With all the pests roaming around and the multitudes of species they breed, humans don't have the power to control them completely. This is when Mother Nature takes charge. A great representation is the spider, one of the ordinary sustenance of many animals living in the ground, up in the air, and below the water.
What eats spiders? What are the creatures that prey on spiders? Several animals consider wolf spider, jumping spider, brown recluse spider, black widow spider, hobo spider, yellow sac spider, and cobweb spider as their next meal. Here's a list of predators that indulge themselves with a variety of spider species.
Learn More: How to Kill Spiders?
What Eats Spiders?
Birds
It's not surprising that birds are widely considered a spider predator. In the US, some of the most common birds like robins and wrens routinely eat spiders. However, small birds that prey on spiders also have to be extra cautious as they can get caught in the spider's sticky webs, although it's interesting to note that spiders rarely eat birds they capture.
Lizards
Two of the most common lizard kinds in the United States, the geckos and chameleons, are known to hunt spiders and small insects. One study revealed that lizards are so greedy that they can eradicate the entire spider population in controlled environments for their arthropod prey. The same study examined the probable outcomes when lizards are joined in with the orb spiders, an invasive, non-native species. Within five years, the scientists discovered that spiders were eradicated in environments where the lizards were present.
Tarantula Hawks
The tarantula hawk, surprisingly a wasp and not a bird, is known to hound down tarantulas in their burrows. The wasp rips into the spider web to draw attention, then when the tarantula appears, it paralyzes the spider with a sting and pulls the tarantula to its own burrow to feed its young.
Scorpions
The mighty scorpion is an arachnid that will naturally kill and eat anything it can overpower. They're rarely picky eaters and, without hesitation, will chomp on spiders if they're around when the scorpion is out hunting.
Centipedes
Most centipedes roam during the night searching for prey, typically soft-bodied insects, worms, and spiders. The centipedes utilize their legs to hit the spider and then use their front legs to hold and devour the spider. Almost all centipedes have venom, which they inject by their legs. The claws on their legs can’t enter human skin, but they can quickly puncture a spider. A centipede can actually hold three or four victims altogether.
The centipede has its system of cleansing itself after eating a spider or other prey. They possess a small groove type part near their mouth. It contains small hair which is used for cleaning. They use this groove to clean their legs and antennae by passing them through the groove. It's very meticulous about this process and cleans one part at a time. If interrupted, it continues the grooming process from where it left off.
Monkeys
Several monkeys like to eat spiders. Monkeys are primarily omnivorous animals, and they typically look for the meat of plant-based food. However, spiders can also be a meat source for these animals. For smaller monkeys, spiders are a prime meat source. The meat in the spider is considered white meat, identical to the meat of a chicken and frog. The legs contain little meat, but the body and the head can be notable protein sources for monkeys. The acid in a monkey’s stomach gets rid of any venom for the most venomous spider.
Fish
There’s a species of spider, particularly the fishing spider, that hunts small fish and tadpoles. Though for smaller spiders, they can often fall prey to fish. This mostly occurs when the spider tumbles into the water with fish, which are apt to attack the spider and feed on it. The spiders can’t propel their body in water, but they can float. The most common types of fish that eat spiders are archers, trout, and mosquitofish.
Toads
Toads aren’t fussy when it comes to their food sources. They’re most keen to grab anything they can fit in their mouth, from the tiny mosquito and spider to the bigger worm and snail. Spiders and toads often intersect in typical habitats. Toads are ambush predators that hide and wait for prey to come close before they use their tongue to snatch up the prey.
This amphibian relies on the movement of prey to detect it. They have very tiny upper jaw teeth, but these aren’t enough for them to chew their prey, so they swallow them. The use of the teeth is to take down prey until they can eat it completely. They have very acidic gastrointestinal juices that can help them digest prey. This is also why toads prefer to eat invertebrates, as they’re easier to swallow and digest.
