Spiders! Spider Biology, Identity, Control and Prevention Measures

I ran into a great resource the other day for not only controlling spiders, but tons of useful arachnida information and lots of pictures via a website and a PDF report that you can download from The OHIO State University website.

If you have ever wanted to know how to get rid of spiders in or around the house, here is just some of the pest control information information available there

Excerpted from OHIO State University site:

Control Measures
Control of spiders is best achieved by following an integrated pest management (IPM) approach that involves multiple tactics, such as preventive measures, exclusion, sanitation, and chemicals applied to targeted sites. IPM requires a thorough inspection of the building to locate the pest and its harborages. An inspection should be done at night if the species is nocturnal.

An important first step is to correctly identify the spider, as this determines which management tactics to adopt that take into account specific biology and habits. For example, if the spider is a web builder, control efforts should target its web because that is where this spider spends most of its time. On the other hand, active hunters are spiders that move about widely, and some species are most likely to contact insecticide-treated surfaces at ground level.

Within each of the following categories, particular tactics may be more or less applicable, depending on the species of spider:

Preventing spider bites
Shake out clothing and shoes before getting dressed.
Inspect bedding and towels before use.
Wear gloves when handling firewood, lumber, and rocks (be sure to inspect the gloves for spiders before putting them on).
Remove bedskirts. Move the bed away from the wall.
Don’t store boxes and other items underneath beds.
Exercise care when handling cardboard boxes (some spiders may inhabit the space under folded cardboard flaps).

Exclusion
Install tight-fitting screens on windows and doors; also install weather stripping and door sweeps.
Seal or caulk cracks and crevices where spiders can enter the house.
Equip vents in soffits, foundations, and roof gables with tight-fitting screens.
Install yellow or sodium vapor light bulbs outdoors since these attract fewer insects for spiders to feed upon.
Many web-making spiders set up residence near lights that remain on at night. Locate such lights away from the house or turn them off when not needed.
Tape the edges of cardboard boxes to prevent spider entry.
Use plastic bags (sealed) to store loose items in the garage, basement, and attic.

Sanitation
Remove trash, old boxes, old clothing, wood piles, rock piles, and other unwanted items.
Eliminate clutter in closets, basements, attics, garages, and outbuildings.
Store items off the floor and away from walls in basements, crawl spaces, attics, garages, and outbuildings in order to reduce spider harborage sites.
Eliminate household pests (prey) such as flies, ants, and cockroaches that attract spiders.
Do not stack wood against the house.
Remove heavy vegetation and leaf litter around the foundation.
Wash spider webs off the outside of the house using a high-pressure hose.

Non-chemical control
Capture the spider and release it outdoors. An effective technique for capturing hunting spiders is to place a cup over the spider and then slide a piece of paper underneath to entrap it.
Dust and vacuum thoroughly to remove spiders, webs, and egg sacs (dispose of the vacuum bag in a container outdoors).
Outdoors, use a water hose or broom to regularly destroy any webs that are constructed on or around the house. Spiders often move elsewhere when their webs are regularly destroyed.
Use a rolled up newspaper or fly swatter to kill individual spiders.
Use sticky traps or glueboards to entangle spiders.

Insecticides
There are many labeled pesticides for spider control. Some are labeled for homeowner use, while others are labeled only for the licensed, certified pesticide applicator.

Individual exposed spiders can be killed with a nonresidual aerosol spray, but any egg sacs will be unaffected. It generally is best to use a vacuum cleaner so that the egg sac is removed from the premises.

For web builders, insecticide treatments should be applied so that the chemical contacts spiders in their webs. A nonrepellent insecticidal dust is useful to treat webs because the dust clings to the silk and is likely to be contacted by the spider. Residual dusts can be applied to voids and inaccessible areas where spiders may hide.

A wettable powder or microencapsulated “slow-release” formulation of a residual insecticide can be applied to corners, behind and under furniture, behind stored items, etc. to control active hunting spiders. This approach also is useful to prevent establishment of new spiders. Aerosol flushing agents such as pyrethrins, though ineffective by themselves in providing long-term control, can cause spiders to move about so that they contact treated surfaces.

Residual liquid sprays can be applied to the outside perimeter of the home (including under eaves, patios, and decks; behind window shutters), cracks and crevices of decorative molding, undisturbed corners, and other suspected spider harborages. Residual liquid sprays applied to the outside perimeter of the home are not very effective for species that display web-sitting behavior.

