What Spider Infestations Mean for New York Residents

• Which would you prefer, an itchy red welt from a spider or Lyme disease from a black-legged tick
• Which would you prefer, a slightly painful bite from a spider or exposure to the 33 kinds of bacteria, over 7 known human pathogens, and 6 species of parasitic worm spread by cockroaches? Yup. Those spider bites are starting to look appealing.
• Which would you prefer, a random welt on your skin every once in a while, or dozens of welts and the potential for West Nile virus, Zika virus, Malaria, Dengue, yellow fever, encephalitis, and other diseases spread by mosquitoes. Seems pretty straightforward.

We could go on, but you get the point. Many pests can make us sick. When spiders eat those pests, we're safer. Right? Well, not quite. As it turns out, spiders aren't very thorough at their job. If you have dozens, hundreds, or thousands of cockroaches in your home, how many of those insects do you think the spiders in your home are going to eat? Not all of them, that's for sure. So, what is the net result? You have cockroaches AND spiders living in your home. That's not really a great solution. While spiders are the epitome of green pest control, they aren't a complete solution. That, and they're gross.

Another Point to Consider

All spiders are not created equal. While we don't have black widow spiders and brown recluse spiders established in our New York service area, there is a medically important spider you should be aware of. The yellow sac spider can produce a bite that is often misdiagnosed as a brown recluse spider bite. This is due to the potential necrosis that can occur. Fortunately, most bites only result in an ulcerous, itchy sore that takes some time to heal. But, when one of these spiders bites a sensitive area of your body, such as your eyelids or lips, it has a far greater potential to become serious. 

If you see yellow sac spiders in your home, it is wise to take immediate action and contact a pest control professional.