Spider Wasps
Wasps are solitary creatures by nature. They tend to live alone and be self-reliant. They aren't aggressive and don't establish any colonies. They can be threatening, but only if their young or burrow is frightened. The spider wasp got its name because of its practice of hunting and eating spiders. Spider wasps hunt spiders so they could provide food for their young. The offspring's survival depends solely on the food carried to the burrow by their parents. The need to bring food for their offspring has made the female spider wasp and male spider wasp develop into efficient hunters of spiders. Spider wasps are easily identified by their moderate size, orange wings, and bands on the abdomen.
Their primary spider preference is the huntsman spider, which is considered more nutritious than other smaller spiders. Spider wasps chase for spiders in soil, barks, or cracks. They have a severe sting, which might not be dangerous to humans, but can be lethal for spiders. They’ll keep stinging the spider until the spider is paralyzed, then they haul the victim to their burrow. Spider wasps often live near areas that have a high population of spiders.
Other Spiders
Some spiders do eat their kind. This is an advantage to humans since it's usually the non-threatening species of spiders that eat venomous spiders. The Portia, a genus of jumping spider, hunts other spiders by walking on the spiders' webs and acting like a small insect. Most other spiders will probably eat another smaller spider without hesitation if it crosses their path, especially active hunting spiders that can camouflage themselves and pounce on grasshoppers, crickets, and silverfish. Bigger species like the huntsman spider can feed on lizards, frogs, and ant species like the pharaoh ant and fire ants. Ant-eating spiders are referred to as calymmochilus dispar.
There’s a myth that female black widow spiders kill and eat their mates after intercourse. There's a truth to it, but it happens very rarely. Scientists are yet to solidify a conclusive reason as to why this happens.
For non-reproductive cannibalism, it's often the case of aggression that leads to killing or eating other spiders. This can be the case for common house spiders like cellar spiders, garden spiders, and crab spiders that share the same household with other spiders. When there's no mosquito or roach in sight, they kill their kind. This is why the population of spiders in your home occasionally shifts from numerous smaller individuals to fewer, larger ones. The long-legged cellar spider, for example, is known to kill black widow spiders, so you could say that it’s a helpful pest control ally.
When All Else Fails, Call the Expert Exterminator
While some animals are excellent spider predators, relying on them won't fully solve your problem, especially if you’re dealing with a large spider infestation. If you're eager to exterminate the eight-legged invaders away from your home or building, Positive Pest Management has safe and effective pest control services and solutions that aim to exceed customer's expectations. Feel free to call Positive Pest Management today and get a free estimate.
When it comes to pests, spiders are nearly in a category all their own. There’s the house spider, orb-weaver spider, brown recluse spider, cellar spider, and the list goes on. Even if most species are considered harmless and are actually reliable pest controllers, it doesn't outweigh the nuisance it brings, especially when they nest inside our homes. If you stumble upon a nest, there might be several more, and chances are, you’re a victim of a spider infestation.
What are the signs of a spider infestation? Several indications can help you confirm that you’re dealing with a more severe problem. Some signs include live or dead spiders, spider webs, and spider egg sacs.
Signs of Spider Infestation
Live or Dead Spiders
The most noticeable sign of a spider problem is numerous live or dead spiders. Since spiders prefer to remain hidden, seeing spiders out in the open can reveal many of them are present in your home. Spiders eat insects, so an enormous spider population can pertain to an insect problem. Controlling the insect population around your house and property can help limit spiders.
Spider Webs
One of the easiest ways to confirm that you have a spider infestation in your house or business space is when you see plenty of webs in or around your property. Some spiders can construct very elaborate webs, while others look as if they put little effort into making a home of their own.
Spider Egg Sacs
Many types of spiders lay hundreds of eggs at once. If you find egg sacs in your home, they could hatch. This will then result in hundreds of baby spiders roaming around your property. If you think you’ve spotted spider eggs, the best way to deal with them is to contact a pest control specialist.
Spider Molts
Not known to many, spiders molt just like snakes and cicadas. Spiders possess exoskeletons that need to be shed when it's time for them to grow. Examine your house for these spider molts. They may be lingering in webs on your front porch or in the corner of your garage.
