membership pays for itself in 3 visits! Takeaway: Do hedge apples actually keep the spiders away? According to an article published by Reader’s Digest, you can use hedge apples to repel spiders. it is claimed that placing hedge apples around the foundation or inside the basement will repel or control insects. No research supports this, though spiders may possibly be reluctant to walk on treated surfaces. Get at least two hedge apples per area. So, if you want to put it in the laundry room, basement, attic, you need at least 6 regular sized hedge apples. Prepare a standard lab report documenting the results of a scientific investigation 3. In the 21st century, peppermint oil has been widely promoted as a sure-fire house spider repellant. This is an efficient method compared to just using repellent sprays or hiring a pest control officer regularly. All rights reserved. They also found the fruit must be opened or sliced rather than whole. Do Hedge Apples Repel Spiders? Folklore describes hedge apples as a preventative that keeps away spiders, cockroaches, crickets and other insects. If you do not have access to a hedge apple tree, the fruit can be purchased at grocery stores and farmers' markets. Put the crushed slices and its extracts in an open bowl. It has a distant relationship to the orange fruit despite being called Osage orange. And what is the scientific basis on this, if there is any. When she put it in her house to repel spiders, gnats were attracted to the fruit instead. The open bowl should be put where there is air moving. Research conducted at Iowa State University has demonstrated that chemicals extracted from the fruit can be repellant to tested insects (German cockroaches, mosquitoes and houseflies). I used to have wolf spiders very bad and some other giant spider the size of my open hand that were extremely fast. The oils in hedge apples are well known for repelling pests such as spiders and mice. Continue to general admission tickets page. Whether it’s succulents and houseplants or vegetables and herbs, growing and caring for just about anything in a garden gets her excited. Hedge Apples Repel Spiders it is claimed that placing hedge apples around the foundation or inside the basement will repel or control insects. People claim that placing the hedge apples around the foundation or inside the basement of the house will repel crickets, spiders, boxelder bugs, and other insects. It will be useless if it is contained in a tightly secluded place. No scientific evidence yet that it actually repels spiders, and even insects. It is a small round fruit which has a green color and bumpy skin. Given that spiders willingly weave their webs on Osage orange trees and on hedge apples themselves, it seems unlikely that the fruit repels spiders. Based on directions from the State of Washington and King County health officials, the Burke Museum is CLOSED until it is safe to reopen. The traditional method of using this fruit as a repellent is as follows: In a blog online, one user complained that the hedge apples delivered opposite results. Conduct a scientific investigation 2. Lindsey Hyland grew up in Arizona where she studied at the University of Arizona’s Controlled Environment Agriculture Center. —Rod Crawford sets the record straight with Spider Myths. First, the latex secretion is found to be irritating to the human skin. I remembered my parents using hedge apples in their basement when I was younger and there was a tree near my apartment. Due to being unwanted by most living creatures, the fruit is called a”ghost of evolution.” This is because unlike most plants who has a benefit to another creature in its ecosystem, the hedge apple has none. I watched through my dining room window as a Garden Spider spun her web. 14 Amazing Indoor and Outdoor Plants that Repel Flies Naturally. Also, the fruit emitted a bad smell due to being rotten. Large Osage orange fruit, Maclura pomifera. The wood also has little shrinkage over other woods. That is great! Hedge apples are not poisonous, but they are an effective repellent against insects and spiders. Every time I would come home and turn on my lights, you would see a flash of several huge spiders run under my fridge. Meanwhile, the plant itself is used as a hedge or a windbreaker. You may know them as, Hedge Apple, Hedge Ball, Horse Apple, Green Brains, Monkey Balls or Mock Orange but they are all one in the same. It naturally cleans things, it … What's more, spiders seldom show any sign of being able to detect airborne odors! Since Hedge Apples are not edible to humans, and animals and aviary tend to avoid them, people struggle with what to do with Hedge Apples. Other sources indicate that the liquid from the apple should be concentrated first before being effective. Also, the wood ages well since it starts out a bit yellowish and turns into a mature-looking brown color over time. I don’t know about you but I do not like spiders. Just do the listed instructions above and see if it works. It is common among home maintenance and gardening blogs to recommend hedge apples as a natural spider and insect repellant. Hedge apples are still being used as a repellent due to many anecdotes, some of which can be doubtful, online of it working. It was found that the apples were essentially ineffective as a repellent. For years people believed these bumpy and ugly fruits had a … For me though, I haven’t had much success with hedge apples fending off spiders. Don’t believe the so called myth busters saying that they don’t work. The smell of osage orange balls will keep away your friends, but not spiders. It is said that the slices can last for two to 3 months. The belief about the use of hedge apples for insect control is widespread and persistent. The yellow-green fruit are commonly call \"hedge apples.