Spiders
technical bulletin
Spiders
Spiders are arachnids that have two body parts: cephalothorax and abdomen with eight legs attached to cephalothorax. There are approximately 40 different spider species that live in or around buildings in Georgia and South Carolina. Most spiders construct webs to trap their prey, which causes an unsightly appearance in and around the structure. Some spiders such as the Wolf spider are free roaming and do not construct webbing. They are mobile in their hunt for prey.
Most spiders are harmless and in fact are very beneficial due to preying upon flies, crickets and other small insects. Spiders rarely bite and most have fangs that are too small to puncture human skin. Of the 40 species of spiders found in our area, the black widow, brown widow and brown recluse are the only species that can cause serious health concerns. The brown recluse spider is extremely rare in our markets, with only 19 confirmed cases per article written by Dr. Nancy Hinkle.
Ever wonder how spiders get high up in a tree or powerline? Some spiders can travel by ballooning, which is a method of travel through the air. This is accomplished by small spider or spiderlings getting high up on an object and spinning a web in the air that creates a triangle shaped parachute. The parachute finally gets big enough to lift the spider air-borne with the slightest breeze. Most spiders travel a few meters to a couple hundred meters until they land.
Non-chemical measures
Routine and thorough cleaning of the structure is the best way to discourage spiders from making your home their home.
Sweeping, vacuuming or removing the spiders/webs on the interior and exterior is key. Adding a little dust to the webster head when sweeping webbing around the exterior is beneficial.
Reducing clutter in areas like closets, garages, basements and attics will make these areas less attractive to spiders. Spiders prefer quiet, undisturbed areas.
Keep limbs and shrubs trimmed back from touching the structure
Install tight fitting screens, door sweeps and caulk cracks to keep spiders and other pests from entering.
Turn all outside lighting off or consider installing yellow or sodium vapor light bulbs. This will attract fewer flying insects, which in turn draws fewer spiders to the structure.
Placing monitoring glue boards where spiders frequent
Chemical Measures
The best pesticide formulation to control spiders is dust. Applying dust in weep holes, around windows, doors and eaves is the best approach to providing a spider free home. When treating around windows, doors and eaves, apply a very light amount of dust to the webster head. If you're applying dust and can see it, you are over-applying.
Treating the soil/mulch and entry points around the exterior of the structure should also be completed to eliminate adult spiders outside. Wettable powders and micro-encapsulated formulations are best to use on the exterior.
WPs: Alpine WSG
Micro-encapsulated: Temprid SC, Tandem, Onslaught, Suspend Polyzone, Transport Mikron
Dust: Delta Dust, Alpine Dust
Exterior soil/mulch: Micro-encapsulated products above and Cyper TC also works if many spiders are present in areas treating