Spiders: Control & Extermination
Spider control and extermination can be a major concern for homeowners – particularly for those who live in the southwest. There are about 3,000 species of spiders throughout North America, but the good news is that only two in the southern and western United States can cause serious harm when accidentally disturbed – the black widow spider and brown recluse spider. This is why it’s particularly important to only hire well-trained spider exterminators to eliminate an infestation.
House Spider
The common house spider gets its name from the fact that it is usually the spider most often encountered indoors. It is a nuisance pest, probably more because of its webs than the spider itself. The house spider is found worldwide and is common throughout the United States and Canada. Read on to learn more information, including advice on house spider control.
Female house spiders lay about 250 eggs in a silken sac that is brownish in color and round in shape. There may be more than one sac in the web at a time. A female house spider may produce up to 17 sacs, containing a total of more than 3,760 eggs, in her lifetime. The eggs hatch in about 7-10 days. Adults may live for a year or more.
Wolf Spider
Unlike most spiders, wolf spiders don’t hunt with webs. Instead, they chase their prey using their fast running ability. These spiders are often big and hairy which alarms some people, but they are primarily nuisance pests. Over 100 species of wolf spiders are found in the United States and Canada.
Black Widow Spiders
Black widow spiders get their common name from the popular belief that the female eats the male after mating, a phenomenon which rarely happens in nature. These spiders can be found worldwide with five species established in the United States and are most recognized for the red hourglass shape on the underside of their abdomen. Although fatalities are rare, the black widow’s venom is reported to be 15 times stronger than a rattlesnake’s and can cause muscle aches and nausea, as well as make breathing difficult.