Unexplained Bites
Smaller spiders have fangs that aren't capable of piercing human skin. However, larger species may bite when disturbed. Some bites occur when humans accidentally step or disturb indoor spiders hiding in clothing or a shoe. Unexplained bites could mean there’s a spider infestation.
Insect Sightings
If you notice a lot of flies, mosquitoes, mites, moths, and other small flying insects around your home, chances are, there are also spiders around. These critters could attract spiders to your home because they’re an excellent source of food for predatory spiders. It's usual for spiders to create webs close to lights since the light can attract many types of bugs. This will then make them easy prey for the spider.
Learn More: Where do Spiders Nest?
Should You Worry?
While spiders are beneficial pest controllers at home, there are a few spider species that can cause severe danger to you: the black widow spider and the brown recluse spider, which can deliver excruciating stings that are often fatal, especially to those with venom allergy. Other spiders that usually bite in self-defense and are considered venomous spider and poisonous spider species are only limited. These include the yellow sac spider, wolf spider, and hobo spider, among others.
Just because the hazard factor is low when it comes to spiders, doesn't mean you want to invite these creepy crawlies within your home. Aside from the risk of a spider bite (especially the dreadful and painful brown recluse bite), they’ll make webs that will require more cleaning and will also scare you or children with their startling presence. Even the common house spider like the jumping spiders and garden spider can induce fear.
Ways to Eliminate Spider Infestation
1. Keep your house clean and organized to avoid spider infestations. Removing the clutter in your house will give spiders fewer areas to hide. Keep your food covered so that it won’t invite other pests, which will, in turn, attract spiders. Keep your floors free of food and liquid spillage, wipe down your surfaces, and vacuum regularly. You can even vacuum spiders, spider web, and spider egg sac.
2. Check the cracks in your home. Don't give spiders a way to get in. Patch up all holes, crevices, or spaces in doors and windows to stop spiders from trying to get inside. Repair torn screens and cover your vents with a good mesh. Spiders are commonly found in pantries, bathrooms, and basements where it's moist.
3. Keep vegetation far from the outer edge or the perimeter of your home. Spiders like to conceal themselves in the shrubbery, under rocks, woodpiles, and in compost. But when the weather gets colder, that’s when they start to move inside your home. By transferring plants from the side of your home, you make it farther and harder for them to get inside.
4. Apply a pesticide. Spray nooks or cracks of your home with a commercial pesticide containing some form of pyrethroid. Make sure you know the limit of extra insecticides. These will only be effective if spiders drag themselves through them. If the invasive arachnid manages to avoid the spray, the insecticide won’t be effective.
5. If you prefer a non-toxic method, you may use diatomaceous earth. Spread a fine layer of it around the cracks and corners of your place. The fossil compound cuts a spider up when it passes through it, eventually eradicating it. A spider repellent like essential oils and vinegar mixed with water and spider spray made with dish soap and water are also effective natural spider control treatments.
6. Keep outdoor lights off. Don’t attract insect pests that spiders feast on. Spiders aren’t really attracted to the light, but a lot of the insects they prey on are.
7. Use a spider trap. A glue trap and other sticky traps are effective to catch spiders. You’d want to place them in closets, basements, garages, and attics or in areas where you spot spiders frequently.
Learn More: How to Kill Spiders?
The Reliable Pest Control Specialist Is Here to Help
Discovering the occasional indoor spider in your home is usually not a cause for worry. Still, when they start to multiply or when the kind that lurks into your dwelling is a venomous one, that's when you need to call the expert. Positive Pest Management offers industry-leading service at competitive rates. When we’re on the job, any infestation or pest problem in your property will be eliminated quickly with our quality and warrantied extermination services. Contact Positive Pest Management today and get a free estimate.
While most species are not dangerous, spiders can be a nuisance when they get inside your home. They spin webs everywhere, jump out at you when you're least expecting it, hide in your personal belongings, and leave spider bites that can be painful. Moreover, the presence of spiders can indicate another pest problem since spiders need a food source to survive. Another disturbing fact is their population can increase over time if you let them be.
How to kill spiders? Is there any way to repel these pests for good? Killing them is the surest way. If you are determined to wipe out spiders in your home, consider these practical ways to get rid of them permanently.
