Spider Identification & Prevention

What are spiders?

Spiders are arachnids; they are not insects. Spiders are the most important predators of insects and play a huge role in the ecosystem, helping to control nuisance and dangerous insects.

Spiders have only two body segments — a fused head and thorax and an abdomen. They have eight jointed legs, and most have four pairs of simple eyes. Other physical features of a spider include:

• A lack of wings and antennae
• The ability to produce silk
• The production of venom they use to paralyze their prey
• Chelicerae or fangs

While spiders in controlled numbers help reduce nuisance insects on your property, they become a nuisance themselves when they invade our properties in large numbers. Sharing a home with large numbers of spiders is not something most homeowners want to do.

Are spiders dangerous?

Spiders really want nothing to do with people and, in fact, do their best to stay out of our way. Bites from any spider are typically accidental and result from them trying to protect themselves from being squished or otherwise harmed. Most of the spiders that we find in our homes, like the common house spider, are harmless to people.

Though most spiders pose no danger, that is not true of all spiders. Both black widow spiders and brown recluse spiders have venom that is powerful enough to cause harm to people if a bite were to occur. If you are ever concerned that black widow or brown recluse spiders are on your property, immediately reach out to our professionals for assistance.

Why do I have a spider problem?

Spiders can become a problem on any of our properties because they live outside all around us. The biggest reason spiders move into our homes is that they have followed their insect prey indoors.

When insects move from your yard and into your home to search for food or to escape harsh weather, spiders will follow. Once spiders find their way into your house, they tend to stay, taking advantage of the safe shelter and food available. Why live outside when our homes offer them everything they need!

In addition to moving inside on their own, spiders also come into our homes in things like planters, boxes, or firewood once stored outside.