What You Ought To Know About Spiders In Your Bradenton Home

Are you noticing webs in your kitchen or in some other common area of your home? Are you seeing tiny spiders in between your exterior windows and window screens? Are big, hairy spiders showing up in stored boxes and empty ice coolers? You're not alone. Spiders are a common problem in Florida. Here are some things every homeowner should know about spiders in Bradenton.

What Spiders Are a Problem in Bradenton?

There are several spider species that get into Bradenton homes. Most aren't much of a problem. Long-bodied cellar spiders (often called daddy longlegs spiders) don't bite people. American house spiders rarely bite, and when they do, they only leave a red, itchy welt. Jumping spiders, orb weavers, and many others can leave a pinprick of a bite but there are no additional symptoms. The two spiders to watch out for are widow spiders and brown recluse spiders.

Widow Spiders

In Bradenton, we have black widows and brown widows. These spiders are visibly hairless and they often have a red or orange marking. Sometimes, this marking will look like an hourglass. But don't shrug off any brown or black, hairless spider. It is best to err on the side of caution. Widow spiders have venom that can make you very sick and send you to the hospital.

Brown Recluse Spiders

You might confuse a brown recluse for a brown widow if you don't know much about their visual characteristics. There are two ways to easily tell the difference. Widow spiders have orb-shaped abdomens. The abdomen of a recluse spider is more of a pill-shape. And a brown recluse spider has a dark violin marking on its back.

Venomous Spider Behavior

• Widow spiders and recluse spiders prefer to be in still, undisturbed locations.
• They usually build tangled webs that are close to the floor.
• They will flee when approached because they have good eyesight and can see you coming.
• Bites usually occur when one of these spiders is startled or trapped against the skin.

Venomous Spider Bite Prevention

You can protect yourself from a venomous spider bite with these tips:

• Shake shoes, clothing and towels before using them.
• Be cautious when reaching into a laundry bin to pull clothes out to wash them.
• Refrain from leaving clothes on the floor.
• Pull bedding down and take a quick peek before sliding into bed.
• Move your bed away from the wall and avoid having covers or skirting that touches the floor.
• Be cautious when going into storage areas and when opening boxes that have been taken out of storage.
• When working in your yard, always wear gloves.
• Refrain from walking around barefoot at night.

What Spiders Say About Your Home

If you're seeing spiders in your Bradenton home, it says something about your home. Here are three things they may be trying to tell you:

Your home has insects: Spiders go where their food is. They won't stay in a home that doesn't have any food. Spiders that eat flies will create webs in the upper corners of your common areas. Spiders that eat crawling insects will create webs down by your floor. They'll also create webs in your wall voids where you can't see them.

Your home has entry points: Spiders don't chew their way into your home. They need a gap, crack, or hole. If they go in, it is likely that other pests can get in as well. The entry point they used may also be letting moisture into your home.

You have moisture issues: While spiders aren't necessarily considered moisture pests, they take advantage of holes created by moisture pests, like termites, carpenter ants, mice, rats and more. If you see wolf spiders or black widow spiders in your home, you probably have some moisture damage that should be addressed.

How to Get Control of Spiders

You can resist spiders by sealing entry points, removing organic debris away from your home, and by removing spider webs when you see them. But to achieve the best control, you really should consider a residential pest control plan. Year-round pest control service gives your perimeter the protection it needs to reduce spider activity and keep pests out of your home. If you're curious how this works or how the team at Keller's Pest Control can help you maintain a pest-free home in Bradenton, reach out to us. We'd be happy to help you get the answers you're looking for