How To Kill Spiders Instantly
Use An Insecticide Spray
To deter spiders, use a high-performance insecticide spray and regularly spray it on areas in your home that are spider-prone. A good quality aerosol spray can kill spiders in the house and prevent them from infesting. You may want to look for a purpose-built spray to keep your home safe and protected from crawling insects for up to180 days. Remember to spay on surfaces and around doorways and windows to keep spiders from crawling inside.
Squish The Spider
Spiders around your houses are usually harmless. Common house spider species include the wolf spider, hobo spider, cellar spider, cobweb spider, orb weaver spider, and jumping spider, which can be easily killed with a tissue or object. However, getting rid of them in close proximity is not the best idea if they are squeamish or have a phobia.
If you aren't sure about the species of the spider, don't attempt to squish. Always make sure that the spider you are about to kill isn't a venomous spider. Black widow spider and brown recluse spider likes are dangerously aggressive and have a potent sting that causes allergic reactions and can be fatal.
Vacuum the spiders up
Using a strong vacuum is an excellent idea to get of spiders, spider web, spider eggs, and any potential spider egg sac that the mother spider has left behind. Just remember to use the long hose to suck up the spider and let the vacuum run for some time to make sure the spider dies in the vacuum bag. Immediately dispose of the tightly sealed vacuum bag. If your vacuum is bagless, empty the dust canister and all the creepy crawlers you've collected afterward. Vacuuming is a safer way to kill spiders, especially if you deal with a dangerous spider or poisonous spider species.
Use a pest control or bug bomb.
One of the best ways to get rid of spiders and other household pests in your home is by using a pest control or bug bomb. This product helps cover a larger surface area and gives you the ability to do it yourself. The bomb works by releasing a fine mist that spreads into a room and kills seven types of pests, including spiders.
Natural Ways To Repel Spiders
You don't need to use pesticides with hazardous chemicals that can hurt you, your family, and your pets to solve your spider problems or get rid of spiders. Thanks to these natural methods and ingredients:
Essential Oils
Essential oils such as rose, citronella, cinnamon, citrus, spearmint, eucalyptus, lavender, tea tree, and peppermint can repel spiders. According to experts, most essential oils have insecticidal properties through monoterpenoids. The content produces an aroma which spiders hate makes it a natural spider repellent. Just dilute your essential oil with water and place the mixture in a spray bottle. Apply the mixture in areas you have spotted spiders like cracks, crevices in your walls, doorways, and window sills.
Aside from repelling spiders, these essential oils effectively eliminate mosquitoes, bed bugs, spider mites, and other insects.
Since essentials are highly concentrated in nature, it's best to dilute your mixture and use protective gear like gloves and a face mask to avoid irritations from these essential oils.
Ensure to open your windows after using the essential oil solution to prevent congesting your space with the aroma that could harm your children and pets. Alternatively, you can also soak cotton balls in essential oils and place them in different areas of your house where spiders are always seen.
White Vinegar and Other Household Items
White vinegar is a household product you can use to get rid of spiders. Its odor is effective in repelling spiders. White vinegar has acetic acid content which can kill spiders upon contact. To create a homemade, natural spider killer, mix one cup of white vinegar with two cups of warm water. Apply the mixture in areas where spiders hide their egg sac and nest once a day or every week.
You can also use baking soda to repel spiders from your home as a safer alternative.
Repel Spiders with Dryer sheets
Dryer sheets also contain monoterpenoid through a floral-scented ingredient called linalool, which has a toxic effect on spiders, mosquitos, and other insects.
Nuts
Anecdotal evidence infers that horse chestnuts and walnuts are also effective in repelling spiders in your home. Just place them strategically on window sills or any corners of your house where you always see spiders. Unlike natural sprays, nuts can repel spiders for a long time without having to replace them regularly.
Cedarwood
Another natural ingredient that many claims can get rid of spiders is Cedarwood. You can use this by spreading cedarwood chips around your house or mixing cedarwood oil into spider spray.