\" They are produced by the Osage-orange (Maclura pomifera). Objective: Upon completion of this lab you should be able to: 1. It is said that the fruit of the Osage orange tree, which is also known as a hedge apple or spider ball, can repel spiders. Growing these trees in your own yard is a better idea. You may be just wasting time and money. You set out the magical objects; house spider mating season ends; and hey, it worked! Just make sure you are wearing the proper protective apparel when dealing with hedge apples. a good number of folks in the country used to place hedge apples under the bed or in the cellar to keep away She furthered her gardening education by working on various organic farms in both rural and urban settings. This includes preparing your own graphs, data tables, etc. And the good news is, using hedge apples to repel these pests couldn’t be easier! This theory is widespread in Midwestern states where the trees are common. "The use of the hedge apples for insect control is one of the most enduring pest management home remedies. The thorny trees do provide nesting and cover for wildlife. Claims abound that hedge apples around the foundation or inside the basement will repel boxelder bugs, crickets, spiders and other pests. The 2009 study at the Iowa State University regarding the topic shows has not tested the apples with spiders but tested it with other insects. Remember to wear eye and skin protection like sunglasses, long sleeve shirts, and gloves. The truth is that there is a lot more speculation about hedge apples than formal study, but it is generally believed that hedge apples, while unpleasant dining fare, are not poisonous to humans or livestock. Each Hedge apple lasts about 2-3 months for this. Robert Frazee, a retired instructor for the Natural Sciences department of the University of Illinois, conducted a study in 2009 regarding the topic at the Iowa State University. You can always ask your neighbors or the owner of a fruit stand in your market for some hedge apples. Vinegar is one of the most versatile products in the world. In the Pacific Northwest, where Osage oranges are seldom seen, the legend has been transferred to horse chestnuts. Does Citronella Plant Really Repel Mosquitoes? The Burke Museum is administered by the UW College of Arts & Sciences. However, is there truth to this? The only way to know if hedge apples keep the spiders away is to try it yourself. However, Hedge apples have suffocated livestock by lodging in their esophagus. Are Potato Bugs Bite Poisonous And Dangerous Or Useful For Garden? The leaves of the Osage-orange are a shiny medium to dark green. It typically has a short trunk and a rounded or irregular crown. I can absolutely state that hedge apples do work. They live on the trees and even make webs on the fallen fruit. I found is repulsively fascinating. Land Acknowledgement: The Burke Museum stands on the lands of the Coast Salish Peoples, whose ancestors resided here since time immemorial. Hedge Apples as Spider Repellent. Now, some of you all are probably wondering, “What the heck is a hedge apple?” Well, we’ll tell you. This is a page about using hedge apples to repel spiders. Understand the biology of hedge apples and spiders Background Information: UrbanOrganicYield.com, Why Hedge Apples Aren’t the Best Spider Repellent for Your Home, The science behind hedge apples as spider repellent, How to Use Hedge Apples as Pest repellent, How to Get Rid Of White Mites: Ultimate Guide, 7 Succulent Pests and How to Get Rid of Them. 4300 15th Ave NE, They are used in households to repel spiders. She started UrbanOrganicYield.com to discuss gardening tips and tactics. Hedgeapples are not poisonous. A correspondent in British Columbia has heard a version of the myth in which the spiders are repelled by copper pennies! If you are deciding to use the fruit as an insect repellent. I know that spiders are our friends. The twigs are … In some versions of the story, the repellent effect has been transferred from spiders to cockroaches, mosquitoes, chicken mites, or mice. © 2020. Hedge Apples Source: Wikimedia Commons By I, Bruce Marlin Comment. The hedge apple (Maclura pomifera), commonly called Osage orange, is a distinctive fruit—it has a lumpy exterior and is the size of a grapefruit.If you're having issues with spiders entering your house through the foundation, try placing hedge apples around the base of your home. It can not be stated if they work or not, but the University of Iowa did studies on the Hedge Apple and they showed great promise as a repellent for the cockroach. Our ombudsman (and former state botanist), Tim Smith, supposes that it’s because these fragrant, sticky fruits appear about the same time spiders and other insects decline. If your house has several cracks on the exterior, then these are the popular spider havens. Home » Why Hedge Apples Aren’t the Best Spider Repellent for Your Home. We will say it straight: there is no scientific evidence yet that the hedge apple is an effective repellent. A 2012 study found that planting peppermint in orchards decreased herbivore