The Itsy Bitsy Spider Crawls Up Inside Your House!
Spring time is here and Sacramento residents may be spotting some eight-legged invaders all around their homes. As was the case in 2010, warm weather, aided by late rains, result in an increase of plants, which in turn brings an increase in gnats, mosquitoes, and other pesky insects—the ideal smorgasbord for spiders of all stripes. While in nature spiders’ predatory instincts make them natural pest exterminators, when they invade our yards and gardens they can create a hazard for children, pets and ourselves. And sometimes these natural pest controllers follow their insect prey straight into your house, garage or tool shed and start building homes of their own.
Being that they are tiny in stature, most spider species common to Northern California, such as the Daddy-long legs (Pholcus phalangioides) and Domestic House Spider (Tegenaria domestica), simply slip through cracks around doors and windows. Spiders will tend towards dusty and cluttered spaces to build their webs. Garages, attics, dark cabinets, and under-used windows become prime real-estate for the arachnid. Be careful especially of dust, garbage, and rotting food as they will attract the insects that will keep spiders well fed and content to stay. For pictures and descriptions of spiders commonly found in our area, check out the UC Davis Integrated Pest Management Website. http://www.ipm.ucdavis.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn7442.html
The IPM site also provides a great list of tips to prevent spiders from setting up housekeeping in your home.
1) Regular vacuuming and sweeping to prevent dust buildup
2) Seal cracks and around windows
3) Make sure screens fit tight as to not allow small prey insects in
4) Place storage boxes slightly away from walls and make sure they are sealed with tape
5) Clean up and take out garbage often
6) Trim plant growth close to the home
If you find evidence that a spider is squatting in your home (i.e. a web) it is best to sweep it up and away. If a spider’s home is gone by the time it returns, it simply will wander on. Though most spiders you may encounter are not poisonous, even bites from non-poisonous species can cause serious reactions in some victims. Do-it-yourself treatment such as bug sprays may leave dangerous insecticide residues in your home and aren’t always effective, and misuse of over-the-counter products has been blamed for water pollution and other environmental problems. When in doubt, it’s best to leave treatment and removal to the pros. If you find a dead spider and would like the help of our friendly, experienced Sacramento pest control professionals in identifying it, feel free to place it in a plastic bag and bring it by our office at 4220 Stockton Blvd. in Sacramento.
If spiders seem to be a common occurrence in your home, it may be a tell-tale sign that you are experiencing an invasion of other pesky insects—attractive snack food for local spiders. Don’t hesitate to contact our Earth Guard Pest Management team with any of your spider-related or other pest control concerns at 916-457-7605 or [email protected].