Citrus Peels
You can use your leftover citrus peels, lemon peels, and orange peels to get rid of spiders in your home. As long as their smell is potent enough, you can put the peels in areas where spiders are active or rub them doorways, windowsills, shelves, and baseboards.
Tobacco
Spreading tobacco leaves in areas with signs of spider activity is another natural ingredient that can repel spiders. Alternatively, you can mix with water and use it as a homemade repellent spray or mix with water and flour to make tobacco balls.
Sticky Trap
Another non-toxic solution to lessen spider population in your property is a Homemade sticky trap.
Just boil equal amounts of water and corn syrup. Mix it until you have a sticky paste. Apply and spread this paste onto a rectangular piece of cardboard or empty cereal box. Place the spider trap in areas with spider activity, like inside cabinets, baseboards of walls, or behind your furniture.
Diatomaceous Earth
To deal with and get rid of spiders outside your house, using diatomaceous earth as a non-toxic ingredient is another natural way. Just spread thin lays of the powder on areas where spiders are lingering. Remember to wear protective gear when applying to avoid skin and lung irritation.
Pets and Other Insects
Pets are part of nature and can also help in spider control. Cats, for instance, won't be able to resist catching spiders. Taking care of a pet can dissuade spiders from coming around. As for your garden, ladybugs would feast on the insect pests that spiders prey on. And without these insects, the spiders will move somewhere else.
Read More: Where do Spiders Nest?
How To Prevent Spider Reinfestation
Keeping spiders away is one thing, but keeping rid of them permanently is a different matter. All you need to do is follow certain precautions to ensure these spiders won't have another shot at invading your home. Here are some tips to eliminate your spider problem for good:
- Use a caulking gun and sealant for all the cracks and crevices in your house. By doing so, you're getting rid of potential areas where spiders can hide.
- Keeping your home clean and organized reduces the possibility of spider infestations. Ensure to sweep the floors, wipe all surfaces, and vacuum all the nooks and crannies of your home. Also, don't forget to mow your lawn and trim your trees, plants, and shrubs regularly.
- Make sure that food and drinks are sealed in plastic containers or placed in the refrigerator. Also, don't leave leftover food lying around.
- Switch off your outdoor lights at night, as these tend to attract the bugs and insects that spiders like to consume.
Learn More: Signs of Spider Infestation
Stay Positive: We Are Here To Help
Spider control is a constant battle that requires patience, effort, and time. Spider infestation doesn't go away quickly, especially if other pests feed on dwell in your home. If you want an easy solution to your problem, rely on Positive Pest Management, New York's leading pest control company specializing in commercial, residential, and industrial properties. We are committed to permanently cost-effectively solving all your pest woes. Our highly competent professional staff is always eager to help you with any of your exterminating needs. Give us a call today and get a free estimate.
You may have noticed a spider roaming around your home on occasion, but it's a different story if they’ve already built nests. Not only is a spider nest a dreadful sight and nuisance, but it can also lead to a troubling concern for homeowners soon, as more spiders are also set to emerge.
Where exactly do spider nests exist? Some of them are known to create small nests or spider silk sacs in dark, secluded areas of homes. Some examples are the corners of the wall or the ceiling. If this is something you’ve come across, action must be taken immediately to deter these pests from invading your personal space. Keep reading below to learn more about spider nests and what you can do to permanently remove them from your home.
Where Do Spiders Nest?
Spiders like to build nests in hidden, undisturbed areas where moisture and food are available. Spiders don't require much water, but moisture often attracts other bugs, so a sac spider will usually choose to nest nearby.
Indoors, they prefer to make nests in the attic, garage, or basement. They’re also known to tuck their nests in corners of high ceilings or wherever there may be clutter. Outdoors, you may find them in corners and eaves of your home, door, windows, and other points of entry.
To make it more manageable for you to locate a spider's nest, you might want to look for a spider web with small sacs of webbing that are cream-colored and round or oblong-shaped. The egg sac of a regular female spider holds about 100 eggs or developing larvae, but some large spiders can produce a sac that holds up to 2,000 spider eggs.
