Have you ever noticed how having spiders in your home is of no benefit to anyone? Some make the argument that having spiders around will keep the population of flies and other insects down. But isn't it better to simply not have ANY bugs around? In this article, we will explore a few of the most common pest spiders in our area, the concerns/dangers with each one, and what you as a homeowner can do about them.
Three Major Spider Threats In New England Homes And Businesses
Sac Spiders: These spiders are a light yellow to cream color with dark brown jaws and a slightly darker dorsal stripe running lengthwise down the abdomen. The body measures around ⅜ of an inch. With leg span included, a sac spider can be as much as an inch long. They have eight eyes that are arranged in two rows.
Sac spiders often go unnoticed since they build "retreats" (silken sacs) that blend in with light-colored walls and ceilings. Like many spiders, they will bite if they accidentally come in contact with human skin, but these spiders will also bite when unprovoked. A bite from a sac spider is usually very painful and burning at first, and induces swelling and intense itching at the site. The burning sensation lasts for an hour or more and a rash and blistering follows during the next 10 hours. In some cases, there are systemic reactions which cause fever, malaise, muscle cramps, and nausea. These are not spiders that you want to welcome into your home.
House Spiders: These common spiders tend to generate a lot of cobwebs. Typically light brown in color, they are about ¼ of an inch in length and are characterized by a large, rounded abdomen.
While these spiders do sometimes bite if provoked, the bites are mild and not medically important. However, the presence of house spiders in your home is an indication that you have other pest problems. Some insects that house spiders consume are flies, clothes moths, earwigs, mosquitoes, and cockroaches. If these other pests are getting into your home, this can be indicative of moisture issues as well. Rotting wood creates conditions where pests have easy entry into a home.
Black Widow Spiders: While not very common here in New England, these spiders do sometimes get into homes and businesses and are the most dangerous of the spiders we will encounter. Black widow spiders measure around ½ an inch long, have large, round abdomens, and are shiny black in color. The red hourglass marking that the black widow spider is known for is only present on the body of a female black widow.
These spiders deliver the most toxic spider bite in the U.S. Its venom is comprised of neurotoxins that affect the nervous system. Where the bite occurs, how much venom is injected, and how sensitive the person is will determine how serious a bite from a black widow will be. The bite itself only feels like a pinprick (or nothing at all) but, within the first hour, a bitten individual may feel dull muscle pain throughout the body. Later, the bite site may swell, turn red and form a target-shaped lesion. Sensitive people often report very intense pain, first at the bite site, but then progressing to the abdomen and back. In fact, in extreme cases, some bitten individuals have believed themselves to be having a heart attack. Milder symptoms can persist for several weeks and sometimes tissue necrosis, or sloughing of tissue occurs.
How Big Blue Can Help!
Even if you are only seeing house spiders in your home, this can be indicative of bigger problems with other, more harmful, pests. It is never a good idea to allow spiders to thrive inside your home. While there are many steps a homeowner can take to try to prevent pests from invading, the fastest and most effective step is to contact a professional pest control company.
Big Blue Bug Solutions has been helping folks get rid of spiders, and every other household pest, since 1935! We would be happy to help you as well. Call or click today for more information.
