Spiders To Be On The Lookout For
Winter is a great time to declutter your home and get rid of some of the items that you have not used in years. As you go into your attic, basement, or other storage areas, you may not be the only one there. There are several species of spiders that like to dwell in these dark locations. While some spiders can be beneficial by feeding on other insects, others can be dangerous with a venomous bite. Which type of spider will you encounter? There are some spider facts you may want to know.
Indoor Spiders Live Indoors And Outside Spiders Live Outside
It may be easy to assume that the spiders you have seen outside in your yard and garden would naturally move indoors once the weather begins to change. Fortunately, that is not a valid assumption.
Depending on which part of the country you live in, there are more than 130 species of outdoor spiders, and only approximately 25 spiders that live indoors. There are only approximately eight of these that would be able to live inside, as well as outside of your home. You can ensure none of these attempts to relocate are successful by sealing any cracks, crevices, or gaps that may appear around the outside of your home.
Not Every Spider Is Poisonous
Many people have a fear of spiders. They do not like the way they look, and they are afraid of their bite. Out of these, approximately 25 species that prefer to live in and around your home, there are only a few that you have to worry about having a venomous bite. The majority of these spiders belongs to one of the following two families.
Loxosceles reclusa - these spiders are most commonly known as Brown Recluse spiders but are also known as Violin or Fiddleback Spiders. These are small spiders that are generally only 1 to 1.5 inches long including their legs. They are yellowish brown to dark brown in color and can be identified by the fact they have six eyes instead of eight. They are located in approximately fifteen states in the country.
In addition to the Brown Recluse, other members of this family include the following:
- Apache Recluse
- Arizona Recluse
- Big Bend Recluse
- Chilean Recluse
- Desert Recluse
- Grand Canyon Recluse
- Martha's Recluse
- Russell's Recluse
- Tucson Recluse and others
Latrodectus - these spiders are most commonly known as Widow's. One of the most common members of this family is the Black Widow spider, but there are different classes. Most of these spiders are glossy black with some type of red markings on their body. The red markings may range from a simple red dot to a full hourglass-shaped marking and anything between.
Black Widow spiders are generally not aggressive, but the female will bite when they feel threatened or when they are defending their egg sack. The various species are often found depending on where you live. These include the following:
Northern Black Widow (Latrodectus variolus) - these are also commonly found in much of the eastern United States, but are more commonly found in the northern states.
Southern Black Widow (Latrodectus mactans) - these are most commonly found in the southeast United States.
Western Black Widow (Latrodectus hesperus) - these are most commonly found in the western US with the highest concentrations being found in southwest states.
In addition to the Black Widow spider, people who live in the southern parts of the US may also encounter the Brown Widow (Latrodectus gemetricus) spider. The main difference between the two is simply their color.
Brown Widow spiders may range in color from cream to a darker brown and may even appear to be close to black. They also have the typical markings found on a Black Widow but these markings may be orange or yellow in color, and you may also see yellow/brown and black banding on their legs if you see them under bright lights.
If you start to see more than one or two spiders in your home, contact a pest control professional to get rid of them. They will be able to conduct a full inspection of your home and develop a plan to get rid of these intruders.