Aside from spider's eggs and nests themselves, spotting little spiderlings or baby spiders crawling around is an obvious sign that there may be a nest nearby. Seeing spider corpse, small spider, and spider molts may also mean your home is infested.
The most common house spider species like the cobweb spider (which makes cobwebs often imitated in horror movies and used as Halloween decor), cellar spider, hobo spider, and wolf spider are typically found indoors, while the garden spider, yellow garden spider, huntsman spider (known to consume pygmy possums), jumping spider, hunting spider, crab spider, widow spider species like the black widow, jumping spiders, and mygalomorph spiders are mostly found outdoors in gardens, tree, and lawns.
The species that live outdoors are normally seen during late summer and fall. Regarded as vicious predators, these spiders typically feed on flying insects, birds, roaches, tarantulas, crickets, grasshoppers, lizards, frogs, and rodents. These arachnid species are aggressive when provoked and can deliver a painful sting with toxic venom to anyone they perceive as an enemy.
How to Prevent a Spider Infestation
Maintain a clean home
One of the easiest ways to stop a spider infestation is by cleaning your home regularly. Vacuuming can be done in two ways, either as a preventive method or a quick solution. You can use the vacuum cleaner to free your house from dirt, food crumbs, dust, and grime. These are what spiders prey on, so spiders are most likely to stay around if there are plenty of these in your home. As a quick solution, you can use the vacuum to get rid of cobwebs. Use the long head of your vacuum and suck in the webs, spider egg sac, and spiders. These arachnids have soft exoskeletons, so they won't handle the injury of being vacuumed. Don't forget to check the gaps, crevices, and hole in your house.
Deter insects that attract spiders
Spiders aren’t after human food, and they don't like humans either. What they seem to like are other arthropods and insects. Like humans who need proper and regular sustenance, spiders die if they don't get food. An effective way to control a spider infestation is to eliminate their food supply. Prevent insects from getting inside your home by making sure all windows and doors are in working condition. If you have other bug and insect worries, seek the help of professional pest management technicians to exterminate pests. Moreover, practice good sanitation and food storage procedures.
Use a spider trap
While often used for rodent and cockroach control, glue traps are also effective spider catchers. Place the traps throughout your home, and don’t forget areas like closets, garages, attics, basements, baseboards, corners, and other heavy spider traffic areas. The more traps you deploy, the better you can decrease the spider population in your home. However, you should be careful when placing traps and ensure that they’re located out of the reach of children and pets.
Remove lures in your backyard
Don't neglect the areas outside your home. Make it less attractive for spiders by eliminating clutter such as rocks, wood, and compost piles. Caulk all cracks in your home to reduce entry points. Seal windows with proper screens and seal doors with sweeps and weather strips. Clean window shutters frequently and remove any cobwebs in your home. It's also important that you keep your storage areas and sheds tidy.
Stop using bright lights
Bugs are attracted to light, and spiders love bugs, so if you want to keep spiders out of your home, you should be wary of how you light your home. You can lessen the amount of outdoor lighting you use to reduce the number of bugs and wasp species attracted to your home. You can also change existing lighting with sodium vapor lights or yellow lights, which are less inviting to bugs. If you need bright outdoor lighting, try to set the actual light source like the bulb and fixture away from probable spider entryways like doors and windows.
Use insecticide spray
If you decide to eliminate spiders independently, do it safely. Always observe all instructions and obey all warnings on the product's label. Residual insecticides can be used in areas where spiders like to nest, such as corners, attics, basements, and garages. Doing the barrier treatment around your home's foundation also works. Total release foggers aren’t very efficient for spiders, but slow-release (microencapsulated) formulations and wettable powders are helpful.
Learn More: How to Kill Spiders
The Most Effective Solution to Your Spider Problem
If the methods mentioned above seem like a challenging endeavor, it's because it actually is. Let our professional pest specialists at Positive Pest Management do the work for you. With more than 20 years of experience, a proven work record, and countless satisfied customers, we deliver the highest quality pest control results to ensure that your home is pest-free. Call us now, and our competent staff will assist you with any of your exterminating needs.
