Oct 27, 2021 | Pest Control
Nothing says “Halloween” like spotting a few cobwebs around the house! While it’s always fun to see cobweb decorations during this time of year, it’s not as fun having to deal with them year-round. Since the temperatures have cooled off, many spiders are looking indoors to inhabit a warmer environment. It’s important to understand common types of spiders in order to provide the best treatment if they’ve infested your home.
Brown Recluse
The brown recluse spider is light to dark brown, with a signature brown violin shape on its backs. If threatened, these spiders will bite, which can be painful and leave an open sore. If bitten, some can experience fever, restlessness, and difficulty sleeping. Brown recluse spiders can be found in debris and woodpiles. If they’ve snuck inside your home, they can often be found under furniture, inside storage items, in baseboards, closets, and crawlspaces.
Wolf Spider
Wolf spiders are dark brown with paler stripes or markings and long, spiny legs. These spiders are large and hairy across their bodies. While these spiders will bite, it’s rare that they do and are not a significant threat to humans. Inside homes, wolf spiders tend to stay near or on the floor, especially along walls and under furniture where they chase their prey instead of capturing them in their webs. If outside, they like to inhabit firewood piles, leaves, yard debris, and stones.
Common House Spider
House spiders can vary in color but are usually yellow to brown with elongated abdomens. Although not a threat to humans, they are a nuisance to have in the home as they can produce and leave behind webs throughout the house. They can often be found in ceiling corners, under furniture, and inside closets, basements, garages, and crawlspaces. If outside, you will commonly find them spinning webs around windows, under eaves, and near light sources that attract food.
By recognizing each spider species and knowing where they most often inhabit, you can utilize the correct preventative measures to eliminate the chance of an infestation. Check out some of these easy do-it-yourself spider prevention tips:
- Keep garages, attics, and basements clutter-free.
- Avoid leaving clothes and shoes on the floor.
- Seal any cracks and crevices around the home.
- Call a professional pest control company. They will perform an inspection and provide you with the correct treatment and prevention plan for any spiders seen throughout your property.
Sep 22, 2021 | Pest Control
By Anna V., Editorial Lead — Pest Education · Last updated: May 2026
If you’ve walked into a large, intricate spider web stretched across your back porch or between two garden shrubs, you’ve almost certainly met an orb weaver spider. At Northwest, we get calls about these every August and September across Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, and South Carolina. The conversation almost always starts the same way: I just walked face-first into the biggest web I’ve ever seen. What is this thing and is it venomous?
The honest answer to “are orb weaver spiders venomous?” is: technically yes, practically no. Almost all spiders have venom. It’s how they catch their prey. The real question is whether their venom is dangerous to humans, and for orb weaver spiders the answer is no. They’re among the most beneficial outdoor spiders in the Southeast, and most are completely harmless to people and pets.
The yellow garden spider is the most commonly spotted orb weaver in Southeast yards from late summer through fall.
What Is an Orb Weaver Spider?
Orb weaver spiders belong to the family Araneidae. There are more than 3,000 species worldwide and dozens in the Southeast. They’re named for the iconic circular (“orb”) webs they build, the symmetrical wagon-wheel pattern most people picture when they hear the word “spider web.”
Three things make orb weavers stand out:
- Web architecture. The classic round web with radial spokes and concentric spirals is one of nature’s most efficient insect traps. Orb weavers often rebuild the entire web nightly, eating the old web to recycle the silk proteins.
- Outdoor lifestyle. Almost all orb weavers live outdoors in gardens, yards, wooded areas, and around outdoor structures. Indoor sightings are rare and usually accidental.
- Visible, striking appearance. Many species are large, brightly colored, and impossible to miss when they show up. This is often what generates the homeowner panic that leads to a Google search.
Orb Weaver Spider Identification
Four orb weaver species cover most sightings in Southeast yards. All four are harmless to humans.
