Spider
Cellar Spider (Daddy Longlegs)
Cellar Spiders spin large, tangled webs in dark, damp areas, such as crawl spaces, basements, doorways, garages and sheds, all places that should be examined during spider pest control procedures. Their extremely long legs make the spiders appear much larger, giving them their nickname “Daddy Longlegs” but in all actuality, the spider is only 3/4th of an inch in body length. They are pale, whitish or cream in coloring.
When disturbed, they shake the web violently but characteristically they are not dangerous spiders and actually are quite beneficial in the environment. Cellar Spiders have been known to capture and eat other spiders, including even Black Widows and Brown Recluse Spiders.
Once their web becomes old and unsuitable for use, Cellar Spiders construct additional webbing attached to the old web. Over time, considerable amounts of cobwebs can accumulate. That’s why it’s not only important in cellar spider pest control to treat the areas in which they build their nests but also to de-web and vacuum.
House Spider (Hobo Spider)
Typically brown or tan with various markings, the “House” Spider is the web-building spider common in the corners and garages of most homes. The House Spider is also known as the “Cobweb Spider” and is approximately 3/8th of an inch in length with a spherical abdomen.
Males and females often live within the same web, mating often to produce offspring. The beneficial effects of having spiders in your home are that they can lower the infestation of other pests. Regardless of how beneficial it can be to have the House Spider take up residence in your home with you, most homeowners just cannot fathom living life side by side with these creepy crawling creatures.
Rather than going through the house stomping upon the spiders and swatting away their webs, call Catseye to help you with all your spider pest control needs!
Black Widows
Typically a glossy black to dark brown in color, the Black Widow Spider is widely feared for its bite which can result in a severe pain that may take several days to subside. Such bites are rarely fatal but small children and elderly people are at risk, thus giving the Black Widow the label of a dangerous spider.
The Black Widow is small in build, the body only 3/4th of an inch in length with the abdomen reaching 3/8th of an inch in diameter. The characteristic red markings on the underside of the abdomen often connect to form an hourglass shape, but the markings may not appear on every Black Widow Spider.
Black Widows prefer to construct their irregular, scaffold-type webs in secluded, protected sites where insects are more likely to show up. Such sites are near the ground level and are almost always in a protected area such as items stored haphazardly in garages or outside, beneath boards, in firewood and between boxes. Clutter creates plenty of spaces suitable for harboring spiders. Keeping boxes and objects stored neatly and away from walls is one step to minimize these spiders around a home.
When it comes time for feeding, Black Widow Spiders will eat any insect they can capture in their web. While it is true that a female may consume her male mates, it’s not always her first choice in food.
The Black Widow Spider will bite when they feel threatened but often times, a person may not even know that they are threatening the Black Widow. Most bites happen when people are picking up an item which the spider is hiding under or putting on a shoe the spider has crawled into. Many bites are reported in outhouses where the Black Widow likes to spin her web below the toilet seat. Be sure to check carefully before sitting down!
Tips for Black Widow Spider Pest Control
Bites can be avoided by wearing heavy gloves when moving items stored for long periods outside, in garages, in basements or in warehouses
Shoes should be stored inside shoeboxes or shaken vigorously prior to wearing
When webs are visible, inspect carefully before putting your hand down under an object
Control is best left to the professionals, like us here at Catseye Pest Control
Brown Recluse
Like most spiders, the Brown Recluse spider does not seek to bite people. The bite is usually accidental. The spider crawls into a shoe, into clothing or into a bed. When that person then puts on the clothing or lies on the spider in bed, the spider feels trapped and uses its only defense, and that is to bite. Unfortunately, the bite of this spider produces a nasty reaction in people, such as open, ulcerating sores. If left untreated, such bites often become infected and the life of the tissue can deteriorate quickly. It is always best to seek medical attention if bitten, preferably from a dermatologist.
The Brown Recluse gets its name from its coloring, usually light brown, but some may be darker. Their identifying characteristics are the six eyes arranged in three pairs at the front of the head area and the fiddle-shaped marking on the back. The Brown Recluse spider is often called the “Violin Spider” or “Fiddleback Spider” because of the distinctive fiddle-shaped marking on top of its head. The Brown Recluse can grow to have a body length of about 5/8th of an inch and a leg span of about 1 ½ inches in diameter.
Any corner inside or outside is suitable for the Brown Recluse to construct its web. These spiders are more common in garages, crawl spaces, and basements, as these areas are less disturbed and tend to harbor more insects. The Brown Recluse Spider is native to parts of the southern mid-west states and more of the central United States.