BROAD-FACED SAC SPIDER CONTROL
Known to scientists as the trachelas tranquillus, the broad faced sac spider specializes in frightening our customers in Bucks County and surrounding areas. This happens frequently when people are spending time outdoors. Any time a stone or board is picked up, it may be hiding a broad faced sac spider. Of course, these arachnids do not always stay outdoors. They may make themselves comfortable behind the siding on a building or on a windowsill.
Broad faced sac spiders thrive in this area. In fact, members of the species are found across a broad swath of territory from Canada and New England down to Alabama and Georgia. Regardless of where they live, this spider is known for its intensely painful bite. These bites can develop secondary infections if they are not treated and protected. What makes secondary infections so common with bites from these spiders? Researchers believe it is connected to the spider's proclivity for scavenging meals from deceased insects and arachnids.
Property owners are more likely to encounter broad faced sac spiders indoors during the fall. This is because the spiders are trying to avoid the falling temperatures and worsening weather conditions. Nonetheless, these spiders may enter buildings in any season, particularly if the owner has not taken care to pest-proof the structure.
When broad faced sac spiders are seen indoors, they typically are not alone. They need a steady and reliable supply of food, and a variety of pests can supply this for them. Accordingly, if these spiders are discovered living in a building, chances are good that other significant pest problems also are underway.
Property owners are encouraged to hire a licensed pest management professional at the first sign of an infestation. This prevents the problem from becoming more widespread and more difficult to treat.
WHAT DO BROAD-FACED SAC SPIDERS LOOK LIKE?
Broad faced sac spiders have a dark brown or reddish cephalothorax that may appear shiny. The abdomen is a different color, typically tan or gray, and it is not as shiny. This particular species may be identified by its legs, which may be tan, brown or red. While the rear legs are short and slender, the front pair of legs is thick and dark.
Full-grown females frequently measure approximately three-eighths of an inch long. The legs make her about five-eighths of an inch, with males being somewhat slighter in stature.
WHAT DO BROAD FACED SAC SPIDERS EAT?
People sometimes think that all spiders spin webs in which they catch prey. However, this is a misnomer. The broad faced sac spider is actually a hunter. It moves with lightning speed, pouncing on bugs and spiders while simultaneously biting the prey and injecting it with venom. This almost immediately incapacitates the victim, which means that the broad faced sac spider frequently is successful at killing prey that is much larger than it is.
Broad faced sac spiders also scavenge easy meals from deceased insects and arachnids that it discovers.
WHERE DO BROAD-FACED SAC SPIDERS LIVE?
This species is a common spider in the eastern portion of North America. Anywhere that offers relatively warm and dry conditions offers appropriate habitat, which explains why so many of these spiders venture indoors in the fall.
In other parts of the year, these spiders may find the conditions that they favor among leaf litter or at the base of a fence post or plant. The underside of an undisturbed piece of wood, a large rock or a rolled-up leaf also can provide the shelter that the spider needs.
With fall comes the breeding season, and females frequently venture indoors to ensure success. September and October are prime months for laying spider eggs. With each sac containing approximately 30 to 50 eggs, it is clear that a small spider concern quickly can become a major problem.
The conditions inside most buildings are ideal for broad faced sac spiders. They prefer spaces that are relatively undisturbed, so it is most likely to encounter them in a storage room, attic, garage, basement or shed. Since these places also tend to have more insects living in them, the broad faced sac spider will be disinclined to leave unless it is forced out.
DAMAGE CAUSE BY BROAD-FACED SAC SPIDERS
Property is fairly safe even when broad faced sac spiders are present. This species does not cause harm to structures, but property owners frequently are unhappy when they see that these spiders have spun several silken sleeping cocoons around the building.
ARE BROAD-FACED SAC SPIDERS AGGRESSIVE?
If anything, these spiders would prefer to avoid running into people. This is why they are so frequently found in out of the way places like attics, storage rooms and garages. Nonetheless, when a person accidentally surprises a broad faced sac spider, the arachnid is likely to react with aggression. Bites are painful, and they can become infected.
DO BROAD-FACED SAC SPIDERS CARRY DISEASE?
Like most arachnids, broad faced sac spiders do have venom that is transferred to bite victims. Usually, such a small amount of this venom is injected into people that it does not cause a problem, though a small portion of the population may have an allergic reaction.
Beyond this, broad faced sac spiders do not transmit diseases to people. The only other health threat that this species poses arises from the risk of a bacterial infection. These problems may occur when a spider bites a person after feeding on a decaying prey item. It is critical for bite victims to immediately cleanse their wound and to keep it clean until it heals. Medical treatment is required at the first sign of complications.
HOW TO DETECT BROAD-FACED SAC SPIDERS
Signs of a broad faced sac spider infestation include:
• The number of spider bites occurring on the property sharply rises
• People begin seeing spiders on a more frequent basis
• Silken cocoons begin appearing along the seams where walls and ceilings meet
HOW TO PREVENT BROAD-FACED SAC SPIDERS
To help prevent broad faced sac spider issues the following steps should be taken:
• Begin a more frequent program of dusting and vacuuming
• Get rid of clutter in attics, storage rooms, garages, basements and sheds
• Eliminate yard debris piles
• Move woodpiles well away from structures
• Ensure that all doors and windows are equipped with screens
• Examine the building's exterior for holes and fissures that can be covered or filled
• Use a power washer to keep building exteriors clean
• Have an exterminator perform regular treatments on the property to eliminate food sources
HOW TO TREAT FOR SPIDERS
Spider treatment involves the detection and elimination of all webs. If this is not done, the spiders are likely to re-infest the structure. Generally, it is not possible to completely eliminate spiders with do-it-yourself products. As such, successful spider eradication should be left for a pest control professional who has the tools and experience to get the job done safely and effectively.
At Newtown Termite & Pest Control, Inc., we don't take your spider problems lightly. That's 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.
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