Physical Characteristics
Orb weaver spiders vary widely in size and color, but most share these features:
- Rounded, often bulbous abdomens. Females in particular have noticeably round bodies.
- Distinctive patterns or markings. Colors range from bright yellow and black (yellow garden spider) to brown and orange (garden orb weaver) to gray with red accents (Joro spider).
- Long legs relative to body size.
- Significant size difference between males and females. Females are typically 2 to 3 times larger and are the ones you usually notice in webs. Males are smaller, less visible, and often hang at the edge of the female’s web.
Common Orb Weaver Species in Georgia
- Yellow garden spider (Argiope aurantia). The classic large black-and-yellow garden spider with the distinctive zigzag pattern (called a stabilimentum) woven into its web. Common from late August through October.
- Joro spider (Trichonephila clavata). An invasive species first confirmed in Georgia in 2014 and now established statewide. Females have striking yellow, gray-blue, and red markings with banded legs. Builds enormous multi-layered golden webs. Harmless despite their imposing appearance.
- Garden orb weaver (Araneus species). Several brown to gray species that build classic circular webs in shrubs and between fence posts. Usually nocturnal. They build webs at dusk and take them down at dawn.
- Spinybacked orb weaver (Gasteracantha cancriformis). Small (1/4 inch), distinctive white body with red spines giving a crab-like appearance. Common in shrubs and gardens. Easy to identify because nothing else looks like it.
For the broader picture of all common Southeast spider species (including the venomous ones to watch for), see our guide to common spiders in Georgia.
Web Structure
The easiest way to identify an orb weaver is by its web. Orb weaver webs are:
- Circular and symmetrical (the classic Halloween-decoration spider web shape)
- Built between two anchor points, often spanning several feet
- Often built and dismantled daily by nocturnal species
- Strong enough to catch large flying insects (some Joro webs trap small birds, though this is rare)
- Sometimes featuring a zigzag stabilimentum pattern (yellow garden spiders are known for this)
Are Orb Weaver Spiders Venomous?
Yes, technically. But it’s important to understand what “venomous” actually means here.
Almost every spider species on Earth is venomous in the technical sense. Spiders use venom to subdue their prey. What matters for human safety is whether that venom is potent enough to cause harm when delivered to a human via a bite, and whether the spider is even capable of biting through human skin.
For orb weaver spiders, the answers are: not potent, and rarely able to bite humans effectively. Their venom is well-suited to small insects (flies, mosquitoes, moths, beetles) but is not medically significant to humans. Even when an orb weaver does bite a person, the result is typically comparable to a mild bee sting.
Venomous vs Poisonous — Quick Clarification
This is a common point of confusion. The terms aren’t interchangeable:
- Venomous means the animal actively injects toxin (usually via a bite or sting). Spiders are venomous.
- Poisonous means the animal is toxic if you eat or touch it. Spiders are not poisonous.
So orb weaver spiders are venomous (they inject venom into prey) but they’re harmless to humans because the venom isn’t potent enough to cause serious effects.
Orb Weaver Spider Bites
Orb weaver bites are uncommon and rarely cause significant problems. The reasons:
- They’re non-aggressive. Orb weavers retreat when disturbed rather than approach. Their first defense is dropping out of the web and hiding.
- Their fangs are small. Most orb weaver species have chelicerae (mouthparts) that struggle to penetrate human skin.
- They bite only defensively. Bites occur almost exclusively when the spider is trapped against skin (caught under clothing, grabbed accidentally, pressed against a hand reaching into their web).
If you are bitten, expect:
- Mild localized pain similar to a bee sting
- Slight redness and swelling at the bite site
- Possible itching for a day or two
- Full resolution within 2 to 3 days without treatment
More serious reactions are extremely uncommon. As with any bite, seek medical attention if you experience unusual symptoms (severe pain, rapidly spreading redness, fever, difficulty breathing). For most orb weaver bites, washing the area with soap and water and applying a cold compress is sufficient.
