Spiders Be Gone: Expert Tips For Effective Spider Control For Your Westchester County Home

Spider Identification: How To Recognize Different Species

We have a few common spiders in our Westchester County service area, and it helps to know a few facts about each. These are the usual suspects you'll find lurking inside your home and some of the places they like to hide.

• Cellar Spiders: These are the spiders you find in your cellar, basement, garage, and other cool and humid spaces. The most common is the long-bodied cellar spider, also referred to as the daddy longlegs. You can distinguish these spiders by their long thin legs and small bodies. They are often deterred by removing their webs and wiping down surfaces.
• American House Spiders: These spiders are so commonly found in houses that they have "house" in their name. A house spider is tiny and has a bulbous abdomen. You'll find them creating lots of wispy webs in your home, particularly near windows or light fixtures. They establish webs in these places to catch flies. You can stunt house spider populations by addressing flies and ants.
• Wolf Spiders: These are the hairy spiders you find in your storage locker, shed, and garage. Sometimes, they get into common areas as they search for food. Their large size and hairiness make them alarming houseguests. Wolf spiders don't make webs, so you can't track their activity by looking for these signs, and you can't deter them by removing webs. Your best bet for controlling these spiders is removing food options and sealing exterior entry points.
• Black Widow Spiders: These spiders are entirely black and have a red marking on the bottom of the abdomen that looks like an hourglass. They are outdoor spiders that only stay in homes for a short time. You'll find them in wood and brush piles, junk piles, and cluttered spaces.
• Brown Recluse Spiders: These are light brown spiders. On the back is a dark brown mark that looks like a violin. Brown recluse spiders are extremely shy and prefer undisturbed, dusty environments.

When you detect spiders in your home and identify them, you're on your way to getting control of them. If you can't identify the spiders you're dealing with, don't worry. There are many prevention steps you can take that don't require you to identify them. You also have the option of taking a picture of one of your spiders and sending it to us for identification. We're happy to help.

Spider Problems: Why You Don't Want These Arachnids In Your Home

When spiders get into your home, they can cause a few problems. Some problems are worse than others. Let's run down through them from mild to severe, and discuss what you need to know most.

• Spider webs are unsightly, and a mess to clean up. It is also annoying to walk through webs and get them stuck on your skin. 
• Spider webs can have egg sacs, and an egg sac can contain hundreds of spider eggs. When spider eggs hatch, the spiderlings start crawling all over the place. These are a disturbing sight, and also the catalyst for an increase in spider activity.
• Spiders are a food source for certain pests.
• Cellar spiders don't bite but their presence in your garage is a disturbing sight.
• American house spiders are able to bite, but the wounds they cause are mild. You'll likely have a red, itchy bump. 
• Wolf spiders don't prefer to bite and are quite docile, but when provoked, they have a bit that feels like a pinprick.
• A black widow spider bite can feel like a bee sting, and the venom can cause flu-like symptoms. The risk of severe symptoms is higher for children and certain seniors.
• Brown recluse spiders rarely bite, but when they bite, their venom can cause the skin around the wound to die.

The worst result of a spider problem is having venomous spiders in your Westchester County home. Most of the time, spiders are just a nuisance. Let's look at some practical tips to help you drive spiders out of your home and keep them out.