# Spiders adverse reaction to hedgeapples

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiders-adverse-reaction-to-hedgeapples/205613>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 4, 2003, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiders-adverse-reaction-to-hedgeapples/205613 "2003-10-04T22:43:17Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 7\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![justwannano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ab992/32.png) [@justwannano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justwannano)\
**Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiders-adverse-reaction-to-hedgeapples/205613/1 "2003-10-04T22:43:17Z")

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AKA hedge balls

Its pretty much a yearly thing. Gathering a few hedge apples to put in the basement to keep the spiders away.  
But does it help keep any other creepy crawler away?  
What is it about hedge balls that spiders don’t like?

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**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\
**Post date:** [October 4, 2003, 10:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiders-adverse-reaction-to-hedgeapples/205613/2 "2003-10-04T22:47:59Z")

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What are hedge apples?

If my guess is correct that they are some kind of plant gall, then they may very well be made by some kind of solitary wasp, the adult phase of which maybe likes to nosh spiders.

Alternatively, it might just be folklore and wishful thinking, or something like my elephant-repelling underpants (don’t scoff - can you see any elephants around here?)

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**Author:** ![padabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/919ad9/32.png) [@padabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/padabe)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiders-adverse-reaction-to-hedgeapples/205613/3 "2003-10-05T00:59:40Z")

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[Osage oranges](http://www.extension.umn.edu/projects/yardandgarden/ygbriefs/h249osageorange.html)

My grandmother swears by them, at any rate.

[Also interesting](http://www.stillmannc.org/Articles/Article--Osage_Orange.htm).

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![justwannano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ab992/32.png) [@justwannano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justwannano)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiders-adverse-reaction-to-hedgeapples/205613/4 "2003-10-05T06:51:11Z")

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Interesting padabe.

My aunt from minneapolis recently visited my mother from SE Iowa and mentioned markets selling hedge balls. She kidded that she could make a fortune,tongue in cheek, selling them in minnesota.  
I think I’ll load up the old dodge and visit my relatives.😉

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![justwannano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ab992/32.png) [@justwannano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justwannano)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 6:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiders-adverse-reaction-to-hedgeapples/205613/5 "2003-10-05T06:55:05Z")

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BTW  
In the winter snow we often see partially eaten hedge apples that deer have found.

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![justwannano](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/7ab992/32.png) [@justwannano](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/justwannano)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiders-adverse-reaction-to-hedgeapples/205613/6 "2003-10-05T07:01:45Z")

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So OK I’m padding my post count.  
Hedge makes a great fence post.  
Its so hard you have a hard time driving a staple into one.  
They also will last longer than any other wood and even metal posts.

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**Author:** ![Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/ea666f/32.png) [@Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rat)\
**Post date:** [October 5, 2003, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/spiders-adverse-reaction-to-hedgeapples/205613/7 "2003-10-05T14:10:22Z")

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I was always told that if you kept hedge apples in the garage, mice would stay away. Perhaps a spinoff from the spider story.