Daddy longlegs (a.k.a., cellar spiders) and the American house spider are two of the most common fall spiders in New England. While there’s something festive and spooky about spider webs around this time of year, you definitely don’t want spiders in your home.
Fall is considered spider season because the drop in temperature causes spiders to look for warmth and a spider’s mating season is just gearing up. This means the threat of spiders invading your home could be especially high. So, what can you do to prevent this from happening? The funny thing about spiders is that one of the best ways to control them in and around your home is by first seeking to control insects.
Why would that be? Because by controlling insects, you effectively control a spider’s food source and reason for sticking around your home in the first place.
Seal Up Entry Points
The same New England pest control advice that helps you control mice can be employed to help you control spiders. Sealing up entry points and paying special attention to cracks and unprotected windows openings can significantly reduce your chances of harboring spiders. Installing door sweeps along your front, side, back, or basement doors can also be an effective way to keep spiders at bay.
Keep Your Basement Dry
Checking for leaking and clogged pipes and making sure that your basement is reasonably dry is a great way to cut down on the number of spiders in the home. By creating an inhospitable environment for insects, you’re indirectly creating an environment inhospitable to spiders. Moist, dark areas are also the spot that spiders like to breed and nest, especially in the mating season this fall. Fix clogged pipes, leaking pipes, and malfunctioning AC units where possible.
Vacuum and Dust Regularly
When you vacuum, you’re likely hoovering up a lot of spider webs—whether you know it or not—and you’re getting rid of those dark spaces where spiders like to hang out. Dusting and vacuuming can also wind up eradicating a spider’s nymphs and eggs as well. Make sure to safely dismantle spider webs as you come across them or contact a pest control professional to help you.
Bain Pest Control’s home protection plan includes spiders so that you can have all-in-one, around-the-clock New England pest control.
Flip Off Floodlights
Exterior lights can attract insects that, in turn, provide spiders with a steady source of food. By cutting off your porch lights and floodlights, you can make your home less hospitable to insects at night; insects tend to fly towards the light, and that goes well beyond the concept of moths to a flame.
If you need outdoor light to navigate at night, then try to only have dim bulbs away from your doors and windows or lights along a path. That will allow you to move about and shouldn’t invite spiders into your home.
Trim Shrubs and Bushes
Trimming shrubs and bushes around your home is a good idea because it can reduce the chances that ticks and spiders land on your clothing or congregate around your home’s doors and windows. If you see spiderwebs stretching from your bushes to your home, or a collection of spiderwebs in bushes near your home, then consider safely removing those spiderwebs to force spiders to look for food elsewhere.
Contact Professionals in the Business
Bain Pest Control has been providing home protection plans and New England pest control throughout New Hampshire for decades. With eco-friendly pest control solutions, the best technicians around, and electronic reporting, Bain Pest Control lets you focus on more important things. Find out how you can manage the pests around your home by giving us a call today!