Frequently Asked Questions About Spider Infestations
Florida has a rich and varied ecosystem, including several species of spiders. Although these arachnids generally focus on capturing and eating insects, they often trigger fear and revulsion among humans. Some spiders can even cause physical harm through their painful, toxic bites.
Fortunately, you can get a nagging spider infestation under control once you understand how spiders live, what they eat, and how to reduce their numbers in and around your home. The answers to the following frequently asked questions should equip you with much of the basic knowledge you need.
What Kinds of Spiders Invade Florida Properties?
Florida’s woodier, leafier areas abound with spiders. Common species you might encounter on your lawn or other landscaping include jumping spiders, crab spiders, golden silk spiders, wolf spiders, green lynx spiders, and black and yellow argiope spiders. Some of these spiders spin webs to capture prey, while others do not.
Florida spiders that might find their way into your home include giant house spiders, orb weaver spiders, brown recluses, and brown widow spiders. You can recognize giant house spiders by their elongated legs, while orb weaver spiders have brown and white bodies with multiple rows of eyes.
Brown recluse spiders have brown or gray bodies as well as a violin-shaped pattern on their backs. Brown widow spiders sport an hourglass-shaped orange pattern instead.
What Does a Spider Infestation Mean for Your Household?
Spiders tend to ignore both humans and the food humans eat. Instead, they pursue and eat insects. In a way, a spider infestation can actually prove helpful, since spiders eat common household pests. If you see many spiders in your home, you probably have a larger underlying pest problem that calls for professional inspection and treatment.
Although many spiders can bite, few actually possess enough venom to pose any danger to humans. However, brown recluse and brown widow spiders represent exceptions. A brown widow’s spider bite can cause localized pain and redness. The bite of a brown recluse spider can actually destroy tissue and even cause death.
How Can You Identify a Spider Infestation?
You can sometimes identify a spider problem by the presence of spider webs, although old cobwebs may simply point to a previous infestation by long-dead spiders. If you see egg sacs, hundreds of baby spiders may soon become active throughout your home. These egg sacs resemble small, white balls of spider web silk.
Spiders typically prefer dark, humid, undisturbed parts of a home such as basements, attics, and closets to lay their eggs and store their killed prey. However, some spiders will weave webs or hunt for insects in more brightly lit areas. You can also look for spider droppings, which resemble tiny black splotches.
How Do You Eliminate or Prevent a Spider Infestation?
Since a spider infestation usually means another pest infestation of some kind, you’ll want to schedule a professional pest inspection to get that problem under control, thus depriving the spiders of their food sources. Your pest control technicians can also place glue traps in strategic locations to catch spiders and prey alike.
To prevent future spider infestations, maintain a regular pest control maintenance program that keeps other indoor and outdoor pest populations at a minimum. Vacuum your home regularly to kill adult spiders on contact and remove egg sacs. Clean little-used parts of the home and get rid of potential spider hiding places.
If you find yourself sharing your home with an unwanted spider population, seek help from the experts at Highland Pest Control. Our skilled technicians can rid you of your spider infestation, provide ongoing pest control services, and advise you on how to keep your home as spider-free as possible. Contact us today.