Common House Spiders
Common house spiders live up to their name. They are common, and they often live in your house. These spiders can be easily confused with a variety of different house spiders and garden spiders, but they are their own distinct species.
- Female common house spiders can be up to 8mm long, and males are around half that size.
- Both sexes of these spiders are typically brown or grey with chevron patterns on their legs and bodies.
- They have round, bulbous abdomens and long legs.
- These spiders typically weave tangled, irregular aerial webs to catch flies and other winged insects.
- They often weave sectioned webs, creating a thicker section for themselves so they can comfortably lie in wait.
- They may even introduce a leaf or two to their webs to create hiding spots.
- Sometimes, multiple house spiders may weave several webs close together. You may even find webs with more than one spider.
- If the pickings are easy and every spider is getting enough to eat, they will tolerate one another’s presence, as long as each individual maintains an appropriate distance.
Are Common House Spiders Dangerous?
Common house spiders are completely harmless to humans. While they can bite if threatened or accidentally pressed against your skin, their venom causes nothing more than minor, temporary discomfort.
Wolf Spiders
Wolf spiders are some of the most intimidating-looking spiders you’ll find in Hot Springs homes, but don’t let their appearance fool you: they’re not dangerous to humans.
- These robust, hairy spiders can range from half an inch to over an inch in body length, with females being larger than males.
- They’re typically brown, grey, or tan with distinctive darker markings or stripes running down their bodies.
- Unlike common house spiders, wolf spiders don’t spin webs to catch their prey. Instead, they’re active hunters that chase down insects and other small invertebrates.
- You might spot them running across floors, walls, or outdoor surfaces, especially at night when they’re most active.
- Their eyes reflect light, so if you shine a flashlight across your yard at night, you might see dozens of tiny glowing dots staring back at you: those are wolf spider eyes.
- Wolf spiders often wander into Hot Springs homes accidentally while hunting for prey or seeking shelter from extreme temperatures.
- They prefer ground-level hiding spots, so you’re most likely to encounter them in garages, basements, and along baseboards.
- Female wolf spiders are particularly notable because they carry their egg sacs attached to their spinnerets and, once the spiderlings hatch, carry their babies on their backs until they’re old enough to fend for themselves.
Are Wolf Spider Bites Venomous?
While wolf spider bites can be painful due to their larger fangs, their venom isn’t medically significant to humans. You might experience some swelling and discomfort similar to a bee sting, but serious reactions are extremely rare.
Jumping Spiders
Jumping spiders are perhaps the most charismatic spiders you’ll encounter in your Hot Springs home. These compact, fuzzy spiders are known for their exceptional vision and their ability to leap several times their body length to pounce on prey (or to escape perceived threats).
- Most jumping spiders found in homes are small, typically measuring between ⅛ to ¾ of an inch in length.
- You can identify jumping spiders by their distinctive eye arrangement: they have four pairs of eyes, with the front-facing pair being notably large and giving them an almost face-like appearance.
- Many people find their curious behavior and big “puppy dog” eyes endearing rather than frightening.
- These spiders come in a variety of colors and patterns, from solid black or brown to vibrant combinations of white, orange, red, and iridescent green scales.
- Jumping spiders are active daytime hunters and don’t build webs to catch prey. Instead, they use their incredible vision to stalk and ambush insects.
- You’ll often find them on windowsills, walls, and other sunny spots where they hunt flies and other small insects.
- They’re curious creatures and may even turn to “look” at you if they notice your movement.
- These spiders frequently enter Hot Springs homes through open doors and windows or small gaps in your home’s exterior.
- They’re attracted to areas with good lighting where prey insects congregate.
Are Jumping Spiders Dangerous?
Despite their hunting prowess, jumping spiders pose no danger to humans. They rarely bite, and when they do, the effects are minimal: comparable to a small pinprick with perhaps minor, short-lived swelling.
Cellar Spiders (Daddy Longlegs)
Cellar spiders, commonly called daddy longlegs (not to be confused with harvestmen), are among the most frequently encountered spiders in Hot Springs homes. These delicate-looking spiders are instantly recognizable by their extremely long, thin legs and small, pale bodies.
