Do you have spiders in your home?

Read on to find out how to make your property less attractive to them….

Here at Pestforce Pest Control we will always endeavour to rid your home or business from pests. However when it comes to spiders, calling your local pest controller is usually not necessary and there are many steps that can be taken before you pick up the phone.

A survey from YouGov shows spiders are the UKs fourth most common fear, effecting a large percent of the population. However when it comes to arachnophobia, the figure is far lower but the effects far more severe.

We have noticed an increase in spider enquiries and this is likely due to the unseasonably warm weather we have had over the last few months, creating an ideal environment for the little critters to thrive.

10 of the most common UK spiders found in and around your home are….

House Spider

·         Up to 120mm

      ·         Hairy and dark brown in colour

      ·         Can bite but don’t usually pose a threat to humans

      ·         Usually come out at night and commonly found in the bath

Zebra Back Spider

·         5mm-9mm

      ·         Black and white in colour

      ·         Can bite but don’t pose a threat to humans

      ·         They jump to catch their pray

Cupboard Spider

      ·         4mm-10mm

      ·         Dark with light markings

      ·         If bitten which is rare, symptoms are minor

      ·         Females have a larger, rounder abdomen than males (pic)

Daddy Long Legs

      ·         Up to 45mm

      ·         Small oval abdomen with long thin legs

      ·         Venomous but rarely bite and if so cause no lasting effects

      ·         Usually found in areas with some moisture

Money Spider

      ·         Up to 5mm

      ·         Small with grey or black bodies

      ·         Harmless to humans

      ·         Folklore suggests luck and wealth should one land in your hair

Lace Web Spider

      ·         Up to 12mm

      ·         Brown with yellow markings on abdomen

      ·         Bites can be painful with symptoms lasting 12 hours

      ·         Usually found on outdoor walls and fencing

Missing Sector Orb Spider

      ·         Up to 7mm

      ·         Silvery grey body with markings to the abdomen

      ·         Harmless to humans

      ·         Usually found on windowsills

False Widow Spider

      ·         Up to 20mm

      ·         Dark brown with bulbous abdomen

      ·         Britain’s most venomous spider known to have bitten humans but are not aggressive

      ·         Love dark spaces like under kitchen appliances and cupboards

Cardinal Spider

      ·         Up to 140mm, the UK's largest spider

      ·         Reddish brown but young spiders are lighter in colour

      ·         Can bite but they are rare and painless

      ·         Lives mostly in buildings and walls

Tube Web Spider

      ·         Up to 23mm

      ·         Black with an iridescent green jaw

      ·         Bites can be painful with symptoms lasting a few hours

      ·         Lives mostly under stones and logs

 

How to deter spiders from your home…

·         Fill in potential entry holes in walls and around pipework

·         Vacuum regularly high and low, ensuring you catch any cobwebs as you go

·         Check dark spaces in your home, underneath and behind furniture and kitchen cupboards

·         Move any log piles and general clutter away from the outside of your house

·         Deter insects from your home (spiders feast on these) by ensuring you keep windows closed if you have lights on in the evening

Why are spiders important?

Spiders are one of nature’s best pest controllers. Due to their diet of insects, they are extremely important within agriculture and horticulture, as insects cause great damage to our crops. According to spider expert Norman Platnick, there would be ‘famine’ without them.

This is one of the reasons a responsible Pest Controller will not spray for spiders outdoors, spiders do their ‘job’ best when outdoors! A typical treatment for a spider infestation would be an insecticidal spray, this can be extremely harmful to insects, fish and our much loved cats and dogs.

What to do if you have a serious spider infestation

All this said if you have a serious spider infestation inside your home or workplace, then as a last resort you can of course call a professional pest controller for further advice. 

With anything though it is important that you call a fully qualified and accredited professional. Here at Pestforce we are always happy to help.

www.pest-force.co.uk