Spiders are one of the most common creatures found around homes. Most are simply looking for food and shelter, and many are beneficial outdoors because they feed on other insects. That does not necessarily make it any more pleasant to discover one hanging above the shower, running across the bedroom floor, or building webs around every window on the porch.
An occasional spider indoors is usually not a sign of a serious infestation. Repeated spider activity, however, can sometimes tell you something important about the rest of your home.
Spiders go where they can find food. If your property supports a large population of insects, it can also support a large population of spiders.
Why Are Spiders Coming Into My Home?
Homes provide spiders with shelter from weather, protected hiding places, and sometimes an abundant supply of insects.
Spiders may enter through:
- Gaps around doors and windows
- Cracks in foundations
- Openings around pipes and utilities
- Damaged screens
- Attic or crawl-space vents
- Gaps beneath siding
- Items carried indoors from garages or sheds
Some spiders wander inside accidentally. Others may establish themselves in quiet locations and remain there as long as food is available.
Basements, garages, closets, crawl spaces, attics, storage rooms, and other areas with little disturbance can provide particularly good hiding places.
Why Are There So Many Webs Around My House?
Outdoor lights are one common reason.
Lights attract moths, flies, mosquitoes, and other flying insects at night. Spiders quickly learn that windows, porch lights, doorways, and exterior fixtures can be excellent hunting locations.
That can result in webs appearing repeatedly around entrances, eaves, porches, decks, and windows.
Simply knocking down the webs may improve the appearance temporarily, but spiders may return if the food source remains.
Reducing the number of insects around the structure can often help reduce spider activity as well.
Are House Spiders Dangerous?
Most spiders homeowners encounter are not interested in attacking people and would rather escape than bite.
Spiders generally bite only when they become trapped against the skin, handled, or otherwise threatened.
However, some areas have medically significant spider species, and identifying an unfamiliar spider from appearance alone can be difficult.
If someone experiences a suspected spider bite followed by severe pain, spreading redness, significant swelling, difficulty breathing, or other concerning symptoms, they should seek appropriate medical care.
Pest control professionals can help with spider activity around the property, but suspected bites and medical symptoms belong with a healthcare professional.
What Attracts Spiders?
The most important attraction is usually other insects.
A property with abundant flies, mosquitoes, moths, ants, cockroaches, or other small pests provides spiders with plenty of prey.
Other conditions can contribute as well:
- Exterior lighting
- Cluttered storage areas
- Wood piles
- Dense vegetation against the house
- Undisturbed garages or sheds
- Boxes stored for long periods
- Gaps and cracks that provide shelter
Addressing these conditions can make the property less attractive.
What Can Homeowners Do?
Regularly remove webs around doors, windows, porches, and other high-traffic areas.
Reduce clutter in basements, garages, attics, and storage rooms. Keeping stored belongings in sealed plastic containers instead of cardboard boxes can eliminate some hiding places.
Trim vegetation away from the house and avoid stacking firewood directly against the structure.
Repair damaged screens and seal obvious gaps around windows, doors, pipes, and utility openings.
You can also evaluate outdoor lighting. Moving bright lights farther away from doors or using lighting that attracts fewer insects may reduce the concentration of prey immediately around entrances.
Why Killing Individual Spiders May Not Solve the Problem
If you find one spider and remove it, that may be all that is necessary.
But if spiders continuously reappear, simply killing each one does not address why your home is supporting them.
Heavy spider activity can indicate an equally heavy insect population.
That is why professional spider control may involve more than treating spiders themselves. Identifying and reducing the insects they are feeding on can make a substantial difference.
When Should You Call a Pest Control Professional?
Professional help may be worthwhile if spiders are appearing frequently throughout the home, webs rapidly return after removal, or spider activity is concentrated around areas your family regularly uses.
At Underworld Pest Control, we can inspect the property for spider activity, identify likely hiding and entry areas, and look for other insects that may be providing a food source.
You may never eliminate every spider from an outdoor environment, nor would you necessarily want to. But you should not have to share every room, doorway, and porch corner with them.
Sometimes the best way to solve a spider problem is to find out what is attracting the spiders in the first place.