HOUSE SPIDER CONTROL
The common house spider is seen widely throughout Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Also known as the American House Spider, the common house spider is a nuisance in many homes and businesses.
Common house spiders are prolific breeders. Over the course of one year, a female house spider can lay up to 3,000 eggs. If left untreated, house spiders can take over an environment and become nearly impossible to contain. It is necessary for pest control experts to rid a home or business of common house spiders to help guarantee an infestation does not take place.
WHAT THE COMMON HOUSE SPIDER LOOKS LIKE
The common house spider varies in size, shape, and color. They are light and can be difficult to spot due to their ability to blend with their surroundings.
•Size: Varies. Often 1/4 inch to an inch in length. Females are larger than males.
•Color: Brown or grey. Sometimes spotted or with chevron markings.
•Characteristics: Like all spiders, the common house spider has eight legs and a body that is divided between the cephalothorax and abdomen.
WHERE DOES THE COMMON HOUSE SPIDER LIVE?
The common house spider is regularly seen in homes, businesses, and outdoor areas. They prefer dark locations, but will spin webs in practically any location. Once a web is removed, a spider may spin a web in the same spot within a few days. Likewise, one spider will spin multiple webs throughout a structure.
WHAT DO COMMON HOUSE SPIDERS EAT?
The diet of the common house spider is primarily made of insects. House flies, moths, and other flying insects are commonly caught and kept in webs. The common house spider will also gladly feast on other spiders. This is particularly true after mating, when the female may choose to consume the male. Common house spiders may sometimes eat rodents, small reptiles, or scorpions if they are available.
WHERE DO COMMON HOUSE SPIDERS LIVE?
The common house spider causes a great deal of damage that is largely unseen until it is too late to control the problem. These spiders spin webs throughout a home or business in order to catch prey, mate, and dwell. Because house spiders can lay thousands of eggs in a short period of time, they likely already live throughout the building once the webs become apparent. Webs are difficult to clean and reappear quickly once removed.
Large numbers of common house spiders often indicate the presence of other types of insects as well. These are sometimes even more damaging than the spiders themselves. It is wise to use a pest control expert to learn why the home or business has become infested and how to remove all pests from the area.
ARE COMMON HOUSE SPIDERS AGGRESSIVE?
House spiders may variably exist within the same space as each other or fight over common territory. It is not uncommon for house spiders to kill and eat one another as they guard their own webs.
Common house spiders will bite humans if threatened. Because they are small and blend well with their environments, it is most common for humans to receive spider bites unaware that the spiders are present. Young children and seniors most commonly receive these bites. These groups are also the most likely to have adverse reactions to spider bites. Because of this, homes with older residents or young children should regularly be inspected for spiders. Likewise, businesses that cater to very young or very old clientele should be inspected on a regular basis as well.
DO COMMON HOUSE SPIDERS CARRY DISEASE?
The venom of the common house spider is similar to that of the deadly black widow spider, although a common house spider's venom is much less toxic than the black widow, it can still be quite painful. Those individuals with allergic reactions may experience severe swelling and headaches. Medical care may be necessary for these bites.
HOW TO DETECT THE COMMON HOUSE SPIDER
These spiders are most easily detected by the presence of their webs. Cobwebs are formed to keep prey in a static location as well as to catch unsuspecting insects. These webs are often located in along walls, ceilings, and in corners of rooms. They may also be seen in trees, shrubberies, or any area with closely placed structures. Common house spiders do not spin one continuous web. Rather, they build webs throughout a home or business in order to have the best opportunity at catching and keeping prey.
It can be very difficult to detect spider webs, especially in homes or businesses that have areas that are seldom seen or used like attics, basements, and crawl spaces. A pest control expert should be called regularly to inspect homes and businesses for the presence of common house spiders so that they may be removed before they overpopulate a given space.
HOW TO PREVENT COMMON HOUSE SPIDERS
Spiders enter through very small entry points in a home or business. It is very difficult to keep them out of a home, though there are some ways to limit their movement. To help prevent house spiders from gaining access to your home or business, Newtown Termite & Pest Control recommends the following:
• Seal holes in walls, roofs, and window screens
• Use door sweeps
• Use weatherstripping on doors and windows
• Clean spider webs whenever they appear
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.
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