Why Orb Weaver Spiders Are Common in Yards & Gardens
Orb weavers thrive where flying insects thrive. In Georgia and Alabama, that means almost every backyard from late spring through early fall. Three factors drive orb weaver populations:
- Flying insect abundance. Mosquitoes, flies, moths, beetles, and other flying insects are the main food source. Yards with lots of flowering plants, gardens, water features, or outdoor lighting tend to have more orb weavers.
- Anchor points for webs. Orb weavers need structures to stretch webs between: shrubs, fence posts, eaves, porch columns, tree branches. Suburban yards with diverse landscaping provide plenty.
- Seasonal life cycle. Most Southeast orb weaver species hatch in spring, grow through summer, and reach peak adult size from late August through October. That’s when their webs become most visible and homeowners notice them.
Late summer and early fall sightings are normal and not a cause for concern. Orb weaver populations die back naturally with the first hard frost.
Orb Weaver Spiders Around Your Home
Most orb weaver spiders stay outdoors. Indoor sightings are uncommon and usually accidental: a spider carried inside on a plant, blown in through an open door, or wandering through a porch in transition between web sites.
If you find an orb weaver indoors:
- Use the cup-and-cardboard method to capture it and release outside in a garden or near a tree.
- Or use a vacuum hose attachment to remove the spider. Quick and gentle.
- Don’t crush them indoors. Orb weavers are highly beneficial outdoor pest controllers, and there’s no reason to kill them.
If you have a web in an inconvenient outdoor location (across a frequently used doorway, on a porch you use daily), gently relocate the spider with a stick or remove the web with a long-handled duster. The spider will rebuild elsewhere within a day.
Safety & Prevention Tips for Orb Weaver Activity
Warm-tone outdoor lighting and trimmed perimeter shrubs reduce where orb weavers build webs.
Most orb weaver “problems” are really just web placement issues. The spider isn’t the problem. The location of its web is. A few changes minimize the inconvenience without harming the population.
- Reduce outdoor lighting attractants. White or bright LED porch lights attract flying insects, which attract orb weavers to build webs nearby. Switch to warm-toned (2700K-3000K) or yellow “bug light” bulbs. Fewer insects mean fewer spiders.
- Remove webs regularly. If a web is in an inconvenient spot (across a door, on a frequently used patio), remove it with a long-handled duster. The spider rebuilds elsewhere. Consistent removal in the same spot trains spiders to relocate.
- Trim back vegetation near the home. A 3-foot clearance between shrubs and exterior walls reduces anchor points for webs near doors and windows.
- Around children and pets. Teach kids to look before reaching into shrubs or web-prone areas. Most orb weaver encounters end with no incident, but a startled spider in a child’s hand can result in a bite. Standard outdoor caution applies.
- Walk paths in the morning. Orb weavers build webs at dusk and often anchor across paths. A quick walk-around in the morning with a stick clears overnight construction before you walk into it.
For broader natural prevention strategies that apply to orb weavers and other Southeast spiders, see our natural spider repellent guide.
When to Call Professional Spider or Pest Control
Orb weavers rarely warrant professional intervention because they’re outdoor spiders that don’t pose health risks. Call Northwest if:
- Orb weavers (or other spiders) are repeatedly setting up indoors in living spaces.
- You’re finding webs in multiple rooms or notable numbers of spiders inside.
- You’ve spotted a venomous species (widow spiders) alongside orb weavers and want a full treatment.
- Outdoor spider populations are large enough to interfere with normal use of porches, patios, or doorways.
- Underlying insect issues are driving spider populations. Addressing the source pest typically reduces spider activity.
Clemson Extension’s guide to large orb-weaver spiders in the Southeast covers the four most commonly seen yellow-and-black orb weavers (yellow garden spider, banded garden spider, golden silk orbweaver, and Joro) and consistently recommends keeping these outdoor spiders in place because of their ecological value. Most professional spider work focuses on entry points and underlying insect populations rather than killing the spiders themselves.
