WHAT ATTRACTS HOUSE SPIDERS? NEWTOWN PA
Do you sometimes feel like you're living or working in a horror movie? That's how some people in Newtown feel when their home or place of work is overrun by spiders.
Most of the spiders that are found locally are harmless. Still, people fear spiders, and there are many reasons why you may not want to welcome them into your home.
Plus, having lots of spiders indoors may indicate that your property has a larger and more serious pest control problem. Ask yourself: What are all of those spiders eating?
The answer is a wide array of insects and other arachnids. Some of those insects could be serious pests that are wreaking havoc and causing serious damage, not to mention making people sick.
Learning more about spiders and why they come inside will help you decide that now is the time to take action by calling an exterminator.
WHY ARE SPIDERS COMING IN MY HOUSE?
Spiders may come indoors for a variety of reasons. For instance, extreme weather conditions may force the spiders to seek somewhere a little more inviting to call home. Keep in mind that spiders are quite small and fragile, so no hurricane-like conditions are needed to encourage them to come indoors. It may just be a little too wet, a little too hot or a little too cold.
Additionally, spiders naturally are drawn to places that are dark, hard-to-reach and secluded. Many homes and commercial buildings have a multitude of spots that could be described in this way. Whether it's the corner of a room or beneath a piece of furniture, spiders excel at scoping out the remotest and least disturbed areas.
Sometimes, spiders come inside when mating season kicks into high gear. Indoors may be the perfect place to find a mate and a safe place to leave an egg sac. Living inside also provides protection from many dangers, ensuring greater success for mating.
Don't overlook the fact that house spiders simply thrive when living in close proximity with people. As their name implies, they are well-adapted to living in homes and other buildings.
HOW ARE SPIDERS GETTING INSIDE?
This list of possible entry points in the average home goes on and on. Some spiders simply come in through an open door or window. An uncovered air vent is another reliable entrance. If your home's exterior has any cracks or holes that are unfilled, these will serve the spider's purpose admirably.
Did you know that spiders also can come indoors through the places through which plumbing lines, pipes and cables enter your home? Any small gaps around these openings are easily large enough to let spiders inside.
Occasionally, people inadvertently bring spiders indoors. Perhaps when you bring a storage box, plant, firewood, camping equipment or outdoor toys into your home, you're bringing in a spider as well. Before you bring any outdoor objects into your home, thoroughly check them for any hitchhikers that you don't want inside.
WHY HOUSE SPIDERS COME INDOORS
House spiders may come inside accidentally when you bring outdoor items into your home. However, most of them probably end up in your house through their own designs. Basically, all spiders require food, water and shelter, and your home is an excellent place to obtain these items.
Although you may encounter spiders in your home or other building at any time of year, autumn seems to be the season when the number of sightings skyrockets. Why does this occur?
It is likely because fall is mating season for most spiders. Females will spin large, accommodating webs, and then wait for a male to find her. The males are really on the move at this time of year, seeking high and low for a mate.
Accordingly, you may see a much larger number of male spiders entering your home in the fall. They are looking to fulfill a basic biological need, and homes are great places to accomplish this. Moreover, human habitations are warm, and spiders may be eager to escape the falling temperatures outdoors.
It is not unusual for spiders that hatched this year to be hiding and lurking somewhere within your home or its environs for the entire summer. They live cautiously, hoping to avoid being eaten by predators until they are big enough to better fend for themselves. With the arrival of fall, they are fully grown and ready to mate, causing them to be much more visible at this time of year.
If your home boasts a considerable population of insects, this will attract more spiders in any season. Large numbers of walking and flying bugs are irresistible to spiders. Homes that have many accidental cracks and openings are bound to be inundated with insects and the spiders that eat them.
WHERE DO SPIDERS LIVE INSIDE HOMES AND OTHER BUILDINGS?
It is possible to have more than one spider species living in your home. This may affect where they take up residence. For instance, spiders that are particularly attracted to moisture are most likely to be found in crawl spaces, basements and other parts of the home that are likely to be damp.
Other spiders like drier conditions. They may be found in attics, the upper corners of rooms and within air vents.
House spiders are notorious for their ability to find hidden, quiet areas in which they can easily obtain food and water. Any parts of a room that are partially hidden from view or that have excessive clutter may be the perfect habitat for a house spider. This is why spiders are so frequently found in storage rooms, sheds, garages and light fixtures.
DO HOUSE SPIDERS HURT PEOPLE?
The good news is that most of the local spiders are not dangerous. This is especially true for the relatively harmless house spider. In fact, this species genuinely prefers to live in homes where people may make survival particularly easy. Any areas of the home that have excessive clutter and dust invite spiders to come in and stay awhile. Eliminating clutter and cleaning more frequently are excellent ways to discourage spider activity.
Spiders can bite people, but the bite of the house spider generally is not dangerous. Most people have only a mild reaction, and bites are fairly rare.
The same cannot be said for the food that the house spider eats. Sometimes, the spider's diet includes termites, carpenter ants, fleas, ticks and other pests that may cause structural damage or transmit illness to people. Getting rid of these pests through the services of an exterminator is the best way to help control the spider population.
KEEPING SPIDERS OUT OF YOUR HOUSE
The first step for keeping spiders out of your house is to seal up any entrances that the spiders might be using. Keep doors and windows closed, and be sure to use screens whenever they are open. Check around doors and windows for the spaces where sunlight is shining through. Use weather stripping and caulk to eliminate these openings.
Are the air vents coming into your home covered? They may need to be to keep spiders and other pests outdoors. Similarly, any spots in your home's exterior through which cable, utility and plumbing lines enter need to be sealed.
Any cracks in foundations or other imperfections in the home's exterior also can be eliminated to keep spiders out.
Taking these precautions can keep other pests out of your house as well. If you find that you have a large number of spiders and other pests in and around your home, then it is wise to contact an exterminator. A professional pest management company can take steps to control the insect and arachnid population.
If you are seeing too many bugs and spiders in your home, then it's time to call a licensed exterminator.
HOW TO TREAT FOR SPIDERS
Proper spider treatment involves the detection and elimination of all webs. If this is not done, spiders are likely to re-infest the structure. Generally, spider infestations should be treated by a pest control professional with the equipment and experience to get the job done safely and effectively.
At Newtown Termite & Pest Control, Inc., we do not take your spider problems lightly. That is why we use a multifaceted process including the treatment of wall voids, attics, and cracks and crevices throughout the premise with gels, dusts, and other specialized products.
Schedule a FREE inspection today.
