Spider Identification

Spiders, like many insects, are regular visitors to our yards and homes. However, spiders are actually arachnids and are considered beneficial because of the number of insects they feed on, helping to control their populations.

Spiders tend to be favored by gardeners and farmers because they help to reduce populations of insects that feed on and damage their crops and plants, but when they live near or inside our homes, spiders and their fast movement tend to startle people, making them unwanted pests.

While most spiders are harmless in the United States, there are two spiders that you need to avoid and make sure aren’t living on your property, near you, your kids, or your pets?—the black widow spider and the brown recluse spider. Both spiders received their label of “dangerous” because they have venom strong enough to cause harm to people. Harmless, nuisance spiders have the ability to bite, but their venom isn’t strong enough to cause major health problems except for some pain and swelling around the bite site.

Spiders are on our properties because they provide them with everything they need- food, water, and shelter. Spiders hunt insects, so yards and homes with a lot of insect activity will also have lots of spider activity.

Insects often move inside seeking better living conditions, food, or water; when they do, spiders will follow their prey. Once inside, as long as there are places for them to hide out of sight and insects to feed on, they will stay and try to become a permanent member of your household.

Spiders are usually groups as either web-building spiders or burrowing spiders.

Web buildings spiders build webs that they use to rest within or to catch their prey. Burrowing spiders actively chase after and hunt down their prey. They build burrows in the ground or under things where they wait for prey to come by that they can chase down.

Web-Building Spiders

Web-building spiders construct webs in calm, undisturbed places to capture their food. Common places to find spider webs:

• Doorways and the corners of windows.
• Under decks and porches
• Within shrubs or trees
• In gardens or flowerbeds
• In basements, closets, crawl spaces, attics, or other dark, quiet areas of your home

Burrowing Spiders

Burrowing spiders are often found in the following areas:

• Under shrubs and bushes
• Under fallen trees and landscaping ties
• Under mulch
• Under furniture
• Within boxes or clutter found in storage areas
• Under sinks or around tubs or drains

To remove spiders that have overtaken your California yard or home, it is best to partner with an experienced professional that can accurately identify them, find their hiding spots, and provide the treatments necessary to remove them from unwanted areas.

At HomeShield Pest Control, we offer fast action and comprehensive pest control services that are kid-friendly, pet-friendly, and eco-friendly. We are committed to providing long-term solutions that will protect yourself, your family, and your pets from spiders and other household pests. If you live in the Sacramento Valley or Southern California and are seeing lots of spider activity on your property, give us a call today for effective spider control services!

Some of our most helpful spider prevention tips to help make your yard and home less appealing to the spiders that call California home are listed below:

• Remove as much excess vegetation and yard debris from your property as possible.
• Keep shrubs and bushes trimmed back from your home’s exterior walls.
• Leave a stone barrier between any mulch and your home’s foundation. Spiders like to hide within damp, dark areas of mulch.
• Repair clogged gutters, damaged downspouts, and low-lying areas that can allow areas of standing water to form and provide a source of water for these pests and the insect they prey upon.
• Seal openings in your home’s exterior that could allow spider access into your home.
• Regularly dust and vacuum to remove stray insects and spiders from your home.