4 Things You Should Know About Spider Infestations

websitebuilder • July 9, 2020

House Spider — Gainesville, FL — Gainesville Pest Control LLC

If you suspect that your home harbors a spider infestation, you most likely want them gone as soon as possible. The more you understand about spiders and their behavior, the more effectively you can recognize and cope with these unwanted guests. Check out these four key points that every Florida homeowner should know about spider infestations.

1. Florida Plays Host to Lots of Spiders

Some of the dozens of spiders common to Florida households include black widows, brown recluses, jumping spiders, yellow sac spiders, and multiple species of house spider.

In addition to spiders that actually live in your house, you may also find yourself troubled by spiders that tend to take up residence in nearby outdoor areas. Banana spiders, for example, normally live near wooded areas but may also congregate near light poles. These spiders can grow to several inches in length.

2. Spiders Live Close to Prey

Both indoor and outdoor spiders tend to make their homes in any area that also hosts a plentiful food supply. Spiders usually prey on smaller insects, trapping flies, moths, and butterflies in their sticky webs or killing them with their bites. Some spiders will even kill and eat other spiders.

You can reduce your spider problem by controlling the population of any other household pests that spiders might view as prey. Periodic pest inspections can help identify these issues in the making and eliminate them before spiders flock to your home.

3. Some Spiders Have a Poisonous Bite

While spiders don't prey on humans or generally attack them, some species can nevertheless impart painful, poisonous bites to humans who startle or threaten them. The two main kinds of poisonous spiders in Florida include widows and recluses.

In addition to the northern and southern black widow species, Florida also plays host to brown widows and red widows. Of these, the black widows probably enjoy the most ominous reputation, particularly the more dangerous females. They often bite when they come into contact with hands or feet.

Recluse spiders do not actually originate in Florida, but some species have developed populations in the state. You can recognize a recluse spider by the violin-shaped mark on its back. They tend to bite when human hands grope into recluse-infested spaces such as storage boxes or cords of firewood.

Spider bites can cause serious health problems. In addition to redness, pain, and itching, a brown recluse bite can lead to tissue death, kidney failure, jaundice, and other frightening issues. Widow bites can cause headaches, hypertension, nausea, vomiting, pain, numbness, and muscle cramps.

4. Spider Infestations Can Hide Indoors or Outdoors

You may have considerable trouble figuring out the source of the spiders you occasionally see in your home. Spiders prefer to stay tucked out of sight, making their homes in dark, damp, rarely-disturbed corners. While some spiders live on their telltale webs, others prefer to make burrows.

Look for indoor spiders in places such as basements, crawlspaces, sink cabinets, bath traps, along baseboards, underneath furniture, and behind picture frames. Check the corners of floors, ceilings, doorways, and windows for signs of webs or sacs containing spider eggs.

Don't forget to scan your home's exterior for spiders. Pay special attention to gaps, cracks, and other areas that might allow outdoor spiders to become indoor spiders. Check your garage or garden shed for signs of spider habitation. Bear in mind that overgrown shrubs or bushes make an ideal hiding place for spiders.

When spiders threaten to take over your household, Gainesville Pest Control LLC can come to your rescue. Contact us today to schedule a professional pest inspection and spider treatment.

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