Spiders are very common pests that people run into on a regular basis, but no matter how often you run into these eight-legged creatures, they are still rather unsettling to come across. Homeowners should take steps to deter spiders from invading their home because, once inside, they can become quite a nuisance to deal with. It is important to be cautious around spiders because some of them have a venomous bite. In our area of South Portland, we have many species of spiders living in and around us, but the spiders that homeowners come into contact with most often, especially during the summer season, are the common house spider, the sac spider, and the venomous black widow spider.
Common Spiders In South Portland
The common house spider is a nuisance species of spider that as their name suggests, they are the species of spider that you are most commonly going to finding living inside your South Portland home. These spiders create unsightly webs throughout the homes they are invading in order to catch their prey. Common house spiders are yellowish-brown in color with a lighter colored abdomen and darker chevron-like markings on their body and legs.
The yellow sac spider is most commonly found living outdoors creating their unique looking webs in trees, bushes, woodpiles, and leaf piles; these spiders often enter homes accidentally while foraging for food or when the weather outside becomes unfavorable. Yellow sac spiders are typically yellowish to beige in color except for the tips of their long thin legs which are a darker brown color; they also have eight eyes that are arranged in two rows.
The black widow spider is a venomous species of spider. These spiders are a glossy black color and have a distinctive red hourglass-shaped marking on their abdomen. Though these spiders aren’t aggressive, if you accidentally come into contact with them, they will bite to defend themselves. Black widow spider venom is strong enough to cause health concerns in people; their venom affects the nervous system of their victims, but with proper medical attention, a bite from a black widow spider rarely results in long-term complications.
In order to prevent problems with spiders, it is important to understand that their numbers tend to swell during the summer months due to the fact that the populations of nuisance insects are also at their highest during the spring and summer months. Spiders feed on nuisance insects and when their food source is abundant, it allows for their populations to grow rather rapidly. Also, spiders tend to thrive and become more active during the warmer, more humid weather that can be found during the summer season in South Portland.
In addition to potential dangers, unsightly webs, and the general annoyance that spider infestations bring, a spider infestation can indicate that you are dealing with an overall pest problem in your home or on your property. If large populations of spiders invading your home, that typically indicates that there are also large populations of the nuisance insects that they feed on like flies, ants, mosquitoes, centipedes and moths living in and around your home.
To keep spiders and the insects that they feed on out of your South Portland home, the spider control professionals at Big Blue Bug Solutions suggest the following prevention tips:
- Trim back overgrown shrubs, bushes, and tree branches away from the exterior of your home.
- Move piles of wood and other debris back away from the exterior walls of your home.
- Keep all garden areas a distance away from the exterior of your home.
- Replace any torn window or door screens in your home.
- Seal all cracks and crevices found in the foundation and exterior walls of your home.
- Place tight-fitting caps or covers on all chimneys and vents, and seal any spaces found around the utilities that are entering into your home.
- Remove any spider webs you find in the corners of your home immediately.
For more information on how to keep spiders from invading your home, check out this blog.
To help you keep both nuisance and dangerous spiders out of your South Portland, Maine home during the upcoming summer season, the professionals at Big Blue Bug Solutions offer the effective and affordable residential pest control solutions needed to protect homes and families common summertime pests, including spiders. Learn today why for over 80 years, New England homeowners have trusted Big Blue Bug Solutions with their pest control needs!