How to get rid of spiders and prevent them from returning

Although spiders are generally beneficial to the environment, it's no fun finding these eight-legged creatures crawling up the walls of our homes. Especially since some can be dangerous to humans.How to get rid of spiders and keep them from coming back How to get rid of spiders and keep them from coming back

According to Doug Webb, manager of technical services for Terminix, spiders are most often attracted to homes by a potential food source, specifically small insects that are already in the home and are easy prey to capture.

Therefore, one of the best ways to get rid of them is to eliminate the insects and cut off their food source.

However, there are several short- and long-term elimination methods to get rid of spiders in a home and avoid attracting others.

How to get rid of spiders?

The best way to get rid of spiders is to take preventive measures to prevent them from entering the home. Large scale infestations usually need to be handled by professionals.

But Webb pointed out some removal methods to implement after taking the most important steps to keep arachnids out of your home.

Vacuum deep

It may seem deceptively simple, but Webb said this is the easiest and best way to get rid of spiders. It simply physically removes the spiders and their webs.

“(The vacuum cleaner) will suck (the spider) and (the spider) won't survive the trip in the bag,” he said.

Vacuum a space as you normally would, paying special attention to any places you've noticed spiders or cobwebs. Then discard the contents of the bag.

This method is especially useful when dealing with potentially dangerous spiders, as it limits the amount of direct contact you can have with them.

Alter your space

Sometimes all it takes to get rid of an unwanted guest is to make their living situation as uncomfortable as possible, so as not to invite them to stay.

For spiders, this means removing webs as soon as you see them and making sure you take steps to prevent insects (their food source) from getting inside.

Glue traps

Webb explained that glue traps — which are sheets or tubes covered with a sticky substance that spiders are then trapped in — are more effective at catching hunter spiders, since they crawl on the ground more than trap builders do. Spider webs.

While glue traps shouldn't be relied on to get rid of all spiders, Webb said they can help diagnose the scale of an invasion and determine what kinds of spiders you might have.

Quick tip: Stay off the wolf spiders. The young climb onto their mother's back as they emerge from the egg sac. If you step on a wolf spider, dozens of babies may run all over it.

How to get rid of spiders and prevent them from come back

“So if you see a wolf spider and they look a little fuzzy, they probably have these little spiders all over their back,” Webb said.

How to prevent spiders from entering?

Long-term tactics are often the best line of defense to permanently eradicate spiders.

Often many of these tactics are aimed at getting rid of spiders and food sources for insects, which helps prevent spiders from being attracted to a home in the first place.

Seal your house

One of the easiest ways for insects and spiders to invade a space is by entering through small entry points. Seal holes or cracks in your home's foundation and add weather stripping to the bottom of doors and windows.

Limit the lights

According to Webb, bugs are often drawn into homes by light, so it's important to limit the amount of light you use in your home at night to minimize the chances of bugs getting inside.

Don't leave lamps on in rooms you don't use. Also, use weather stripping to shut out any light that gets under a door.

Also be aware of any outdoor lamps you have that are near a door or window, as there could be flies and other insects hanging around them.

Wipes up food and spills

One of the most common reasons critters enter a home is food-related soiling. Make sure you keep a tidy home, clean up any spills, throw away food, and don't leave anything on kitchen counters for too long.

Webb said it's important to pay extra attention to floor edges and unkempt areas under counters or furniture when cleaning.

Common House Spiders

There are a few things you need to know to identify spiders. The most important is whether they are poisonous or dangerous.

Most spiders are venomous, as injecting venom is the way they hunt their prey. However, not all are considered dangerous, as they do not have fangs large enough to penetrate and inject venom into humans or do not interact with people enough, according to Webb.

The main problems with spider bites arise from secondary infections. For example, a staph infection, which can occur from the bite, but not necessarily from the venom.

“It is extremely rare for someone to die from a spider bite,” Webb said. "It does happen occasionally, (but that's more due to) the susceptibility of the person to the bite than to the bite or the venom."

The second thing to consider is whether a spider is building webs or hunting. This helps in taking preventative measures, as huntsman spiders tend to spend more time on the ground and can therefore be trapped.

Note: If you're bitten by a black widow or brown recluse spider (or if you're not sure what type of spider bit you), the Mayo Clinic recommends visiting a hospital or other medical provider right away. If you can identify that the spider that bit you is not dangerous, but you are experiencing severe symptoms such as spasms, redness, or pain, you should also see a doctor.

Black Widow (web building)

Perhaps one of the most notorious, black widows are distinct and dangerous. Although Webb said it's rare for someone to die from a black widow's bite, it's the most threatening of all common house spiders. It can lead to painful muscle cramps and hospitalization in extreme cases.

He stated that there are a few different species of black widows that have slight variations in appearance. The most common species is a glossy jet black with a recognizable red hourglass shape on its back.

However, other species can also have nondescript reddish or brownish shapes with orange markings in their place.

Brown recluse (hunting)

The best way to identify a brown recluse spider is if it has a violin shape on its back.

As their name implies, brown recluses are usually tan in color. Because of their necrotic venom, which can damage the skin and area of ​​muscle tissue around the bite, Webb said these spiders are also considered dangerous.

Wolf spider (hunting)

One of the most common spiders, but often confused with the brown recluse.

Both are brown in color, but where the brown recluse has the unique violin shape on its back, the wolf spider has only black stripes.

Basement spider (web building)

Described by Webb as "light," cellar spiders have especially slender bodies, long, spindly legs, and are not dangerous to humans.

Tegenaria domestica (cobweb building)

Another common and harmless spider. The domestic tegenaria is brown in color and builds webs in the shape of a wheel.

Like the black widow, it has a large bulbous rear end; while her cephalothorax (the front part of her body formed by the head and the thorax) is smaller. Webb said you'll find their webs on ceilings and in corners.

Quick tip: Contrary to popular belief, the pholkid isn't actually a type of spider. Like spiders, they belong to the arachnid family, but they are a completely different type of arachnid.

What to remember?

Spiders are often drawn to homes because insects, their food source, are found there. Therefore, it is important to deal with both when looking to remove them.

In the long run, be sure to properly seal your home, limit the number of lights used at night, and properly clean up any food-related messes. To get rid of any spiders that have already entered your home, simply vacuum them up or use glue traps.

Although there are poisonous spiders, most domestic ones are not a threat to humans. However, it's important to recognize which ones are—such as black widows and brown recluses—and proceed very carefully.

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