- Their legs can be several inches long, while their bodies typically measure only about ¼ to ⅜ of an inch.
- Cellar spiders are typically pale yellow, light brown, or grayish in color with semi-transparent bodies.
- They build loose, irregular webs in corners, ceiling joints, and other undisturbed areas: particularly in basements, crawlspaces, garages, and closets.
- Unlike the tidy webs of some spiders, cellar spider webs can look messy and accumulate over time, creating unsightly cobwebs throughout your home.
- If you touch their web or get too close, they’ll rapidly vibrate their bodies, causing them to become a blur that makes it harder for predators to target them. This behavior has earned them the nickname “vibrating spiders.”
- Cellar spiders thrive in the humid, sheltered environments that Hot Springs homes provide. They’re particularly fond of undisturbed areas with high humidity, which is why basements and crawlspaces are their preferred habitats.
Do Cellar Spiders (Daddy Longlegs) Bite?
You may have heard the myth that daddy longlegs are the most venomous spiders in the world, but they can’t bite humans because their fangs are too small. This is entirely false. Cellar spiders can and do bite, but their venom is not particularly potent, and bites are extremely rare.
They pose absolutely no danger to humans and are actually beneficial because they prey on other spiders and insects, including potentially problematic pests.
Why These Spiders Invade Hot Springs Homes
Spiders don’t eat what people eat. They don’t need us for water. And they don’t even like being around us. So why do they come into our homes? Most of the time, the answer is twofold:
Shelter is one major reason. Our homes have fewer predators, better hiding spots, and more comfortable temperature and humidity than outside. Hot Springs‘ warm, humid summers and occasional cold snaps make climate-controlled homes particularly appealing to spiders seeking refuge from extreme conditions.
Food is the other big reason spiders come into your home. If you have an infestation of their favorite prey items (roaches, silverfish, moths, flies, ants, and any number of other insects spiders find appealing), you’re going to see an uptick in spider activity.
Different spider species prefer different hunting grounds: house spiders and cellar spiders like dark, musty areas where their favorite prey prefer to hide, while jumping spiders gravitate toward well-lit areas where flies congregate. Wolf spiders will roam wherever prey is available. That means you might find spiders in basements, attics, crawlspaces, garages, windowsills, and other areas throughout your home, depending on the species.
Spider Prevention Tips
The best way to prevent spiders (of any kind) is to exclude and exterminate their food sources. Spiders that aren’t catching any prey in the area they occupy will move on to a more productive spot. That means if you keep their webs empty and reduce the insect population in your home, you can encourage them to relocate without actually doing anything to directly exterminate them.
To prevent spider prey infestations, take measures like:
- Keeping trash cans covered both inside your house and outside with tight-fitting lids to avoid attracting flies and other insects.
- Storing all foods properly, either in the refrigerator or in airtight containers, to mask smells that attract pantry pests.
- Sealing up potential entry points like holes and cracks in your home’s exterior, around pipes, and where utility lines enter your home.
- Installing weather stripping on door sweeps and windowsills to eliminate gaps.
- Inspecting window screens regularly and repairing any rips or tears promptly.
- Reducing outdoor lighting or switching to yellow “bug lights” that are less attractive to insects, which in turn attract spiders.
- Clearing clutter in storage areas like basements, attics, and garages to eliminate hiding spots.
- Addressing moisture issues by fixing leaky pipes and using dehumidifiers in damp areas, since many insects and spiders thrive in humid environments.
- Removing webs regularly to discourage spiders from setting up permanent residence and to eliminate egg sacs before they hatch.
- Keeping vegetation trimmed away from your home’s exterior reduces pathways for spiders and insects to enter.
Get Professional Spider Control Today
If you keep seeing spiders in your Hot Springs home despite your best prevention efforts, you may already have another pest infestation you don’t know about. That means you may need outside help.
Here at Advanced Pest Control, we’re Hot Springs‘ premier pest solutions company! Our experienced technicians understand the unique pest pressures that Hot Springs homes face and can develop a customized treatment plan to address your specific situation.
So give us a call at 501-623-5888 or visit our contact page here to schedule your free estimate. We offer both residential pest control and commercial pest management services to keep your property spider-free year-round.
