Even if you don't have arachnophobia, you can't deny that spiders are a little creepy with the way they can crawl across walls and ceilings and their webs that you don't see until you've run face-first into one. Plus, all spiders have fangs and venom, which is another unsettling thought. Although this is the case, only two species in the United States are medically dangerous to people, the black widow and brown recluse. Unfortunately for Frisco residents, both of these species are common to the area.
Black widows, brown recluses, and other common species can be identified by:
Black Widow-
- only the female is dangerous
- One ½ of an inch long
- Shiny black body with a red or orange hourglass marking on their abdomen
Brown Recluse-
- most commonly misidentified spider
- ½ of an inch or smaller
- Light brown with a dark violin pattern on the cephalothorax
- Uniform colored abdomen and legs with hairs, not spines
Wolf Spider-
- ground-dwelling spiders that hunt rather than use a web to catch prey
- Between ½ and two inches long
- Grey hairy body with dark gray markings
- Pair of large eyes in the front, which reflect light and make them easy to spot at night
Jumping Spider-
- hunt for food during the daytime
- Less than ½ of an inch long
- Brown to gray with lighter markings
While only the two species are dangerous to people, no spiders are pleasant to have around your Frisco property, which is why you should know more about their habits and how to prevent them.
Different Spider Webs And Their Uses
While we know spider webs to have a wheel-shaped pattern, the truth is that not all spiders create clean-looking webs or webs at all.
- Black widow spiders build an irregular-shaped spider web made of strong threads close to the ground. While their web looks disorganized, it is a carefully planned structure to help them catch prey.
- Brown recluse spiders create a messy-looking web in a secluded area where they can strategically catch prey.
- Wolf spiders don't spin webs but burrow in the ground, which helps them hunt for their prey. Sometimes they will seal their burrow with a door that resembles a web.
- Jumping spiders don't create webs but nests.
Other spider species create funnel webs with one large opening to catch prey and a smaller opening where the spider waits for prey and can escape if needed.
Easy To Implement Spider Prevention Tips
If you see a multitude of spider webs on your property, it means there are a lot of spiders, no matter how much we try to tell ourselves it's cobwebs. To prevent spiders, you should start by de-webbing your home and yard. Then you should address other pest problems to reduce the number of pest prey. You can do this by removing:
- Food sources like fallen fruit in your yard, access to garbage and compost bins, and food crumbs left by people.
- Water sources like leaking faucets, clearing gutters, and standing water in your yard.
- Entry points by inspecting the foundation and exterior walls of your home for cracks, installing screens and door sweeps, and filling in gaps around door and window frames.
- Harborage areas by clearing yard debris and decluttering your home.
Professional Spider Control
Want more advice and assistance with spiders on your Frisco property? Contact DANCAN The Pest Control Expert. We can accurately identify the species you are dealing with, which will help us provide proper home pest control treatment to eradicate them and keep them from coming back again. Call us at DANCAN The Pest Control Expert today to get started!