(Spider activity beyond what you want to handle? Request a free Northwest inspection and we’ll identify what’s around and address any underlying pest issues.)
Frequently Asked Questions About Orb Weaver Spiders
What does an orb weaver spider look like?
Most orb weavers have rounded abdomens with noticeable patterns or markings. Colors vary widely: yellow and black (yellow garden spider), brown to orange (garden orb weaver), gray with red accents (Joro spider), or white with red spines (spinybacked orb weaver). Females are typically 2 to 3 times larger than males. The most reliable identifier is the web: a large symmetrical circular pattern stretched between two anchor points.
Do orb weaver spiders build webs at night?
Many do. Several common Georgia orb weaver species are nocturnal builders. They construct webs at dusk and take them down at dawn, eating the old web to recycle the silk proteins. Yellow garden spiders and Joros build during the day and maintain their webs continuously.
What time of year do orb weaver spiders appear?
Orb weavers in Georgia and Alabama are most visible from late August through October. Spiders hatch in spring and grow gradually through summer, reaching maximum adult size in late summer. That’s when their webs become most noticeable. Populations die back naturally with the first hard frost.
Are orb weaver spiders helpful?
Significantly. Orb weavers are some of the most effective natural pest controllers in Southeast yards. A single yellow garden spider can catch hundreds of mosquitoes, gnats, flies, and moths over a season. Most pest professionals (including ours) recommend leaving outdoor orb weavers in place because of their value.
Are orb weaver spider bites dangerous?
No. Orb weaver bites are uncommon (they’re non-aggressive and their fangs struggle to penetrate human skin), and when they do occur, the bite typically causes mild localized pain similar to a bee sting. There are no documented cases of orb weaver bites causing serious medical issues. Wash the area with soap and water and apply a cold compress if needed.
Most spider control focuses on the underlying insect populations, not the spiders themselves.
Leave the Orb Weavers, Call About the Rest
Orb weaver spiders are some of the best outdoor pest controllers your yard has. If you can leave them alone or relocate the occasional inconvenient web, you’re getting free mosquito and gnat control for the price of one slightly creepy backyard tenant. For everything else (widow species, indoor spider populations, recurring activity in living spaces), Northwest’s team can help.
About the Author
Anna V., Editorial Lead — Pest Education leads pest education content for Northwest Exterminating, working with senior technicians and service center managers across our Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, and South Carolina service areas to translate field expertise into homeowner-friendly guides. The focus: accurate, regionally-specific answers to the pest questions Southeast homeowners are actually searching for.
Aug 24, 2021 | Pest Control
Creepy and crawly, spiders can easily sneak into homes without you noticing. Most spiders that homeowners come across are harmless; but if you don’t take precautions, you can find them infesting your home. Below are some easy, do-it-yourself tips for spider prevention.
Clean Up Clutter
Spiders tend to look for dark, secluded areas to inhabit. You can often find them in rooms that have clutter, such as basements and attics. To keep these pests from infesting, keep garages, sheds, attics, basements, and other areas that aren’t utilized very often clean and clear of clutter.
In your regularly used rooms, be mindful of leaving clothes or clutter around the house. Try to avoid leaving clothes and shoes on the floor and instead, consider storing them in plastic bins. Shake out any clothing left on the floor and in the hamper.
Repair and Seal
The smallest gap or hole can allow spiders right into your home. Look around the inside and outside of your home and search for any open holes or gaps. Inspect your window screens, doors, and siding, as these are places that can provide openings leading inside.
If you find openings, seal them as soon as possible to eliminate the chance of these pests from entering. Make sure to inspect your house seasonally and provide any repairs.