The 'Spiders In And Around The House' Report, which has much more information, can be downloaded from the OHIO State University website through this link: Spiders In And Around The House

How To Get Rid Of Spiders (And How To Prevent Them)

Here's a good site on getting rid of spiders, and there are some things you can do to prevent the spiders in the first place, or at least reduce the possibility of them invading your home.

I found another article on spiders I thought had some good information. The whole article can be found on Get Rid of Spiders Frugally. Some of the information is pretty common sense, I only mention it here because if you follow the advice, the spiders will be definitely reduced.

Here is an excerpt to the page for your convenience:

Even the worst cases of spider infestation will respond to the simple and frugal cures listed below:

Find and seal all cracks in basement walls and in window casings and doorways. If there is just a tiny crack in your house, spiders will crawl through.
Make your house unfriendly to other bugs. Spiders eat bugs, plain and simple... and if their dinner isn't handy, there's no reason for them to hang around.
Vacuum up spiders as you find them. It's simple, safe and more effective than poisons. Vacuum the area thoroughly to get the egg sacs, too.
Keep clutter picked up inside the house so spiders won't have a place to hide. They won't stay in an area that is completely smooth and clutter free.
Keep your trash bins away from the house because spiders will stay around them, hoping to catch the bugs that are attracted to them.
Remove old vegetation or wood from against the house foundations. Spiders like to hide in these things and often find entrance from there.
Trim back trees, bushes and other vegetation from touching the house walls.
Keep pet food tightly covered to keep from attracting bugs which attract spiders. (Don't leave pet food in a dish all day.)

Try some or all of these tips so that your need for chemical solutions is reduced.

How To Get Rid Of Spiders

How To Get Rid of Spiders

The best way to get rid of spiders is to prevent them from coming into your home. Trim all shrubs and hedges away from touching your house. If you have a brick home, treat all weep holes. Treat around all doors, windows, eves, cracks and crevices. Caulk all cracks and crevices, doors and windows. Purchase one of those duster type things and sweep away all webs.

One of the reasons you might have spiders is because spiders eat insects. Treat your home for other insects regularly and you should have less spiders. However, ladybug beetles also eat other insects. You could get some ladybugs but they can also become a nuisance.

If you have lots of cardboard boxes around just get rid of them. Spiders love to hang around cardboard boxes. One ofthe reasons you may have spiders in the summertime is that spiders don't like heat. Which is why they come into your home during the summer months for the coolness. They also like to hang around bathrooms and kitchens because there is a water source nearby. I have heard that cats are wonderful for pest control.

Personally, I don't believe in the plug-in ultrasonic devices. Some people say they work, some don't. If the government could prove they didn't work they probably would be pulled off the market. You know the government!

If you are seeing web-spinning spiders don't be alarmed.They are beneficial to help you rid your home of insects and they are basically harmless. Beware of wood piles, boxes and sheds and especially dark areas full of clutter.

They harbor brown recluse and black widow spiders. You don't want these. If cleaning these areas always wear gloves. Insect glue boards work great. Place these glue boards in areas that spiders may be found inside the home. Place them behind toilets, under sinks in bathrooms and kitchens. Behind refrigerators, washer and drier, hot water heaterand also in attics. You may also place them inside your garage on each side of the garage door.

One other thing. Once spiders are in your home, a good vacuum cleaner with a hose attachment will work wonders. This should help you get rid of most of the spiders in and around your home. You will probably never rid you house of all spiders but at least you should be able to keep the population down somewhat.

Some Facts About Spiders

Spiderlings or ( young spiders ) can go long distances floating on a breeze using a strand of silk.

The female black widow seldom devours the male after mating.

Spiders seldom bite people. They only do so by defendingthemselves.

There are about 40,000 species of spiders in the world and only about 4000 in the US.

Some spiders are so small they could balance on the tip of a pencil and some are about fourteen inches in diameter.

Almost all spiders are venomous but only a few are really medically important. The larger the size does not mean the spider has a larger venom capibility.

Spider silk is the strongest natural fiber known.

by Tim Taylor, Copyright 2005

The Author of this article has been in the pest control business for over 12 years and treated many homes for spiders, insects and other pests. To find out more about spiders, cockroaches and other pests and insects and download a free insect identification guide, visit his website and take a free email course at http://www.infobreaks.com