Spiders are a nuisance, especially when found in your home. Take precautions to keep these annoying pests out. Here are some tips for identifying, and getting rid of spiders around your Akron home.
- Common Types of Spiders in Ohio
- Prevent Spiders From Living In Your Home
- How Can I Tell If A Spider Bites
- How Do I Get Rid of Spiders
Common Types of Spiders in Ohio
Ohio has over 600 different species of spiders, but there are a few common spiders that can be found on your lawn or in your home when fall begins. The House Funnel Weaver is a spider that can be commonly found in Ohio year-round. The remaining four spiders are most common during months of September-November. Most spiders are harmless and simply decide that becoming your neighbor or roommate is a good idea. Some types of spiders that are common in Ohio are:
House Funnel Weaver
- These spiders are generally brownish or grayish in color.
- Their body typically ranges from1/3 to 2/3-inch when fully grown.
- They have four pairs of eyes that are roughly the same size.
- The legs and body are hairy and legs usually have some dark banding.
The Gray Cross Spider
- Sometimes they are called bridge spiders because they are often found near water, hiding under bridges. They also live on structures made of steel.
- They are night hunters.
- Although graceful when maneuvering around its web, the gray cross spider is clumsy on the ground. Because of this, it rarely leaves its web.
- After creating its egg sac, the female gray cross spider dies. In Charlotte’s Web, White refused to violate this scientific fact, even at his publisher’s request.
Bull-Headed Sac spider
- The Bull-Headed Sac spider has a gray abdomen, a dark gray or brown head, and their legs are usually orange or red in color.
- They have a set of pincers in addition to their eight legs, so when viewed from a distance, they appear to have ten legs.
- They also have very prominent fangs.
Grass spider
- Grass spiders typically have two black lines running down their body, with a tan mid-line.
- They are fast movers and catch their prey by dragging them into their funnel-shaped webs.
- They are moderately large for a spider. They have a body length of about 0.74 inches, and males are much smaller in size than the females.
The Barn spider
- The barn spider spins a circular web every night to catch its dinner.
- It is one of the spiders common to northeast Ohio. Fear not—they pose no threat to people. They are most common in late summer and winter.
- Although they sometimes share a fence or barn crevice, they attack each other if their personal territory is invaded.
- They will “jump” up and down in the center of their webs when threatened.
Black Widow
- Widow spiders can be found worldwide. Two black varieties are found in northeast Ohio, making it onto the state’s shortlist of “Dangerous Native Species.”
- The iconic black widow female has a shiny black body and a red hourglass marking on its abdomen. They are comb-footed, with tiny bristles on their back legs. This helps them spin their messy, tangled webs.
- The female venom is much stronger than male venom. However, even female venom rarely kills a human if they have proper medical attention.
- After baby black widows hatch, they are carried on the wind by silk threads in order to disperse from their place of birth.
The Wolf Spider
- In Northeast Ohio, the wolf spider is the most common spider.
- These little guys are smaller than two inches in diameter and will congregate around doors, windows, inside plants, basements, and garages.
- Wolf spiders are runners; they don’t spin webs and they move quickly on long legs. Although their bite can cause irritation, they are not poisonous.
- Wolf spiders are often confused with brown recluses. Both are similar in color, but brown recluses have a violin-shaped marking behind their head.
How Can I Tell If A Spider Bites?
The House Funnel Weaver, Bull-Headed Sac, and Grass spiders all bite.
- The House Funnel Weaver can be recognized by the web, which is funnel-shaped (hence the name). Although this spider can bite, it typically does not.
- On the other hand, the Bull-Headed Sac spiders do typically bite humans. This is the case because they more than often hide in small nooks, like gloves. If you see a rusted color spider with a pale abdomen tucked away, you found one!
- Grass spiders have a darker shell color and two stripes. Similar to the House Funnel Weaver, the grass spider has a funnel-shaped web. Their web is normally outside and close to the ground.
Being bitten by any of these spiders can be painful, but not deadly. Oftentimes, being bitten is a spider’s act of self-defense and can be avoided.
What Can I Do To Prevent Spiders From Living in My Home?
Although the weather is nice in the fall, keeping your windows and doors open can allow spiders to easily walk in. If all of these are closed, check to see if there are any small cracks around your home and seal them! Typically, spiders are attracted to creating webs in dark, desolate, and uninterrupted areas. Making sure spots like these in your home are dusted and clean can make all the difference.
A lot of the time, spiders invite themselves inside because of the things around your home or on your lawn. If you have compost, piles of leaves, or random items lying around your lawn, spiders will find it attractive. It may even attract them to come inside your home. At Epcon Lane, we can help you take preventative measures to avoid future pest problems.
How Do I Get Rid of Spiders?
Normally a spider is most interested in catching their next meal, and they only bite humans when they think they are in danger. Although typically harmless, getting rid of them to keep your home pest-free is a popular option. Dusting, removing webs when found, and vacuuming can help rid your place of spiders.
If you don’t know where to start or the measures you’re taking aren’t enough, contact us! At Epcon Lane, our professional exterminators will create a pest control plan to efficiently and safely remove unwanted pests in your home and business! Call (330) 278-8939 or get a free estimate today!