Don't Let Dangerous Spiders Take Over Your Frisco Home

There are many ways you can have a run-in with a spider. You may see one climbing on your wall in the light cast by a lamp. You may open a box from storage and find a creepy, hairy spider sitting inside. You may almost grab a spider as you go to grab a rake out of the garage. No matter how you come in contact with a spider, it isn't likely to be pleasant, even if it doesn't bite you. So, as we discuss spiders that could pose a concern inside your Frisco home, we'll give you some great tips for keeping all spiders in Frisco out of your home. We'll also share the advanced solutions licensed professionals apply to manage spiders. If you'd like to see up close how we deal with spiders, remember that the service team here at All-Safe Pest & Termite is always available to help you with professional pest control in Frisco.

The Two Types Of Dangerous Spiders Found In Frisco

It should come as no surprise that brown recluse spiders and black widow spiders are the spiders to watch out for in and around your home. Both of these spiders have earned a reputation. We're sure you know that brown recluse spiders have necrotic venom that can cause skin tissue to die and that black widow spiders can give you severe flu-like symptoms. But there are many facts you may not know that relate to how these spiders behave and how you might use these facts to manage them.

If you're hoping to keep spiders out of your home, this is what you should know:

• Brown Recluse Spiders: These spiders adapt well to living indoors. They can grow a large population inside a home. Some pest control technicians have recorded infestations with populations in the thousands. But there is some good news. Recluse spiders rarely bite. They are, as their name implies, reclusive by nature. Bites typically occur when one of these spiders is brought into contact with the skin. For example, putting a shirt on that has a spider crawling on the inside. Brown recluse spiders are drawn to clothing clumped on a floor or dresser because they crawl into dark holes. If you shake clothing out before putting it on, you can avoid bites.
• Black Widow Spiders: These spiders don't want to live in your home. You're more likely to find them outdoors in wood or brush piles, underneath your deck, or hiding in some other sheltered location. Black widows eat large bugs and small animals that aren't typically allowed inside our homes. If one of these spiders ventures inside, it won't want to stay unless you have a hidden pest problem. Usually, these spiders are controlled with yard work and the application of pest-proofing.

Neither of these spiders will hunt you down to bite you. If you see them first, you can avoid a confrontation. Look for light spider webs on the floor or around gaps, holes, or cavities. Brown recluses don't make webs to catch prey. They create webbing around their hiding places. 

Black widows are easier to detect. They create tangled webs made with strong fibers. If you pluck a strand of a black widow spider web, you can actually hear a noise. Look for these near the floor or ground, as black widows often hunt for crawling prey.

Symptoms Of Spider Bites: What To Expect And How To Treat

No article on dangerous spiders in Frisco would be complete without talking about the symptoms of a brown recluse or black widow spider bite. If all you know is that recluse spiders cause necrosis or that black widows can make you deathly ill, you're going to be unnecessarily fearful of these spiders.

• Brown Recluse Spider Bites: It is not commonly understood that most recluse bites do not result in an ugly wound or decaying skin tissue. Most bites only have an ulcer at the center and an area of inflamed skin around them. Can you develop a serious wound with necrosis or a giant blister? Yes. But it is the exception, not the rule. However, we do believe it is important to err on the side of caution. In all cases, you should have a physician monitor a brown recluse bite to avoid hidden necrosis underneath the skin. Just take comfort in knowing that your chances of a severe bite wound are small. As for what a recluse bite feels like, there is often a burning pain, some localized itching, swelling, and redness around the bite. Necrosis deadens the nerves in your skin, making it difficult to perceive the spread. This is the concern with these bites.
• Black Widow Spider Bites: There is no doubt that a black widow is a spider to avoid if you can. A venomous bite from one of these spiders often starts as a pinprick. The pain spreads to other parts of the body, such as the chest, belly, and back. There is usually cramping, muscle stiffness, muscle spasms, and a general ache. Flu-like symptoms, like nausea, vomiting, and sweating, are also expected. However, the symptoms to watch for are trouble breathing, lightheadedness, and paralysis. These reveal a more serious medical condition. But it is important that you understand an important fact. Some black widow bites aren't as bad as others. It depends on how much venom the female introduces into the wound. Some bites are what experts call dry bites, which is when no venom is injected at all. If you feel the pinprick and have irritation in the site of the wound and nothing more, it is likely that you're experiencing a dry bite.

Now that you know a bit about venomous spiders and spider bites, let's discuss how you can avoid bites from these and other spiders. Most spider prevention tips work for all spiders, so the tips provided below will give you great coverage.

Effective Spider Prevention Tips For Your Home

Spiders are only motivated by a few simple factors. Controlling these factors can reduce spider activity, deter population growth, and block entry into your home.

Let's start on the outside of your home and work our way indoors:

• Harborage: Spiders hide in clutter. They are particularly attracted to organic clutter, such as brush piles and stacked wood. If you remove clutter from your yard, you'll reduce harborage options.
• Insects: Spiders eat crawling and flying insects. If you address what attracts insects to your yard, you can reduce spider activity. Two great solutions are to manage trash in a way that reduces smells and keep exterior light off when not in use.
• Bugs: Spiders eat critters that aren't classified as insects. We'll call them bugs. These are the millipedes, centipedes, other spiders, etc. A good way to reduce bug activity near your home is to get your gutters cleaned and remove leaves and other organic clutter.
• Webs: Spiders that create webs and often make egg sacs in their webs. If you collect webs and destroy the egg sacs before the eggs hatch, you can deter population growth. This tip doesn't help with brown recluse spiders as they don't lay egg sacs in their webbing.
• Gaps: Spiders enter your home through available gaps. Perform a detailed inspection and seal gaps outdoors and indoors. Use a quality silicon caulking material that is water-resistant. If you have a large gap or void, expanding foam can fill it in.
• Weatherproofing: Spiders often slip through openings around exterior doors and windows. Make sure all of your exterior doors and windows are properly sealed. Replace weatherstripping, apply caulk, and replace sweeps.
• Screens: It doesn't take much of a hole to allow a spider to get inside. Patch your screens to keep spiders out.
• Inspections: Brown recluse spiders can move from one location to another by hitchhiking. Always check used furniture before bringing anything into your home. 

These all-natural pest management tips can stop an infestation before it begins. If you currently have an infestation and you need to get rid of spiders, or you want to add a stronger layer of preventative protection, our Frisco spider control services can help.

Professional Pest Control: A Great Spider Control Solution

If you have potentially dangerous spiders in your home, you're going to want to know for sure that they're gone. A professional uses field-tested methods to monitor activity, locate warning signs after treatment, and ensure no spiders remain inside your home. If you're looking for peace of mind, this is the way to go.

A professional can also help you with ongoing spider prevention. When you have an ongoing service plan, we start by dealing with the primary reason you have spiders, namely the pests they eat. On top of this, we routinely remove spider webs, apply liquid crack and crevice treatment to your exterior, and inspect your exterior for spider activity.

Contact All-Safe Pest & Termite for help with spiders and to learn more about our residential and commercial pest control services in Frisco. We'll help you get a clear understanding of your pest problem and find the right solution to solve it.