Arachnophobia is the fear of spiders and is the most common of all phobias. If the sight of a spider creates fear in your heart, you are certainly not alone. In Western societies, 55% of females and 18% of males are estimated to experience arachnophobia.
Besides scaring some people “half to death”, spiders are also very messy and their webs can make even the nicest home look dirty and appear like a “haunted house”.
Why are spiders such a big problem and why do so many home and business owners have such a terrible time controlling them? If there was one reason, it would probably be that most people don’t understand the basic biology and behavior of spiders. In this article, we’d like for you to learn some of these basics so you can keep your home or business “spider free” this summer.
Spiders 101
There are over 35,000 described species of spiders in the world. In the U.S., it is possible to collect between 400 and 700 different species. Fortunately, Orange County residents have only about three species that frequently invade homes and businesses.
The black widow spider is probably the most feared spider. The female black widow is jet-black with a red hourglass on its underside. Males are smaller and lighter colored. Females will produce 4-9 white silken egg sacs in a summer and each of these contain 300-400 eggs! Add up those numbers and you’ll easily understand why these pests can be so hard to control. When a person is bitten by a black widow, body aches are a normal reaction. Their venom may also cause headaches, high blood pressure and nausea.
The brown widow spider is a specie that recently became established in California in early 2,000. It has a mottling of tan and brown with black accents and you’ll find an orange colored hourglass on its underside. The egg sacs of a brown widow spider are yellowish and have numerous “silk spicules”. The venom of a brown widow is as toxic as the Black Widow’s but their bites are minor in comparison.
Everyone is concerned about brown recluse spiders because their bites can be very painful and dangerous. The good news is that these pests are not found in California.
The “Daddy Long Legs” spider likes to live indoors. These spiders have a small grey, elongated body with 8 very long legs. 20-30 eggs are held in a silk net and this is carried with the female as she moves around. These breed year round. Their venom is poisonous but their fangs are too short to penetrate skin and that is why these are not considered to be dangerous.
What You Can Do To Control Spiders
- If you have a spider problem, it means that you’ve got a lot of other bugs that they are eating. Always start any spider control program by eliminating the other pests in your home or business, first.
- Knock down major cobwebs. If spiders don’t have webs, they can’t catch anything and this will help encourage them to go elsewhere. This will also improve the appearance of your home.
- Use a vacuum cleaner to remove spiders, their egg sacs and webs. Remember how many egg sacs these spiders produce and how many eggs there are in each one? For every egg sac you vacuum up, you could in effect be eliminating up to 400 potential new spiders!! Best of all, this will substantially reduce the amounts of insecticide needed to gain control.
- Sanitation and removal of clutter is very important because it eliminates so many places for them to live and breed.
- Keep plants cut back away from the exterior of your home or business. Some homes have plants, shrubs, trees and vines growing against and all over them. If this is the case, there is probably little hope that you’ll ever solve your spider problem. Keeping plants cut back is really that important if you want to gain control over spiders.
- A residual dust, such as boric acid, can really be effective when applied in attics and subareas. Remember, very little is needed and if you can see the dust after you have applied it, you have used too much.
- Some residual insecticide sprays can be very useful for exterior treatments. We especially recommend using granular formulations on lawn and soil areas located adjacent to the structure because they are longer lasting. Also, they are less likely to wash away when you irrigate or when it rains. By using these products, you are helping to reduce run-off and doing your part to protect our beaches.
Are you having a problem with spiders and need help? Call our office at (949) 631-7348 or click on order form and ask for us to schedule a FREE pest audit. You’ll learn all of the different ways you can help to solve your problem. Our regular monthly or bi-monthly pest control services include removal of major cob webs and wasp nest so your home or business will always look its best. By using this information, you and your family can truly enjoy a “pest free summer.”