Check Before Entering
Packages, secondhand furniture, and even groceries provide a perfect gateway inside homes for spiders. These pests will often hitch a ride on these items without you noticing. Make sure to inspect all packages delivered to your porch or steps, groceries as you unload them, boxes of decorations brought in from storage, and used appliances and furniture bought secondhand.
Spotting spiders can be difficult, but once you see them or suspect that you have a problem, it’s best to call your local pest control company to help eliminate and prevent them. A service professional will inspect the exterior and interior of the home to identify and provide you with the best plan of action to treat them.
Nov 15, 2019 | Pest Control
By Anna V., Editorial Lead — Pest Education · Last updated: April 2026
If you’ve ever walked into the garage, looked up at a ceiling corner, and spotted a tiny body with eight ridiculously long, thread-thin legs, you’ve almost certainly met a granddaddy long legs. At Northwest, we get asked about these spiders constantly, usually paired with the same two questions: Are they dangerous? and Why are there so many of them in my house? The answers are reassuring. Granddaddy long legs are among the most misunderstood pests in Georgia and the Southeast. They’re almost entirely harmless to people and pets, and they quietly eat a surprising number of the pests you actually do want gone.
Here’s what a granddaddy long legs actually is, why the name causes so much confusion, whether any version of the creature is dangerous, and how to handle them around the house.
The cellar spider is the most common “granddaddy long legs” you’ll see indoors in the Southeast.
What Is a Granddaddy Long Legs?
Here’s the part that surprises most people: “granddaddy long legs” isn’t one creature. It’s a regional nickname that gets applied to three very different animals. Knowing which one you’re looking at clears up most of the confusion.
1. Cellar Spiders (Family Pholcidae)
This is the one you almost certainly have in your home. Small slender body, eight legs that can span two or three inches, builds messy tangled webs in corners of basements, garages, attics, and crawl spaces. True spider, produces silk, produces a mild venom for hunting prey (not a threat to humans). In the Southeast, when someone says “granddaddy long legs,” this is the one they mean about 90% of the time.
2. Harvestmen (Order Opiliones)
Arachnid, but not a true spider. Fused body (no visible waist between head and abdomen), eight legs, no silk, no venom. You’ll usually see them outdoors in leaf litter, on stone walls, or under logs rather than indoors. Completely harmless.
3. Crane Flies (Order Diptera)
This one isn’t a spider at all. Crane flies are insects with six legs, two wings, and a mosquito-like body. They show up around porch lights on warm evenings and look like giant mosquitoes. They don’t bite. They don’t sting. They don’t carry disease. In some regions people call them “daddy long legs” or “mosquito hawks” (though they don’t eat mosquitoes either, despite the nickname).
Why the Name “Granddaddy Long Legs” Causes Confusion
The same name for three different creatures is how a lot of the venom myths got started. Someone will say harvestmen are “the most venomous spider in the world but can’t bite you,” a claim that’s wrong on three counts: harvestmen aren’t spiders, they don’t produce venom at all, and they can’t bite anything human-sized even if they tried. The claim probably got attached to cellar spiders at some point, mixed up with harvestmen, and turned into a schoolyard urban legend that won’t die. Cellar spiders do have venom. It’s adequate for a mosquito. A human isn’t on the menu.
Granddaddy Long Legs vs Other Long-Legged Creatures
Quick visual reference for telling the three apart:
Three different creatures all called “granddaddy long legs,” and only one is actually a spider.
| Feature |
Cellar Spider (Pholcidae) |
Harvestman (Opiliones) |
Crane Fly (Diptera) |
| Classification |
True spider (arachnid) |
Arachnid (not spider) |
Insect |
| Body shape |
Small, slender, distinct segments |
Single fused body segment |
Elongated insect body with wings |
| Legs |
8, very long and thin |
8, long |
6, fragile |
| Silk / Web |
Yes, tangled corner webs |
None |
None |
| Venom |
Mild, not a threat to humans |
None |
None |
| Where you’ll see it |
Indoor corners, basements, garages |
Outdoor leaf litter, stone walls |
Around porch lights at night |
Are Granddaddy Long Legs Venomous or Dangerous?
