SPIDERS

Spiders are truly fascinating creatures.  Fossils suggest that arachnids were among the first animals to live on land, perhaps in the early Devonian Period, nearly 400 million years ago.  People are often afraid of spiders because of their ill-deserved reputation for venomizing victims.  In fact, most spiders do not have mouth parts strong enough to penetrate human skin. 

In North America there are only two common spiders, the Brown Recluse and the Black Widow, that can cause poisoning with their painful bites.  Fifty other species have been implicated in bites but spiders are seldom aggressive towards humans and usually bite only when injured or trapped.  They are beneficial arthropods because they prey on harmful and obnoxious insects.  And, when found in its natural habitat, such as the garden or yard, this shy, retiring, eight-legged invertebrate should be left alone.  Spiders play an important role in nature and we do not promote the indiscriminate destruction of spiders....

But, when spider populations are out of control...

When spiders are overly abundant on the exterior surface of your house, cottage, farm, or trailer you may consider our services. In addition to the unsightly fecal specks on light-coloured siding, every crack and crevice offers them an invite to come inside and stay for awhile!

We offer an intensive exterior spider management application that will make heavy spider infestations a thing of the past.  Our service makes a dramatic difference by eliminating existing spiders and creating a residual barrier in all the nooks and crannies that controls infestations throughout the season.  A follow-up service in late August is often advised, particularly if you live on the waterfront or in close proximity to water.  We also suggest that you control spider infestations inside your home with the simple use of a broom, dustpan and vacuum cleaner (emptying or disposing of the bag after each use).  Continuous removal of webs, destruction of retreats and egg sacs and physical elimination of spiders into the garden (with the use of a bottle and stiff sheet of paper slipped between the wall and bottle) is generally all that is needed.  Elimination of all other insects, flying and crawling, serves to control spiders by removing their food supply.  We also offer an interior spider control service for heavy infestations.

Spider Bites

In North America there are 2 common groups of spiders that bite and can cause poisoning.  They are the Black Widow Spider and related species and the Brown Recluse Spider and its relatives.  The Hobo Spider is also a real problem in some areas and are very aggressive, and also know as the Aggressive House Spider.  Over 50 other species of spiders have been implicated in bites on humans and animals.  Most spiders though, are seldom aggressive towards humans and usually bite only when injured or trapped.  Only large spiders are capable of breaking the skin of a human, smaller ones can inflict only superficial scratches.

Nearly all spiders have venom glands, but most of the North American species have a venom so low in toxicity to humans that effects are usually insignificant.  Signs and symptoms vary and the severity of a person's reaction to a spider bite is influenced by a number of factors such as the species of spider, body area of the bite, amount of venom injected, depth of bite, seasonal changes and temperature, and in some cases there is no reaction whatsoever to a spider bite.  Symptoms you may watch for are a slight soreness and itching similar to a mosquito bite, burning, throbbing numbness and stiffness, and a slight swelling;  sometimes individuals who are especially allergic to venoms of insects and their relatives may be more seriously affected by bites of spiders that are not normally dangerous to most people.

Spiders In and Around the House

Spiders are in and around your home because of the large number of insects that rest on the exterior of your house, especially if the structure is light-coloured or white siding which seems to attract more insects and spiders.