As a form of natural pest control, Levittown area residents often welcome spiders in their flower beds and produce gardens. However, when the population of spiders on a piece of property becomes too large, this indicates a problem.
In order to feed all of those spiders, the property must contain an inordinately large amount of other arachnids and insects. Some of these pest species have the potential to cause property damage and spread sickness.
Accordingly, it is wise to contact a reliable pest management company whenever large numbers of spiders are present. Their numbers may signal a problem with carpenter ants, termites, wasps or other more threatening pests.
Female agrarian sac spiders may grow to as long as 10 millimeters. However, males of the species typically grow no larger than eight millimeters. Both sexes are characterized by their light yellow to cream-colored bodies and their dark brown chelicerae.
With their thick front legs and slenderer rear legs, broad-faced sac spiders are relatively easy to differentiate from other species. They feature reddish-brown carapaces and chelicerae, though their abdomens tend to be pale yellow or light gray and are marked with a dark dorsal stripe. Females may reach a total of 10 millimeters, but males are only about six millimeters long.
Common house spiders are quite small, with females typically measuring eight millimeters and males measuring about five millimeters. Their abdomens are a dirty white color and are decorated with dark stripes. The spherical shape of their abdomens is another defining characteristic.
Grass spiders are exceptionally good at hiding in their funnel-shaped webs. Females of this species may reach a total length of 20 millimeters, and the males are nearly as long. Yellowish-brown or brown carapaces and abdomens are common. Dorsal markings on these body parts can be quite distinct.
Colorful long-legged sac spiders usually display a greenish abdomen and a pale yellow cephalothorax. However, these close relatives of the agrarian sac spider otherwise have similar coloring and size when compared with their cousins.
Measuring an average of 35 millimeters, the wolf spider easily is the largest spider that is commonly found in this area. They have eight non-compound eyes, and their bodies are hairy, with coloration including brown, gray and black.
WHERE DO SPIDERS LIVE?
Non-web-spinning spiders may be encountered in sheltered places like leaf litter or in the depression beneath stones or boards. The lower edge of a piece of siding on a man-made structure may provide the perfect hiding spot, and some spiders will simply rely on a dusty, cluttered area inside a home, garage or shed as their habitat.
In fact, some spider species are specifically adapted to live in man-made structures. This is the case with the common house spider, which is most likely to be encountered in a web in the upper corner of a room, window or door frame. Lighting fixtures are other common places to build webs.
Other spiders prefer to spin their webs across ground surfaces. In this case, their webs typically are seen across surfaces of soil or grass.
WHAT DO SPIDERS EAT?
Spiders are known to eat a variety of arachnids and insects. This makes them welcome additions to many gardens because the species that are consumed frequently are considered pests.
Many web-spinning spiders prefer to place their webs in elevated locations. Consequently, they tend to capture and eat more flying insects like flies, moths, mosquitoes and butterflies. Spiders that spin their webs across ground surfaces are more likely to catch prey that walks or jumps. Beetles, grasshoppers and crickets are common victims. Similarly, spiders that do not spin webs tend to lurk in dark spaces and wait for walking or hopping insects to wander by.
WHERE DO SPIDERS LIVE?
Spiders can reside in a variety of places, both indoors and outdoors. If they are web builders, spiders will generally build their nests in regions where insects are likely to fly, such as near moist places or flowers. In some cases, a spider may build its nest on the ground in order to catch arthropods and walking insects. Some species of spiders burrow into the soil and build nests under rocks, logs, or in a crevice.
ARE SPIDERS AGGRESSIVE?
Although spiders may be active at any time of day, they generally prefer to go unnoticed by people. This is one of the reasons why their webs are placed high in rooms and why some spider species prefer to hide in places where people rarely go.
Still, some of the local spider species are known for their bites. The agrarian sac spider and the long-legged sac spider, in particular, have been observed to bite people without provocation. This can be especially distressing for children or for people who have a spider phobia.
DAMAGE CAUSED BY SPIDERS
Spiders are not as destructive as other pests. However, they have a habit of spinning several webs before they find a successful location. Each web simply is abandoned when the spider leaves it behind. This leaves the home's human occupants to clean up the mess. When a spider infestation is large, people may feel like the job of knocking down spider webs never ends.
Many people have a phobia concerning spiders, which means that they may have difficulty relaxing when they know that they are sharing their home with a large spider population. These concerns may be valid, considering that the spiders may be feeding on far more dangerous and destructive pests.
DO SPIDERS CARRY DISEASE?
For most people, a spider bite is a relatively harmless occurrence. Common reactions to a bite include minor itching, redness and swelling. These symptoms usually subside within a few hours.
Particularly painful bites may be delivered by long-legged sac spiders and agrarian sac spiders. People may have serious reactions to these wounds, with symptoms including burning, cramps, nausea, fever and fatigue.
Complications may arise from the bite of the broad-faced sac spider. Members of this species feed on decaying arthropods. If they subsequently bite a person, they may transmit some decaying matter with their bite. Any unusual symptoms that are experienced after a spider bite may require medical attention.
HOW TO DETECT SPIDERS
Signs of a spider issue include:
• Webs, both inhabited and abandoned, are frequently found indoors • Common outdoor walkways routinely have spider webs • Spider webs need to be constantly removed from indoor and outdoor surfaces
HOW TO PREVENT SPIDERS
To help prevent a spider problem the following steps should be taken:
• Use a broom to knock down spider webs indoors and out • Have the exterior of buildings power washed at least once per year • Do not allow limbs and branches to touch building exteriors • Eliminate clutter from around the property • Locate cracks in building exteriors and have them filled • Schedule routine pest control services • Regularly dust and vacuum indoor spaces
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.
