orb weaver spiders Archives | Northwest Exterminating

What Are These Huge Spiders in My Yard?

Oct 3, 2023 | Pest Control

As the fall season settles in, many homeowners in Georgia are gearing up for the seasonal battle against fall pests. Among the various critters that make their way into our homes and gardens, orb weaver spiders are a common sight. While these eight-legged arachnids may appear intimidating, understanding their characteristics and behaviors is essential to maintaining a pest-free environment.

Identifying Orb Weaver Spiders

Orb weavers belong to the Araneidae family and are known for their distinctive circular webs, which they expertly spin to trap flying insects. These spiders come in various colors, shapes, and sizes, but they all share some common features:

Web Patterns: Orb weaver spiders create large, intricate, and symmetrical orb-shaped webs. These webs are usually positioned horizontally in gardens, between trees, or near outdoor lights.
Body Characteristics: Orb weavers typically have round or elongated abdomens and long, slender legs. Their coloration varies but often includes shades of brown, black, yellow, or green.
Size: These spiders can range in size from as small as 1/8 inch to over 1 inch in body length, depending on the species.
Distinctive Markings: Some orb weaver species have unique markings on their abdomens, such as zigzag patterns, colorful spots, or distinctive shapes.

Common Places to Find Orb Weaver Spiders

Orb weaver spiders are outdoor creatures, and you’ll most commonly encounter them in the following places:

Gardens: They often build their webs among plants and shrubs to catch flying insects.
Wooded Areas: Orb weavers thrive in wooded environments where they can find trees and bushes to create their webs.
Outdoor Structures: These spiders may spin their webs near porches, decks, or outdoor lights to take advantage of the insects attracted to these areas.

The Benefits and Disadvantages of Orb Weavers

Before rushing to eliminate orb weaver spiders from your property, it’s essential to consider both the advantages and disadvantages they bring.

Benefits:

Natural Pest Control: Orb weavers are efficient hunters and play a crucial role in keeping insect populations in check. They can help reduce annoying and potentially harmful pests around your home.
Low Maintenance: Once their web is built, orb weavers require minimal attention and maintenance. They can be considered natural pest control allies.

Disadvantages:

Aesthetic Concerns: Some homeowners find their large webs unsightly, especially when they are positioned in high-traffic areas.
Fear Factor: Orb weaver spiders can be intimidating due to their size and appearance, leading to arachnophobia in some individuals.

Fall Pest Control: Preventing and Managing Orb Weaver Spiders

If you wish to minimize orb weaver spider presence around your home, here are some practical tips:

Regular Cleaning: Regularly clean outdoor lights and remove debris from bushes and shrubs to discourage spiders from setting up shop.
Seal Entry Points: Ensure that your home’s windows and doors are tightly sealed to prevent spiders from entering your living spaces.
Professional Pest Control: Consider hiring a pest control expert for thorough fall pest control services. They can assess your property’s unique needs and develop a customized pest management plan.
Reduce Outdoor Lighting: Reduce outdoor lighting during the night, as it can attract insects that serve as orb weavers’ prey.

Don’t let orb weaver spiders and other fall pests disrupt your peace of mind this season. Take proactive steps to manage and prevent their presence by reaching out to our expert pest control team. Request a free pest control quote today and ensure a pest-free environment for you and your family.

In conclusion, while orb weaver spiders can be beneficial for natural pest control, they may also pose challenges for homeowners. Balancing their advantages and disadvantages and taking preventative measures can help you enjoy a pest-free home during the fall season.

Orb Weavers: What You Need to Know

Jul 29, 2022 | Pest Control

Orb weaver spiders, or orb weavers, are a group of spiders named for their ability to produce round, orb-like webs. They make up the family Araneidae, one of the most diverse groups of arachnids in terms of both size and appearance. Despite their differences, they all have one thing in common: their ability to create large, majestic webs. These webs are circular in shape with grids similar to the spokes of a wheel. Some webs can even measure up to 3 feet in diameter. Let’s take an in depth look to learn all you need to know about orb weavers.

Appearance

Orb weavers have body types similar to other spiders with 8 legs; 2 body parts (a cephalothorax and abdomen), and chelicera (mouthparts that look like fangs). They range in size from 1.5 to 3 cm. Some are brightly colored, while others are brown or gray. They have large abdomens and hairy legs.

Behavior

Orb weavers are typically nocturnal and will often build or repair their webs at night. They do not hunt or wander for their food. Instead, they utilize their expansive web making skills to catch their prey. They will usually sit in their webs after they are built waiting for prey to become ensnared. Sometimes they will hide nearby and leave a trigger line of silk connected to the web. The vibrations from the prey run down the line and alert them. They will then bite and paralyze their prey and wrap it in silk to save for dinner later. Orb weavers are most commonly seen in late summer and early fall.

Diet

An orb weaver’s diet usually consists of small insects like moths, wasps, beetles, flies, and mosquitoes. Larger spiders will also eat small frogs and hummingbirds.

Habitat

Orb weavers will take up residence where there is an abundance of prey for them to eat. They can often be found around outdoor lights, tall grass, weeds, fences, bushes, and walls. They can be found in any environment including gardens, grasslands, and cities. Orb weavers are found on every continent except Antarctica and in the Arctic. There are 2800 species worldwide and 180 species in North America.

Prevention is not necessary with orb weavers unless their web is constructed in an inconvenient area or an area with high human traffic. In fact, they can be beneficial to have around as they help keep other pests under control around your home. They don’t cause structural damage and they rarely bite (only if threatened and they cannot escape). Their bite has been compared to a bee sting. You can reduce the chances of having orb weavers around by:

Eliminating their food sources by keeping other pest populations under control around your home
Sealing any cracks, gaps, and crevices in the exterior of your home
Removing ground litter
Keeping grass and bushes trimmed

If you have a problem with orb weavers or any other pests, contact your local pest control company for an evaluation and treatment plan.