Spider Suspicion

Okay, so you just spotted a spider crawling across the floor in your living room, what do you do? You smash it of course! What’s next? Well more than likely after cleaning it up, you have already begun trying to remember where that bottle of pesticide is because you have some spraying to do. But what if I told you there was a step in between? A little detective work before you begin applying chemical might just help you to better curb the problem. There is a reason for a spider being named a Brown Recluse; spiders are notoriously good at going undetected by humans. When the warmer months come around, that is when spider sightings increase, and not because they become emboldened but because there are just more around. So before you begin spraying for arachnids, take some time to inspect around the house to determine the type and severity of the spider you may be dealing with.

            According to an article in the Pest Control Technology magazine (PCT), there are four distinct areas to inspect around a home or structure before treating for spiders.

1.      Lighting- Spiders eat other species of insects. While it difficult to pinpoint where an insect might be during the daytime, it is much easier to determine where spiders are likely to be in the nighttime, near a food source! Lights attract all types of insects, so spiders set up shop near the light in hopes of catching a tasty meal. So if you are looking to rid yourself of spiders, be sure to treat areas that are lit at night.

2.      Dark and Secluded- Spiders like many other insects and animals are nocturnal. So when while you might not see them around in the daylight, if you inspect dark areas such as cracks and crevices, you might just find some hiding.

3.      Look Around- check corners of rooms and floor corners where two walls meet. Spiders suspend webs in these areas for many reasons, the least of which is protection. This might require you to look in and around items that often get overlooked such as drapes, curtain, closets etc. Locating nesting areas like this will help you be much more effective when trying to control spiders.

Spiders can be difficult to control for many reasons. One of the biggest reasons they can be a chore is because people do not know where they are coming from. Inspecting the house will help you learn where they have been so you can have a better idea of where you should be treating.

     Removal of spider webs is an integral part of spider management that can be done using a Cobweb Duster or a broom. After that, you will want to take a pesticide concentrate and treat the areas you have found spider activity from your inspection. Products containing Cypermethrin, like Viper, or Lambda-Cyhalothrin like Cyzmic CS is often a good choice to control spiders. So this summer if you begin to notice an increasing number of spiders, be sure to inspect areas that they are likely to hang out before you begin to spray.