Preventing Spider Bites

· Shake out clothing and shoes before getting dressed.

· Inspect bedding and towels before use.

· Wear gloves when handling firewood, lumber and rocks (be sure to inspect the gloves for spiders before putting them on).

· Remove bed skirts. Move the bed away from the wall.

· Don’t store boxes and other items underneath beds.

· Exercise care when handling cardboard boxes (some spiders may inhabit the space under folded cardboard flaps).

 

Exclusion

· Install tight-fitting screens on windows and doors; also install weather stripping and door sweeps.

· Seal or caulk cracks and crevices where spiders can enter the house.

· Equip vents in soffits, foundations and roof gables with tight-fitting screens.

· Install yellow or sodium vapor light bulbs outdoors since these attract fewer insects for spiders to feed upon.

· Many web-making spiders set up residence near lights that remain on at night. Locate such lights away from the house or turn them off when not needed.

· Tape the edges of cardboard boxes to prevent spider entry.

· Use plastic bags (sealed) to store loose items in the garage, basement and attic.

 

Sanitation

· Remove trash, old boxes, old clothing, wood piles, rock piles and other unwanted items.

· Eliminate clutter in closets, basements, attics, garages and outbuildings.

· Store items off the floor and away from walls in basements, crawl spaces, attics, garages and outbuildings in order to reduce spider harborage sites.

· Eliminate household pests (prey) such as flies, ants and beetles that attract spiders.

· Do not stack wood against the house.

· Remove heavy vegetation and leaf litter around the foundation.

Exterior & Interior Spider Control · Book an exterior spider control service in spring to prevent heavy infestations on the outside of your home or cottage that will surely make their way inside. Waterfront properties may require a spring service and another at the end of the season. Call for a quote and save $25.00 until June 30th. · Indoors, non-chemical control includes capturing the spider and releasing it outdoors. An effective technique for capturing hunting spiders is to place a cup over the spider and then slide a piece of paper underneath to entrap it. For heavy infestations, book an inside spider service. Call for a quote. · Dust and vacuum thoroughly to remove spiders, webs and egg sacs (dispose of the vacuum bag in a container outdoors). · Outdoors, use a broom to regularly destroy any webs that are constructed on or around the house. Spiders often move elsewhere when their webs are regularly destroyed. · Use a rolled up newspaper or fly swatter to kill individual spiders. · Use sticky traps and glue boards to trap spiders.

· Wash spider webs off the outside of the house using a high-pressure hose prior to an exterior spider control service.

 

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