Spider Control & Removal in Edison, Somerset, Lakewood, & Nearby
Professional Spider Pest control Services in New Jersey
For significant spider infestations indoors, over-the-counter spider killer sprays are often ineffective as they only work on direct contact and lack long-lasting residual effects. While spraying may kill a few spiders, it's not a reliable long-term solution. Alternatively, physically removing spiders by crushing them with a newspaper or shoe is equally effective, less costly, and less toxic.
Cowleys Pest Services offers safe and effective spider control and removal solutions for your home. Continue reading to learn more about spider control methods or contact us now to schedule an inspection and free cost estimate!
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Cowleys Pest Services offers pest control service plans that make it easy to “spider-proof” your home from future infestations. Your pest control professional will conduct an inspection of your home to determine possible entry points and take the appropriate steps to reduce the risk of a later re-infestation. There's no sense in removing the spider infestation if the cause of the infestation remains. Eventually, without habitat modification and blocking access points, the spiders will return.
One method we use to solve a spider infestation is sorptive dusts applied in cracks and crevices, attics, wall voids, and other enclosed or unused spaces. This dust-like film dries out the spiders once they touch their outer covering.
Spider Control Tips
In spider population management, it's important to recognize spiders' beneficial role outdoors by controlling them primarily indoors. To effectively manage spiders inside the home, focus on eliminating hiding spots and regularly cleaning webs using brushes and vacuums. Spiders enter structures through cracks or hitchhike on items like plants and boxes. Consistent vacuuming aids in spider removal and web maintenance.
Preventative steps homeowners can take to reduce to spider populations inside their homes:
- Seal cracks in the foundation and other parts of the structure as well as gaps around windows and doors. Preventing access in the first place is the best defense with both spiders and bugs. If insects are let in the house, spiders will often follow since that is their food.
- In storage areas, place boxes off the floor and away from ways to prevent them from being used as harborages. Boxes are also attractants for termites so box storage, in general, is not a good idea. If boxes are being used for storage, they should be well sealed to prevent them from taking up residence within.
- Outside, keep the area next to the foundation of the house free of leaf litter, heavy vegetation, and other accumulations of materials. This will discourage spiders from taking up residence near the structure where it is only a matter of time before a few decide to move indoors. Sweep, mops, hose, or vacuum webs and spiders off buildings regularly.
- Outdoor lighting attracts insects, which in turn attracts spiders. It is always better to keep lighting fixtures off structures and away from windows and doorways even if aesthetically pleasing.
Deadly Spiders in NJ: The Black Widow
Most spiders have toxic venom to kill their prey, but “poisonous” spiders are limited to those whose venom typically causes a serious reaction in humans. In New Jersey, the most common poisonous spider is the black widow. The other well-known poisonous spider, the Brown Recluse Spider (Violin spider), is typically found in the central Midwestern states southward to the Gulf of Mexico. Recluse spiders have a violin-shaped mark on the topside of their head region, but the mark is not always distinct.
In New Jersey, the poisonous spider of concern is the black widow. The black widow gets its name from eating the male after mating. Venom from its bite can cause a serious reaction, but death is very unlikely and many symptoms can be alleviated if medical treatment is obtained. The male black widow’s fangs are too small to break human skin; only the female black widow can bite through a person’s skin and inject enough venom to cause a painful reaction. The female black widow has a shiny black body, slender black legs, and a red or orange mark in the shape of an hourglass on the underside of its abdomen.
Common Non-Poisonous New Jersey Spiders
American House Spider
The American House spider is a cobweb spider, like its relative the black widow. Cobweb spiders leave the classic Halloween webs -- tangled messes in the corners of the attic or windows and the females are much larger than the males. Unlike the Black widow, the venom of the American House spider is not poisonous and they are generally harmless around people. They usually opt to ‘play dead’ if threatened although if handled roughly, may bite.
Yellow Sac Spider
New Jersey’s yellow sac spider is an aggressive spider that regularly bites humans. They are small, just ¼ inch, a pale yellow color. These spiders get their name from the telltale white, papery sacks of silk they produce daily, often found along ceilings, in corners, and behind pictures or shelves. These quick-to-bite spiders instantly produce an intense stinging pain similar to the sting of a wasp or hornet.
Wolf Spider
Wolf Spider
Another common spider in New Jersey is the wolf spider. These are big, hairy dark brown or black one-and-a-half-inch spiders that are intimidating looking to say the least. They bear a resemblance to tarantulas, which fortunately are not found anywhere near New Jersey. Wolf spiders are ground dwellers that do not spin webs. They feed on other insects and seek refuge in dark basements, crawl spaces, and garages near their wooded habitat.
Why Spiders Aren't All Bad
Spiders are generally beneficial by helping to minimize the population of harmful insects. But for many, the ecological benefits of spiders don’t matter once they start invading our living space. While many have a fear of spiders, for some, the fear is so great that is rises to the level of a phobia, a severe anxiety disorder, called arachnophobia, one of the most common phobias.
Spiders resemble insects and are sometimes confused with them since they are both creepy-crawly things we don’t want in our homes, but spiders are technically arachnids with eight legs and two body parts, a head, and an abdomen. They lack the wings and antennae of insects. Although spiders are often found on plants, they eat mainly insects, other spiders, and related arthropods, not plants.
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Need help with a spider problem? Contact us today!
Whether you have a fear of spiders or not, nobody wants to deal with a spider problem in their home. Getting rid of spiders for good can be a challenge, but the professionals at Cowleys Pest Services make it easy. We offer pest control service plans and a 100% satisfaction guarantee!
Contact us today to schedule an inspection with us and we'll provide you with a free cost estimate for the spider control services you need. We offer complete pest control services throughout Mercer, Ocean, Monmouth, Somerset, & Middlesex County, NJ, including Edison, Somerset, Lakewood, and surrounding areas.