Do you think you have a house spider problem in your home?
Many people find themselves coming face-to-face with house pests regularly. Often, they try to get rid of household pests on their own, but still end up contacting experts. Save yourself time and frustration — sometimes it’s worth calling pest control in Vancouver right away.
You might think you don’t need professional help, but the pest control industry remains strong for a reason. Even if you’re thorough in your efforts, pests — spiders included — have a way of coming back.
However, not every spider sighting means you should reach for the phone. Below, we’ll walk through how to identify an infestation, what kinds of spiders you might have, and even answer a common question: are giant house spiders dangerous?
How to Determine if Your Home Is Infested with Spiders
Before you make any decision on calling pest control, you should first determine if you, in fact, have spiders in your home. Doing this will help you avoid embarrassing yourself in front of the exterminators.
There are many telltale signs that will tell you that you have an infestation in your home.
1. Cobwebs
One or two cobwebs in a room is normal and doesn’t require pest control. Spiders spin webs sparingly to conserve silk. But if cobwebs start multiplying in multiple rooms, it’s a sign their numbers are growing. Act quickly before their population becomes too large to manage.
2. Increasing Number of Egg Sacs
Along with more cobwebs, you may see more egg sacs. They’re small — often smaller than a pea — and can be mistaken for dense bits of web. Ignoring them means dozens or even hundreds of baby spiders could soon be roaming your home.
3. Spiders Wandering in the Open
Spiders prefer dark, undisturbed areas. But when their population grows or they compete for territory, you’ll start seeing them wander into more visible spaces. After hatching, younger spiders also roam in search of new hiding spots.
Determine What Spiders You Have
Not all “house spiders” are the same, and some are more worrisome than others.
1. Wolf Spiders
Most of the time, people become surprised to see spiders in their house even after finding no cobwebs. This often means that they have a different spider living with them, wolf spiders, to be exact. They don’t make any web but prefer to hunt for their prey instead.
Often, there are only a few wolf spiders in a home, and sometimes only one. This is because wolf spiders are territorial against other spiders. The only time they trespass unto the territory of others is to mate.
Finding and getting rid of the few wolf spiders you have tends to fix your spider problem.
2. Orb-Weaver Spiders
These spiders don’t spin standard webs, so finding one along with its web may surprise you. These spiders spin small, circular domes as their webs. These kinds of webs help them maneuver around while carrying their home.
These spiders reproduce faster than the common spiders. So, you may need to call pest control if you find a nest of orb-weavers.
3. Widow Spiders
Sometimes, you may find a larger and darker-colored spider. If you do, you may be looking at a kind of widow spider. The common kinds of widow spiders are the black widow and the brown recluse.
Unless you have experience handling dangerous insects, we recommend you call experts to handle them. If you get bitten because you mishandle them, you may get muscle spasms and other painful muscle problems.
If you encounter any of these spiders in large amounts, it’s imperative you contact pest control. Handling them yourself may result in injury or an incomplete extermination job.
However, if you only have a moderate amount of commons spiders, it’s better to control their population instead. This is because they’re more beneficial than detrimental.
Are Giant House Spiders Dangerous?
Giant house spiders are often mistaken for more harmful species because of their large size and speed. While their appearance can be intimidating, the truth is they’re not considered dangerous to humans.
1. Venom and Bites
Giant house spiders do produce venom, but it’s not medically significant for most people. Bites are rare and usually occur only if the spider is trapped or handled roughly.
2. Behavior
They are not aggressive and typically run from human contact.
3. Benefits
Like other spiders, they help control insect populations, including flies and even other spiders.
4. When to Be Cautious
If you have an extreme fear of spiders, notice an unusual increase in their numbers, or can’t confidently tell them apart from harmful species, professional inspection can give you peace of mind.
Benefits of Spiders in Your Home
Sometimes, spiders may be giving you benefits that you’re not aware of. Besides not being a threat to humans, they also perform their own pest control.
1. Natural Pest Control
The webs of spiders catch and kill pests that are an actual threat to humans. Small spiders catch mosquitoes and they consume it. Meanwhile, bigger spiders can spin larger webs that catch and kill bigger pests like fall bugs and other, more dangerous species of spiders.
2. They Help Prevent Diseases
As a result of them catching pests, they can also reduce your likeliness of disease. Often, small spiders catch malaria-carrying mosquitoes. They also sometimes catch fleas that can spread things like Tularemia.
Call the Best Pest Control in Vancouver!
The only time you should contact pest control is when the infestation gets out of hand. Instances like when there are too many for you to get rid of in one go. It’s important to be thorough otherwise they’ll come back.
Also, if you discover that other species infest your home, you should call experts. They know what to do in cases like these.
So, have you gathered enough information yet? If you think you can handle getting rid of the spiders by yourself, give it a go! Otherwise, contact us here!
We provide the best pest control in Vancouver. Give us a call if you want spiders to disappear and stay gone.