The short answer: no. The single most persistent myth is that granddaddy long legs are the most venomous spider in the world but physically can’t bite a human. Every piece of that claim is wrong.
- Cellar spiders do produce venom for hunting prey. Studies have measured its potency, and it’s nothing special. It’s on par with a mosquito’s saliva. A human bite, which is extraordinarily rare, causes at worst a mild, brief sting.
- Harvestmen don’t produce venom at all. They have no venom glands.
- Crane flies are insects with no venom, no stinger, and no biting mouthparts capable of breaking human skin.
None of the three is a medically significant pest. If you want an authoritative second opinion, the UGA Extension guide to common household spiders has a plain-language breakdown of the cellar spider and several other species you’re likely to see in a Georgia home.
Behavior & Habitat in Southeast Homes
Cellar spiders are the version you’ll encounter inside, so the rest of this post focuses on them.
Where They Live
Ceiling corners, basement joists, attic rafters, garage doorframes, crawl-space wall cavities, sheds, behind stored boxes. Anywhere dark, undisturbed, and with a steady supply of small insects passing through.
Webs
Messy, irregular, and loosely strung. Nothing like an orb weaver’s symmetrical web. The web isn’t sticky the way other spider webs are; cellar spiders rely on shaking the web to tangle prey further once something wanders in.
When You’ll See Them
In the Southeast, indoor cellar spider sightings peak in late summer and early fall. Two things are happening: the spiders are finishing a season of breeding, and they’re following their food (flies, gnats, mosquitoes) as those insects push deeper into homes ahead of cooler nights.
What Attracts Daddy Long Legs to Your Home?
If you suddenly have a lot of cellar spiders in the garage, it’s almost always one of three things:
- Other pests are thriving. Cellar spiders eat small flies, gnats, mosquitoes, moths, and other spiders. A heavy cellar-spider population usually means you also have a heavy small-insect population somewhere nearby, often in a basement drain, a damp crawl space, or an overwatered plant tray.
- Moisture. Cellar spiders like humid environments. Damp basements, leaky plumbing, unsealed crawl spaces, and humid attics are their favorite spots.
- Undisturbed clutter. Stacked boxes, stored furniture, piled lumber, and rarely-used corners let webs go untouched for weeks. Stability is more attractive to a cellar spider than food location.
Handle those three things and the spider population drops on its own, often faster than any treatment plan can drop it.
Are Granddaddy Long Legs Useful or a Nuisance?
Useful. It’s one of the few pests we tell customers to leave alone when they find one or two. Cellar spiders actively eat other cellar spiders, which self-limits their populations. More importantly, they eat mosquitoes, fungus gnats, and the occasional pantry moth. A small cellar-spider presence in the garage is pest control doing free work.
They cross the line into nuisance when you see large numbers indoors (20 or 30 in a single room), or when the webbing becomes impossible to keep ahead of. At that point it’s less about the spiders and more about whatever they’re eating.
A vacuum and a cup beats a chemical spray for cellar spiders 99% of the time.
How to Handle Granddaddy Long Legs in Your Home
Humane Removal
A cup and piece of paper is the classic method. Slide it over the spider, slide the paper underneath, and walk it outside. If there are webs you want cleared, a vacuum hose with a brush attachment handles them fast without hurting anything. Skip the pesticide spray for one or two spiders.
Prevention Tips
- Seal foundation cracks and gaps around doors, windows, utility penetrations, and garage side doors.
- Cut clutter in basements, attics, garages, and sheds. Less stable surface area means fewer web-building sites.
- Move outdoor lights away from entry points. Bright doorway lights pull in the insects cellar spiders eat, which then pulls in more cellar spiders.
- Fix leaks, run a dehumidifier in damp rooms, and address crawl-space moisture. Dry is unattractive.
