Spiders are fascinating little creatures that evoke awe insome and terror in others. Although they labor to stay out of our way and don’tactively target humans, some species of spiders pack a powerful and venomousbite that can be very dangerous, especially to children and pets.
In many cases, spiders can help keep certain pest populations at bay, but in those situations in which spiders become threatening, you need an expert in spider control West Palm Beach you can count on to handle these creepy crawlers. O’Hara Pest Control is here to give you the knowledge you need about spiders, and when the time comes, to get them out of your home.
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There’s a common misconception that spiders are insects. Infact, spiders actually belong to the arachnidfamily which makes them more closely related to the scorpion than to theant. Arachnids are characteristically different from insects in many ways butmost notably in that arachnids have eight legs and noantennae.
Spiders, forthe most part, are solitary creatures that prefer to burrow or hide out indark corners waiting for their prey to wander into a web. These adaptablecreatures can live just about anywhere they can find food, making them one ofthe most diversifiedliving creatures on our planet.
Most spiders are carnivorous predators, feeding on insects,other spiders, and some have even been known to eat mice and small birds. Theirhunting patterns are either stalking prey or waiting for vibration on theirwebs before pouncing. Most of a spider’s feeding habit can be beneficial asthey feed on commonhousehold pests like mosquitoes and flies. Spiders don’t need to feed toooften and are known to survive weeks without food.
Spiders are versatile travelers capable of inhabiting justabout any location. Some species move around by releasinga strand of silk that is caught by the wind and carries them across shortdistances and even bodies of water. The wolf spider and orb-weaver areparticularly adept at this practice called ‘ballooning’.
There are currently over 45,000 species of spiders aroundthe world, but for the purpose of pest control in West Palm Beach, we are goingto focus on the four mostcommon to this area.
The common house spider tends to have a yellowish-browncolor and an extended abdomen. True to their name, they can be found insidestructures, in corners, under furniture, or inside closets, basements, andgarages. House spiders are not venomous and are notdangerous to humans.
Black Widows are one of the most easily recognizable spidersaround. They have a shiny black body with a characteristic red hourglass shapeon their back. These spiders prefer to hide out in undisturbed areas such as woodpiles,under eaves, and inside boxes, with a preference for laying their webs atground level. Female Black Widows are known to be aggressive and have a poisonous bite that canbe very dangerous. If you find a Black Widow in your home, you should callpest control West Palm Beach.
You have probably walked past the dewy webs of these spidersin the mornings. These spiders have spines that protrude from their abdomen towhich they owe their name. They also tend to be very colorful, with theirabdomen often being white and black with spines a vivid red color. Spinybackedorb weavers are not dangerous and are not known to attack humans, however,they are prolific breeders and their populations can easily get out of hand soif you start seeing them flood your yard, you should call pest control WestPalm Beach.
Also known as “daddy-long-legs”, cellar spiders have a paleyellow to light brown coloration with characteristic long, skinny legs and asmall body. There are many species of cellar spiders throughout the UnitedStates but their propensity for being around high-humidity areas makes themespecially common in Florida. Cellarspiders do not bite and therefore pose no threat to humans.
Even though spiders are not insects, they do follow similar patterns. Spiders can be found where there are reliable sources of food. That’s why your primary method of spider control West Palm Beach will be eliminating other household pests from your home entirely. Keeping a tidy home is always a great start but when you need to do more, consider the following:
Spiders are averse to certain scents like citrus,vinegar, and garlic. Filling up a spray bottle with half vinegar and halfwater then spraying the mixture around the crevices and cracks that spiders canuse to get inside the house will help keep them away. Spiders also dislike thescent of eucalyptus, so planting a few flowers can also form a barrier to keepthem outside.
Spiders come from the outdoors in search offood. They won’t walk in through any heavily trafficked doorways because ofthe danger of being stepped on. Instead, they find small cracks near windows orholes in the foundation to make their way inside. To keep spiders away, walkaround the house sealing any small cracks that are big enough for spiders touse.
Spiders often settle in undisturbed treesand shrubbery. Some regular landscaping and trimming will eliminate thosehiding areas and make the areas surrounding your home less appealing to use.This also carries the added benefit of eliminating coveted hiding locations forsome of the insects that spiders tend to hunt. Either way, regular landscapingis an effective method of pest control West Palm Beach.
Spiders can be valuable allies in the fight against pests,but their bite and unpredictability can make them dangerous foes. If you spotsome of the more dangerous species of spiders near your home, don’t take the riskof removing them yourself as it can lead to a serious bite and potential hospitalvisit.
When you need help with spiders, don’t hesitate to call the professionals at O’Hara Pest Control. We have the expertise and proven techniques developed over decades of pest and spider control in West Palm Beach to deal with any situation. Call us today to solve your spider problems!