If you have spiders in your home, our pest control solutions offer complete pest management services designed to eliminate the spider problems you have now and prevent future infestations.
Spiders are predators that play a significant role in keeping populations of many insects in check. They are essential to our ecosystem because they control the pests in and around our homes and gardens. However, this doesn’t mean they’re a welcome sight inside.
If you want to eliminate the spiders in your home for good, you need to identify what types of spiders you have in your house to know which treatment options are best.
Identifying Types of Spiders
There are different types of spiders, meaning there are different treatments. The first step in getting rid of spiders is determining the types you have in your house. If you live in Missouri, there are specific spiders in your region. Keep in mind that there are only two types of venomous spiders, the others are relatively harmless.
The most common spiders you’ll find in your home include the following:
- Wolf spiders – They are large hunting spiders. Wolf spiders are black or brown and have light or dark lengthwise stripes down their bodies. They have three rows of eyes and long, thin legs. They don’t create shelters or webs; they roam over the ground, hunting for their next meal. Wolf spiders are the most common type of spider found throughout the world.
- Cellar spiders – They are harmless, fragile spiders with very long, thin legs. Cellar spiders are gray, tan, or whitish, with tiny bodies. Cellar spiders like dark places, thus their name, and they leave clusters of unsightly spider webs all over.
- House spiders – House spiders are light brown and are usually less than half an inch long. These spiders are harmless but can be startling as they dart back and forth, looking for insects to feast on.
The two types of venomous spiders are:
- Black Widow Spiders – It is extremely rare to find them indoors. They generally prefer to live outdoors in undisturbed areas. Black widows are likely to be found in and around woodpiles, in a dark corner of a garage or shed, or in other dark, quiet places. They are nocturnal, so they stay in their nests during the day. Finally, they are easy to identify – they are shiny black, about ½ inch long, and the female will display a spectacular red marking on her abdomen in the shape of an hourglass.
- Brown Recluse Spiders – This spider is more challenging to identify than the Black Widow since it doesn’t display any distinctive markings and may be easily confused with other, non-threatening species. Upon closer inspection, you will find the unique features of this formidable spider: it only has three pairs of eyes, compared to the usual four pairs that most spiders display, and it has a violin-shaped marking on its cephalothorax. A brown recluse spider bite will start as a blister and develop into an ulcer that takes months to heal, and the victim might also show other symptoms.
How to Get Rid of Spiders in Your Home
One way to get rid of them is to eliminate some of the things that attract them. For instance, many spiders are attracted to damp or moist environments. Putting a dehumidifier in areas where you see a lot of spider activity can help deter them and other insects. Another way is to make sure your home is adequately sealed. Using caulk to seal gaps or cracks that provide a way into your garage, attic, or basement will help keep them out.
A third way to deter them is to keep your home tidy. Spiders like enclosed spaces like attics and closets. But it’s common to find them in cardboard boxes in these storage spaces. Keeping your storage items in plastic containers and adequately sealing them is another excellent way to keep spiders out.
However, you may take all these steps and more and still have spiders. In this case, you need professional pest control services to help. At Titan Pest & Wildlife, we make it our business to protect your home. Our residential pest control solutions provide a thorough pest management process designed to eliminate the spider problems you have now and, more importantly, prevent future infestations from happening.
