Seeing More Spiders In TN This Spring?

It seems as if there is a greater abundance of spiders in TN during the springtime than at any other time of the year. The reality is they have probably been there all winter and are just now coming out of hiding and enjoying the warm temperatures and sunny days. Spring is also the time of year that spiders are hatching out dozens of babies. This causes a sudden influx of spiders racing around the house looking for food and makes it quite easy to see for one to see them throughout the day.

Spiders are carnivorous, only eating live prey or prey that has been very recently killed. The arrival of many spring insects makes for an abundance of available food for spiders and removes the need for them to leave the confines of your home to forage for something. By virtue of their appearance, spiders will seem threatening and dangerous. However, while the brown recluse spiders and black widow spiders are dangerous, most spiders are actually beneficial. They help keep down infestation of insects. With the exception of the brown recluse and black widow, most venom produced by spiders is designed to kill their prey and is usually harmless to humans.

The black widow spider is dangerous and should be avoided. The female black widow is perhaps the easiest spider to identify with her striking red markings on her underside. This marking can be in the form of an hourglass or simply a red dot. The male of this species is smaller, more shy and less venomous than the female. Black widows can be found anywhere in the United States but prefer warmer climates.

The brown recluse spider is not nearly as easy to identify as the black widow. It is assumed that the violin shape on its abdomen can identify a recluse. However, not all brown recluse spiders have a violin shape on them. There are also other species of spider that possess the marking similar to the recluse. One telltale sign is that the brown recluse legs are smooth and void of any thick hairs.

There are a few things one can do to help prevent spiders in the home.

• The first thing is to simply remove as many points of entry as possible. Install door sweeps on all entry doors to seal off cracks between the bottom of the door and the threshold. Spiders can squeeze through the smallest of openings so use caulking to seal the outside edges of your doors and windows.

• Other openings that should be sealed include outdoor faucets, gas and electrical entries, telephone and cable TV wires and dryer vents.

• Repair all tears and holes in your window and door screens.

• Cover your chimney, roof vents and crawl space vents with a tightly woven wire mesh.

• Keep the shrubs and foliage away from your foundation. These are ideal areas for spiders to build their webs.

All-American Pest Control has been providing effective spider control throughout our servicing area for more than 50 years with reliable service while protecting our community from the harmful effects of pests! If you are wondering how to get rid of spiders on your property or if there are other insects or rodents giving you a hard time, be sure to give the pros at All-American a call today!