Common Sources of Spider Problems in Southern Maine

In Maine, spiders are generally considered beneficial. They help with the control of dangerous pest such as mosquitoes. But no matter how beneficial they are, they're gross. And having spiders on your property or inside your home can be unsettling. It is best to let those spider do their job on the outskirts of your property and not up near your home where they can accidentally get inside. Here are a few common conditions that lure spiders in close to homes and some of the ways they get in.

Spiders eat bugs, and most bugs love moist conditions. If you have a moist foundation perimeter, you're going to have more spiders. The spiders are going to go where their food source is. Taking steps to reduce moisture in your landscaping can have an impact on spider populations.

Steps Homeowners Can Take To Reduce Moisture

• Trim tree branches. Trees are wonderful for providing shade around your home, but too much shade can create areas of dampness. When you trim strategic branches, you let the sun in to dry the ground after it rains
• Trim bushes and shrubs. Bushes and shrubs can promote dampness in your landscaping and give nice hiding places for bugs.
• Put spaces between plants. If you put space between your plants, you'll allow for good airflow. This works to dry your topsoil after you water your plants and promotes a dry environment that is resistant to bugs and spiders.
• Clean your gutters. When gutters aren't doing their job, water can spill over and lead to oversaturation of your foundation perimeter. There is only so much water that can soak into the ground around your home. Make sure your gutters are clear and in good repair.

Spiders eat flying insects. One insect they have a fondness for is the common house fly. If you have flies buzzing around your exterior trash, you're going to have more spiders. Make sure you keep our exterior trash in cans that have a cover. And periodically clean your trash cans to reduce the smells that attract flies and other pests.

Many insects are drawn to light. Homes that have outdoor lighting have higher populations of flying insects. This leads to higher populations of spiders. In cases where it isn't a security issue, turn your lights off to reduce flying insects and the spiders that eat them. You may also consider replacing white exterior lights with yellow lighting. Yellow light tends to be less attractive to insects.

Do you have lots of vegetation? A yard that is overgrown with weeds and other wild vegetation will create the perfect environment for bugs and spiders. Keep your lawn trimmed and your weeds plucked to reduce pests.

Do you have a wood pile near your home? Many bugs hide in and crawl around on wood. Spiders establish their webs in the spaces between firewood to capture unsuspecting prey. While there isn't a lot you can do to control the pests in your wood pile, it is a good idea to burn wood within 24 hours of bringing it into your home. Spiders can lay their eggs in the gaps of wood pieces. When brought into the house, those eggs can hatch into a ton of little spiderlings that can make your life start to feel like something out of a horror movie.

When you make your yard as dry as possible and do the small changes that help to resist pest activity, you have the side benefit of fewer spiders around your home. With fewer spiders around your home, you'll have fewer spiders accidentally finding their way inside.

To further prevent accidental entry, consider addressing the following common entry points:

• Spiders often use gaps around pipes and wire conduit that pass through foundation walls or cracks in foundations to gain entry basements.
• Spiders can get into a home through gaps in weather stripping and damaged door sweeps.
• Spiders use holes in screens to gain access to secondary holes created in door and window frames by rodents, carpenter ants, and other wood-destroying pests.
• Spiders climb into vents and may find a hole created by a rodent within the ventilation duct that gives access to the wall voids.