Fall is the time of year when spiders are seen the most. Not only do the cooler temperatures inspire them to come indoors to find shelter but, it is also a time of year when they are building nests and laying eggs.
Pest control of spiders is especially difficult. Spiders are built to crawl up off of the ground, meaning no part of their body drags on the ground so, just spraying a chemical is not the most effective way to rid your home of spiders. The one exception to this is spraying in cracks and crevices where their bodies have to squeeze through.
Here are some tips for spider control this fall:
- Make sure to spray all cracks and crevices around your doors, windows, and baseboards. It is also a good idea to seal off any areas that allow for entry into your home. If you see any egg sacs or webs, these are good indications that a spider is nearby.
- Lay down glue or sticky traps in the dark corners of your home. For instance, closets, crawl spaces, and attics. These traps work to capture the spiders and keep them from continuing to crawl around your home. While these traps cover little surface area, they are a good way to determine how spiders are coming into your home. If you put a trap down in front of all of the doors into your home, and only catch spiders in one, then you know that door is an entryway for them.
- The best way to eliminate spiders from your home is to eliminate their food source. So, bugs, ants, etc. should all be prevented from setting up nests in your home. This means keeping your pantry and kitchen clean from food crumbs and scraps. Spiders will not come into your home if there is not a food source there for them. They are built to survive and eating is part of that.
As you are walking around your home thinking about how to keep spiders out, change your perspective a bit and think about how to keep the things that spiders eat out. This is a much more effective approach.