- Trim shrubs back from the foundation. A three-foot clear zone around the house reduces harborage for both spiders and their prey.
When to Call a Professional
Most cellar-spider sightings don’t need a professional. Call Northwest if:
- You’re seeing 20+ spiders in a single room, or cobwebs reappear within days of clearing.
- You’re also seeing other small insects indoors, which means there’s a food-source issue we need to find.
- The spiders are appearing in the living area (kitchens, bedrooms, bathrooms) rather than just basements or garages, which often signals a moisture or entry-point issue.
- You’re uncomfortable with spider identification and want someone to confirm what you’re seeing isn’t a brown recluse or a widow.
(Not sure whether you’ve got a harmless cellar spider or something that needs attention? Request a free inspection and we’ll walk the home with you and ID what’s actually there.)
Frequently Asked Questions About Granddaddy Long Legs
Do granddaddy long legs eat mosquitoes?
Yes. Cellar spiders prey on small flying insects, including mosquitoes, gnats, moths, and even other spiders. A small cellar-spider population in a garage or basement is effectively free pest control for the kinds of insects you don’t want.
Can granddaddy long legs bite humans?
Bites are extraordinarily rare. Cellar spiders will only bite if trapped against skin, and the bite itself is mild (often compared to a mosquito sting). There’s no medical significance. Harvestmen and crane flies can’t bite humans at all.
Is a granddaddy long legs actually a spider?
It depends which one you’re looking at. Cellar spiders are true spiders. Harvestmen are arachnids but not spiders. Crane flies are insects. In the Southeast, if you see one indoors, it’s almost certainly a cellar spider.
How do you get rid of granddaddy long legs?
Humane relocation (cup and paper), vacuuming webs, sealing entry points, fixing moisture issues, and cutting clutter in storage spaces. Most homes don’t need chemical treatment for cellar spiders specifically. If populations stay high after those steps, the root cause is usually another pest issue feeding them.
Are granddaddy long legs poisonous to dogs?
No. Cellar spider venom isn’t harmful to dogs or cats. Harvestmen and crane flies don’t produce venom at all. If your dog eats one, there’s no cause for concern.
If cellar spiders keep coming back, the real issue is usually whatever else they’re eating.
Schedule a Spider Inspection Today
If cellar spiders are showing up faster than you can clear them, the problem usually isn’t the spiders. It’s whatever they’re eating. Northwest’s team handles the full workflow: identification, targeted treatment, and addressing the moisture or insect issues that draw spiders in. Most customers are surprised how much of the work happens outside the house.
About the Author
[Anna V.], Editorial Lead — Pest Education leads pest education content for Northwest Exterminating, working with senior technicians and service center managers across our Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee, and South Carolina service areas to translate field expertise into homeowner-friendly guides. The focus: accurate, regionally-specific answers to the pest questions Southeast homeowners are actually searching for.
Sep 18, 2019 | Pest Control
As you break out your fall decorations, you may have noticed an abundance of spider webs or had a spider run across your hand; now the house must burn! WAIT – before you jump to meme-worthy conclusions, spiders do act as nature’s form of pest control; however, having them in your home is not ideal. Follow these tips to prevent spider encounters in your home so that you can enjoy hanging up fake cobwebs without stumbling upon a real one.
CLUTTER-FREE AND CAUTIOUS
- Store all belongings that are in the attic and basement in plastic containers with a lid.
- Shake clothing when removing from a clothes bin and shake shoes that have been sitting out.
SEAL THEM OUT
- Replace any damaged window screens and weather-stripping.
- Seal any existing cracks found with silicone-based caulk.
PLAY IT SAFE
- When bringing in packages that have been on the ground outside of your home, use caution as spiders may have crawled on the package, allowing transportation inside.
- Call a professional pest control company. If you think you have a spider infestation, an inspection will help with spider identification and a proper course of treatment.
