Creepy Crawlspace

[Brad Manor]

During yesterday's crawlspace inspection, I noticed that most of the ground was covered with a white fuzz. It was also on the wood framing as well. What really caught my eye however, was all the spiders that were now dead and white. Any ideas what's going on (I don't see many crawlspaces - forgive my ignorance)

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Interestingly enough, there were no live spiders at all in there.

-Brad

[Richard Moore]

With all the spiders seemingly suddenly dead in their tracks, so to speak, I'd guess the house got fumigated(?). I don't know if that's a common thing up there. I see a lot of crawl spaces. Never seen anything like that.

You're sure that they weren't the rare Canadian White Possum Spiders just playing dead? []

[Jim Katen]

Originally posted by Brad Manor

During yesterday's crawlspace inspection, I noticed that most of the ground was covered with a white fuzz. It was also on the wood framing as well. What really caught my eye however, was all the spiders that were now dead and white. Any ideas what's going on (I don't see many crawlspaces - forgive my ignorance)

Interestingly enough, there were no live spiders at all in there.

-Brad

I see those all the time. (Well, not *all* the time, but maybe 3-4 times a month.) The spider bodies have been enveloped in a fungus. The crawlspace was very damp, right?

- Jim Katen, Oregon

[Brad Manor]

Yep - actually, it was beyond damp. The house could have been a case study in moisture intrusion. I had a sneaking suspicion that it was some sort of fungus, I just don't see that sort of thing often enough to know right away. - Thanks

-Brad

.... now I have to edit out the part of the report about the white possum spiders...

[Jim Katen]

Was it a late '60s - early '70s house?

- Jim Katen

[Brad Manor]

I'm guessing it was older than that, late 50s-ish.

-Brad