There are two kinds of people in the world, those who hate spiders and those who keep them as pets. It’s hard to know what happened in our culture to make us all so arachnophobic, but there’s no questioning the fact that the 8 legged bugs are generally disliked. Spiders and their webs are often featured as the bad guys in scary movies, in spooky Halloween decor, and as imagery noting that a home is dilapidated, abandoned, and desperately in need of pest control.
But just like most things in the animal kingdom, they’re not all bad. Every pest we encounter plays an important role in the ecosystem out in the wild, but that doesn’t mean they’re a necessary member of your family. Here are some interesting things we think you should know about spiders and a couple of reasons why you should call a pest control company to help you deal with them.
Spiders Have An Important Job
We hate to break it to you, but spiders may actually be beneficial to your pest control efforts in and around your home and property. Spiders are a natural predator, but unlike the ones you see in scary movies, they’re not too keen on eating people. Instead, spiders feast on other bugs like roaches, mosquitoes, flies, and moths. That’s right, they eat disease-carrying pests like mosquitoes which prose a practical risk to your family. Diseases like the West Nile and Zika viruses are carried by mosquitoes, but most people don’t fear those tiny pests. We don’t intend all of our customers to give up on pest control and open up spider colonies in their homes instead, however, it’s helpful to know the role they play in and around your home.
Spiders Don’t Live In Packs
Unlike many creatures in the animal kingdom, spiders aren’t particularly family-oriented. Not that you intend to invite them in for family dinner, but it’s safe to say that if you see one spider they’re probably living alone. Many pests like ants and termites live in huge colonies. You and I both know that killing a single ant won’t get rid of your ant problem. Spiders, on the other hand, are predatory in nature and therefore live much more solitary lives. If you kill one spider there isn’t an army of them coming to avenge it’s death. So, if you do encounter a spider in or around your home there’s no reason to assume that you have a spider problem.
Spider Pest Control Is Complicated
Because of the creepy-crawly nature of a spider’s body, their bellies remain raised off the ground as they walk. This can make it difficult for an inexperienced homeowner to treat them using over the counter pesticides. Preventative perimeter pest control treatments are often the most effective way to treat any pests, spiders included. Our current pest control customers already have the benefit of reduced spider intrusion thanks to their current service.
It’s also important to be aware of the places where spiders may be entering your home. Like many other pests, they’re not walking right in the front door. Spiders’ bodies are small and agile enough to enable them to crawl through narrow passages that you might not notice at first glance. Think cracks in floorboards or gaps in siding. If you keep seeing spiders in the same area of your home, investigate that spot to see if you can easily spot the area where they are entering.
How To Spot A Dangerous Spider
It would be irresponsible for any reputable pest control company to suggest that all spiders are completely harmless. Aside from being undesirable house guests, there are also several types of spiders found in Florida that are very dangerous. Specifically the southern black widow, northern black widow, red widow, brown widow, and brown recluse spiders. It’s wise to study up on the markings of each of these types of spiders so you’ll know what to look for. Specifically, brown recluse spiders are brown or tan in color with a marking on their body that looks like the shape of a violin. Black widows are known to be all black with a red hourglass shape on their abdomen.
If you see either of these spiders contact your pest control team right away. Also, note that if you or someone you know are bit by any of these spiders you should seek emergency medical attention immediately. Bites from these spiders are highly dangerous.
We know how much people hate spiders and other bugs, that’s why we are in the pest control business! But we also think it’s important that you feel informed and empowered enough to know exactly what they’re dealing with. If you have questions about spiders or any other pests you’ve seen around your property, don’t hesitate to give us a call. We’d love to ease your mind and introduce you to our preventative approach to pest control.
