In addition to being a common source of fear and disgust, spiders can become a nuisance within homes. It is not uncommon for people to find one or two spiders within their home on occasion, and spiders often crawl into homes accidentally while searching for prey. In Massachusetts, numerous spider species are prevalent in residential yards, so they will inevitably wander into homes every once in a while. However, a large number of spiders are sometimes found within homes, and numerous indoor spider webs tend to be annoying to residents. When pest control professionals inspect spider infested homes, they normally encounter conditions that spiders find favorable. Therefore, in order to eradicate spider pests and prevent further infestations, pest control professionals pinpoint and eliminate all indoor conditions that are conducive to spiders.
In order to eliminate insect pests from homes and prevent further infestations, the practice of integrated pest management stresses the importance of exclusion and sanitation. Exclusion involves the elimination of all potential entry points that pests can exploit in order to gain access into homes. For example, maintaining tight fitting screens, installing door sweeps, placing screens on crawl space openings, and sealing cracks, crevices and other entry points on the exterior walls of homes are all important methods of pest exclusion. Exclusion makes sense when it comes to preventing spiders from invading homes, but many people are unsure about the role sanitation plays in spider control. Obviously, sanitation is important for controlling ants, cockroaches and pantry pests, as these three insect groups are attracted to easily accessible food sources like unwashed dishes and rotting food beneath appliances. Making sure homes do not contain an abundance of organic waste like garbage, excrement and rotting food will prevent flies from laying eggs indoors. However, since spiders do not rely on human foods, garbage or organic waste for either feeding or reproduction purposes, why is sanitation important for spider control?
If insect pests are abundant within unsanitary homes, then spiders will be as well, as spiders rely on insects as their primary food source. Spider infestations often take form after insect infestations become established, so maintaining sanitary indoor conditions will keep homes free of both insects and spiders. Regularly removing indoor clutter from homes deprives spiders of their favored indoor harboarages. For example, spiders crawl into folds in bedding and clothing, and they prefer the easily accessible dark hiding spots that clutter provides. Vacuuming behind furniture, appliances, and other objects often reveals the presence of spider webs, as well as dark spider harborages. If spiders become prevalent within inaccessible indoor areas like wall voids, pest control professionals can apply insecticide dusts to exterminate the pests.
Have you ever lived in a home where spiders became abundant within wall voids?