While spiders can be helpful in your garden, they’re a nuisance in your home. We’ll show you how to get rid of spiders and keep them out with some simple repellents and prevention strategies.
Believe it or not, most spiders are absolutely harmless to humans. However, if you’re like most people, you don’t want to share your home with them.
Of course, the easiest way to get rid of a spider infestation is to pick up the phone and call a professional pest control service. If you need help getting rid of spiders, contact us now!
Black Widow Spiders
Black widow spiders have a reputation for delivering the most toxic bite. While this is true, a black widow bite is rarely fatal to a human because each bite only injects a small amount of venom. Still, you should seek medical attention immediately if bitten.
The Northern, Southern, and Western varieties are the most common “true widow” spiders in the United States. Southern and Western black widows look very similar, with distinctive shiny black bodies with red hourglass markings. Southern black widows are found throughout the southeastern U.S., as far west as Texas and as far north as Ohio. Western black widows live throughout the entire western half of the country. Outdoors, they tend to live in sheltered areas like hollow logs, rock piles, or thick brambles.
Northern black widows, on the other hand, are found in the northeastern U.S. and southern parts of Canada. Their appearance is a bit different, as they may be dark brown or black with red, yellow, or white spots or stripes down the abdomen. You might find them in tree stumps, under fallen fence posts, or inside old animal burrows.
About Brown Recluse Spiders—Behavior and Bites
About Brown Recluse Spiders—Behavior and Bites
If you or a family member has been bitten by a brown recluse, be sure to seek medical attention. While the initial bite is generally not painful at all, later the bitten area often becomes irritated and red. Some people have a minimal reaction to the bite and others suffer wounds and ulcers. Most brown recluse spider bites heal within a few weeks following the bite, and do not have serious complications. Others are less fortunate. They may develop a lesion, appearing as a dry area that caves in with irregular edges and outside redness. As the spider’s venom continues to destroy tissue, the resulting wound may grow larger and linger for months.
When to Get Rid of Spiders
Perhaps the best news about spiders is that very few are actually dangerous to humans. Of the many species of arachnids in the United States, only the black widow and the brown recluse have venom that can cause serious health problems. A few more may cause painful bites, but mostly, spiders are harmless to humans. In fact, they actually eat nuisance insects like mosquitoes, fleas, and flies. Additionally, a spider infestation won’t cause structural damage to a building.
That’s not to say you should welcome spiders into your home. A single egg sac can contain hundreds or thousands of spiders, so an infestation can occur and spread extremely quickly. Ideally, spiders would stay outside and help keep your yard free of harmful pests. However, they do sometimes come indoors in search of food or shelter. When that happens, it’s time to start looking into how to get rid of them.
And, of course, if you suspect you may have brown recluses or black widows in or around your home, you’ll want to make sure they’re gone.
It is very possible to reside in a home that is infested with brown recluses and never get bitten. The majority of brown recluse spider bites happen when the spider is caught against bare skin. For instance, bites have occurred when people roll over on a brown recluse in bed.
Spiders
How to Get Rid of Spiders
Believe it or not, most spiders are absolutely harmless to humans. However, if you’re like most people, you don’t want to share your home with them.
Of course, the easiest way to get rid of a spider infestation is to pick up the phone and call a professional pest control service. If you need help getting rid of spiders, contact us now!
Black Widow Spiders
Black widow spiders have a reputation for delivering the most toxic bite. While this is true, a black widow bite is rarely fatal to a human because each bite only injects a small amount of venom. Still, you should seek medical attention immediately if bitten.
The Northern, Southern, and Western varieties are the most common “true widow” spiders in the United States. Southern and Western black widows look very similar, with distinctive shiny black bodies with red hourglass markings. Southern black widows are found throughout the southeastern U.S., as far west as Texas and as far north as Ohio. Western black widows live throughout the entire western half of the country. Outdoors, they tend to live in sheltered areas like hollow logs, rock piles, or thick brambles.
Northern black widows, on the other hand, are found in the northeastern U.S. and southern parts of Canada. Their appearance is a bit different, as they may be dark brown or black with red, yellow, or white spots or stripes down the abdomen. You might find them in tree stumps, under fallen fence posts, or inside old animal burrows.
About Brown Recluse Spiders—Behavior and Bites
About Brown Recluse Spiders—Behavior and Bites
If you or a family member has been bitten by a brown recluse, be sure to seek medical attention. While the initial bite is generally not painful at all, later the bitten area often becomes irritated and red. Some people have a minimal reaction to the bite and others suffer wounds and ulcers. Most brown recluse spider bites heal within a few weeks following the bite, and do not have serious complications. Others are less fortunate. They may develop a lesion, appearing as a dry area that caves in with irregular edges and outside redness. As the spider’s venom continues to destroy tissue, the resulting wound may grow larger and linger for months.
When to Get Rid of Spiders
Perhaps the best news about spiders is that very few are actually dangerous to humans. Of the many species of arachnids in the United States, only the black widow and the brown recluse have venom that can cause serious health problems. A few more may cause painful bites, but mostly, spiders are harmless to humans. In fact, they actually eat nuisance insects like mosquitoes, fleas, and flies. Additionally, a spider infestation won’t cause structural damage to a building.
That’s not to say you should welcome spiders into your home. A single egg sac can contain hundreds or thousands of spiders, so an infestation can occur and spread extremely quickly. Ideally, spiders would stay outside and help keep your yard free of harmful pests. However, they do sometimes come indoors in search of food or shelter. When that happens, it’s time to start looking into how to get rid of them.
And, of course, if you suspect you may have brown recluses or black widows in or around your home, you’ll want to make sure they’re gone.
It is very possible to reside in a home that is infested with brown recluses and never get bitten. The majority of brown recluse spider bites happen when the spider is caught against bare skin. For instance, bites have occurred when people roll over on a brown recluse in bed.