Spiders are some of the most common pests you'll find anywhere, including Murrieta. The area is home to black widow spiders, brown recluse spiders, wolf spiders, and hobo spiders. Depending on the situation, controlling spiders can be done by homeowners using simple DIY methods.
However, most times, spider infestations do call for professional extermination. If you wish to get rid of spiders once and for all, removing spider webs or egg sacs around your home won't do the trick. Rather, you need to carry out quality spider control and also need to know how to prevent spiders from returning to your home.
Even then, due to the incredible rate at which spider populations grow, there's only so much you can do by yourself. There are certain instances where it is best to call an expert right away. But before going into that, here are some basic things you should do before you make that phone call.
How You Can Control Spider Infestations Before Seeking Professional Help
1. Identify The Spider Species
This is one important thing you must do, especially if you'll be doing any DIY control. Here are some of the common spider species that make up the spider population in Murrieta.
Brown Recluse Spiders
Brown recluse spiders are distinguished by their dark brown violin-shaped marking on the cephalothorax and their unique 6 eyes. A bite from a brown recluse spider may require medical attention as its venom is quite potent.
Black Widow Spiders
The black widow spider has a shiny black appearance and a characteristic red hourglass shape on the underside of its abdomen. They give one of the most fatal bites, as victims normally experience muscle aches, nausea, and difficulty breathing.
Black widow spiders live for about a year, and females may produce up to 20 egg sacs in a lifetime (each egg sac contains about 250 eggs).
Wolf Spiders and Jumping Spiders
These two spider species are quite similar; while other spiders spin webs, wolf and jumping spiders do not. The wolf spider gets its name due to its unique habit of chasing down its prey and pouncing on them. They have 8 dark eyes around their head which aid in hunting.
The jumping spider has a unique ability to jump very high. These spiders don't spin webs but they use a silken thread as an anchor whenever they want to jump. Jumping spiders are harmless to humans.
2. Identify Their Most Common Locations
Identifying spider nests and hiding places makes for easy eradication. Spiders just like other pests will always prefer to hang around a food source. Spiders eat insects, so wherever you find ants, flies, or other flying insects, a spider won't be far behind. This is why you mostly find them in crawl spaces, garages, storage areas, closets, basements, woodpiles, and debris.
If you're looking for spider nests in your home, check around dark areas or corners in your wall and furniture, or anywhere you notice spider webs. Spider webs are sure proof that there's a spider nearby.
3. Eliminate Clutters and Food Sources
Spiders hunt other insects, and so to get rid of spiders completely you have to eliminate these other pests. A good way to do this is by removing debris and reducing clutter in your home.
Flies and ants are the most common pests that attract spiders. Use a vacuum cleaner to clean up all crumbs and debris that would attract flies or ants, and also keep garbage outside your home.
Decluttering also gives easy access to the spiders, making the extermination process easy for you and the exterminator.
4. Try DIY Pest Control Methods
It's quite common to see one or two spiders in your home or to find spider webs around your window. In cases like these, you can use simple tools or methods to kill spiders around your home. A simple spider spray can kill spiders upon direct contact. For the more poisonous ones such as the black widow, you can use spider traps like the glue trap to get rid of spiders.
When carrying out spider control, however, take care so the spiders don't bite you: Spider bites can be extremely painful and cause serious complications that require hospitalization. Also, when using insecticide sprays, read and follow label directions properly. Finally, never use products that pose a risk to human health.
Some harmless kitchen items like peppermint oil, eucalyptus, and vinegar can repel spiders. However, they're not quite effective.
Doing all the aforementioned things help control spiders. However, for best results, you should hire an exterminator.
When Do You Call in The Experts?
While it's relatively easy to control minor pest infestation in your home, some situations demand that you request professional help as fast as possible. What could be these situations? Let's look at some of them below:
You're Scared Of Spiders
Some spider species can inject venom whenever they bite hence why it's not uncommon to meet people who are genuinely scared of spiders. If you are also scared of spiders, having an exterminator work in your home is your best bet to getting rid of the infestation.
It's not uncommon to find people who are afraid of spiders:
While Relocating
It's no news that spiders thrive in the absence of human activity. That is why you tend to find cobwebs in your home after returning from a long vacation. So, also if you're relocating to another home or apartment, you should expect to meet spiders there.
In this case, simply hiring an exterminator to get rid of all insects and arachnids, then seal off their entry points in the apartment before you move in would be your best bet.
You Live in a Spider Infested Neighborhood
If everyone around you is complaining of spiders, then it's high time you all hired professional pest control services. DIY methods don't work in cases like these, as spiders will just re-enter your home from the neighboring flats.
There are Kids and Pets in Your Home
Most traps and sprays can be harmful to kids and pets, so it's advised not to fight spiders by yourself when you have this set of minors living with you. Kids may injure themselves while playing with spider traps, or get bitten by agitated spiders.
Spider bites are very fatal for young children, so to ensure their safety, call in the experts.
The Spider Populations Have Grown More Than You Can Handle
DIY pest control is very difficult and ineffective when you have many spiders in your home. And remember, spiders are not insects, they're arachnids: so regular pest control for flying and crawling insects may not work so well. In this scenario, your only option is to call in professional spider exterminators before the problem escalates any further.
You Have Absolutely No Knowledge About Spiders or Spider Control
Most Murrieta homeowners know how to manage spider infestation during its early stages. However, if you're one of those folks who can't tell the difference between a black widow spider and other spiders, then seeking professional pest control can ease your mind.
Work With a Spider Control Expert Today
The LOCAL Bug Guy is a spider control expert in Murrieta that can safely take care of the pests in your home and environment. We can identify the spider species in no time and treat them using the recommended methods. That way, you can reclaim your peace.
Contact us today to get the eradication process quickly started!