abundance, but had no effect on spiders. I put one in every corner of my 2 room apartment. Many people believe that the Hedge Apples contains insect repellant properties, particularly for spiders. I did nothing else but put the hedge apples in the corners of each room and a couple in the breezeway. There is also no evidence if hedge apples also called hedge ball can repel spiders, centipedes, and millipedes. Seattle, WA, United States. Since house spiders don't actually come in from outside, of course this works just fine, but there is no evidence that spiders are repelled by Osage oranges. Bowls full of hedge apples will double as décor pieces and spider repellant, keeping your home vibrant and empty of spiders. Apparently, putting these aromatic hedge apples around the exterior walls of a house in the fall will keep spiders … Hedge apple is the fruit of multiple fruit families. This is all the proof I ever needed to assure me that it was the hedge apples that eradicated my extreme arachnid issues. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. They eat bugs and other insects. Scientists testing the theory found that hedge apples can repel some insects but not spiders. Within 2 days, I never saw another spider or other insect in my apartment ever again. They prefer these fruits over store-bought repellents because it is cheaper, produces less waste, and organic. I have tried to desensitize myself to spiders. Many people place hedge apples along the perimeter of their homes or in basements and crawl spaces as an insect repellant. It remains popular to many homeowners as a DIY pest and spider repellant. People believe they are both poisonous and nontoxic; safe and dangerous for livestock; and effective or useless insect repellents. One of these examples is the hedge ball or hedge apple. The wood of the hedge apple tree is dense and heavy making it a good choice for fence posts, shelves, archery bows, and other fixtures. I lived in an apartment that was partially subterranean and was half in the ground and half above ground. Post Lab Assignment: The results of this lab will be documented by writing a lab report. Maclura pomifera, commonly known as the Osage orange, horse apple, hedge, or hedge apple tree is a small deciduous tree or large shrub, typically growing to 8 to 15 metres (30–50 ft) tall.The distinctive fruit, a multiple fruit, is roughly spherical, bumpy, 8 to 15 centimetres (3–6 in) in diameter, and turns bright yellow-green in the fall.. Second, if it does work as a repellent, you need large amounts of hedge apple extract. Other common plant names include hedge apple, bodark, bois d'arc, and bowwood.The Osage-orange is a small- to medium-sized tree. Additional spider resources and more myths (poor spiders can't catch a break!). These fruits, sometimes called hedge balls or hedge apples, are sold as all-natural spider repellents, but the lore behind their use has little basis in reality. Claims abound that hedge apples around the foundation or inside the basement will repel boxelder bugs, crickets, spiders and other pests. Since it is can withstand strong winds, it is a good shield to houses who does not want to lose soil due to the winds or those taking care of livestock. Scientists also found that natural concentrations of these compounds in the fruit were too low to be an effective repellent. To this day, when I am able to get my hands on some I still place them around the house to ward of the creepy crawlers. The only problem with this theory is that there is no scientific evidence to back it up. “It’s not hard to imagine that someone would collect hedge apples in the fall and place them in their house and see fewer insects and spiders,” Tim says. Let us discuss how the fruit is being used in modern times. When concentrated, these compounds were found to repel insects. Vinegar. After all, you want to get rid of the pests and not hurt yourself. Many Indigenous peoples thrive in this place—alive and strong. Hedge apples are most commonly used in this way to repel spiders, and are placed along with any lemons and chestnuts in the basement. She is especially passionate about sustainable ways to better run small-scale farms, hydroponics, urban farming, and indoor gardening. Let us discuss if hedge apples really repel or keep spiders away? Stay healthy and safe—we miss you already! Explore even more! It is not present in most human and animal diets because the fruit secretes a latex liquid when cut and its pulp has a woody texture. Since squirrels regularly chew through these fruits to get the tasty seeds inside, a rodent repellent effect seems pretty unlikely. Fact: The story that the fruit of the Osage orange tree (also called hedge apple, monkey ball, or spider ball) can repel or ward off spiders turns out to be extremely widespread in Midwestern states, where the trees are common. Crush the slices with a hammer or big rock. Very often a Hedge apple is incorrectly referred to as a Hedge Ball, Horse Apple, Green Brains, Monkey Balls or Mock Orange. Let us discuss in the next section. Also, as said earlier, it did not work on open spaces and has not been tested on spiders. A recent study did find some cockroach repellency in a purified extract from the fruit – but not in the whole fruit. However, there is no evidence yet that sliced hedge apples work as a repellent in large spaces. The plant can also be easily transplanted which makes it a good natural hedge or fence in most houses.