Coexisting with the Spiders of Huntsville

Late summer and early fall is a VERY fun time to live in Huntsville. Football is back. Outdoor activities are way more pleasant, and patios are calling us to sit outside. 

Cooler weather also means digging out cold weather clothes, fishing out Halloween decorations (what? It’s a thing!), and pulling the cozy blankets out of storage. 

All things that make it easy to come across a spider. Indoors or out, they are there. Spiders in your attic, dark closet corner, walls, eaves of your house, and all across your backyard deck. 

Rather than getting the heebie-jeebies or living in fear (with the “burn it down” mentality), how can you be confident that fun is possible in harmony with spiders?

How Can We Coexist With Spiders & Still Have Fun?

Spiders to be aware of this time of year and what they are known for:

1. Brown Recluse 

Brown recluse loves to hide in dark places! As you pull things from storage, be sure to closely inspect everything before bringing whatever it is into your home. Once brown recluses make their home out of your home, they can be hard to get rid of. It can take months or years of thorough pest control services to be completely brown recluse free. 

NOTE: These spiders are famous for their flesh-eating venom. Most bites don’t actually end up like the pictures you see online, but if you suspect a bite, it’s important to get it checked out by a medical professional.

2. Wolf Spider

Wolf spiders live among us year-round but more often tend to crash parties in the fall. Wolf spiders multiply 👀 during the summer and then try to come inside and hang out when it gets cooler. They are NOT dangerous, but they do look scary and can bite the crap out of you if they need to. 

3. Orb Weaver Spider

These large spiders build big flat webs, the kind most people picture from movies like Charlotte’s web. These spiders are actually good boys. They very rarely to never bite humans or animals but instead dine on mosquitos, flies, and other annoying insects. The best thing to do if you see one of these spiders on or near your home if you don’t want it there, is to use a stick to gently relocate the spider to a better spot. 

Tips to keep in mind as you transition into cooler weather months:

• Wash dirty clothes before wearing. Brown Recluse bites often happen when they are trapped between us and something else. 
• Don’t put on gloves or boots that have been stored in a shed or garage without making sure they are pest free. 
• Make your bed when you’re not in it! Spiders most often bite when trapped in our clothing or in our sheets. 
• Keep the clutter down, inside and out.
• Keep trees pruned back so no tree branch comes within six feet or a little more of your home.
• Be mindful of bringing yard decorations inside to store as you may be bringing uninvited guests along with them.

What to do if you see a “bad” spider? Should you be concerned?

Brown recluse is most likely the culprit here. And even though they prefer to hide and are naturally non-aggressive, monitor with traps to determine the level of infestation you have. If you are seeing them regularly, it might be time to call in a brown recluse specific service plan to begin getting that population under control.

Finally

If you have a spider issue, it’s best to call in pest control. They have treatments to eliminate spiders, their prey, and many other pests from your home. Pest Control alone isn’t enough, though. 

Keeping homes well maintained, changing exterior lights out for yellow lights or pest-proof lights, and keeping shrubs pruned 18 inches or more and trees six feet or more away from the home also helps.

Now, it’s time to give Scout Pest Control a call!