Spiders of the Pacific Northwest: Identification Tips, Pest Control and Prevention Advice

SPIDERS OF THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST: IDENTIFICATION TIPS, PEST CONTROL AND PREVENTION ADVICE Green residential pest control starts with informing yourself about the habits of common local spiders. With that knowledge, you can eliminate spider-friendly conditions in the infested area. Read on for identifying traits of the common spider species in the Pacific Northwest. THE AMERICAN HOUSE SPIDER THE GIANT HOUSE SPIDER THE WOLF SPIDER (A) APPEARANCE: (A) APPEARANCE: A APPEARANCE: A Wolf spiders are large-they can reach up to 35 millimeters in body length-but A Body length is 11-18 millimeters; their long legs can span up to 4-inches (101 mm)! Giant House Spiders are often misidentified as poisonous Hobo Spiders-you need a hand lens or microscope to spot the differences tween the species. One : difference is found on the spider's Male house spiders' bodies are 4 millimeters in size; females can be twice as large. Both genders are grey or brown in color, with bulbous abdomens and speckled black, tan, or white markings. their bite causes no serious reaction in BEHAVIORAL TRAITS: • Plays dead sometimes when threatened. • Their bite is another defense mechanism; it is irritating but not dangerous for humans. humans. They are brownish-gray in color, with various markings and lines. Because they must hunt to survive, wolf spiders have exceptional vision. Their eight eyes are arranged in three rows, with four small eyes closest to the fangs, main underside, on the sternum, part of the body where the legs attach. you see six spots here, it's a Giant House Spider. (However, some Giant House Spiders' spots are very faint, so if you're not sure it's best to call local pest control experts for conformation.) the two large eyes in the middle row, and three smaller eyes in the back row. If WEB: BEHAVIORAL TRAITS: • Instead of catching their food with webs, wolf spiders hunt their prey. • Look for them running fast across your floor, around doors, or hiding in houseplants. Like many species, Wolf Spiders like to come indoors as the weather turns chilly. Messy cobwebs in high corners. EGGS: BEHAVIORAL TRAITS: • Stays motionless inside funnel web during the day, unless prey is caught. May perch on outer part of web at night. • Males roam on warm summer and fall nights; you may see them scurrying across floors when you turn on the lights. Brown in color; hung from webs in pear-shaped sacks. WEB: * Wolf Spiders don't build webs. THE HOBO SPIDER WEB: EGGS: AKA THE AGGRESSIVE HOUSE SPIDER Funnel-shaped, in dark corners of White, round. The female wolf spider hangs them from her abdomen. Some burrowing Wolf Spiders store eggs in their protective tunnels at night. garages, attics, etc. (A) APPEARANCE: A Light brown, yellowish in color. The hobo spider is so called because it is thought to have spread across American cities via trains. Like the EGGS: Females suspend egg sacks inside web. Sometimes female Giant House Spiders attach debris to the outside of their webs, as a camouflage technique. Giant House Spider, it has a chevron un ite v-shape running down its abdomen. THE BLACK WIDOW With a hand lens or microscope, you can that the Hobo's legs are black, with no striations as in other species. microscope, a scientist or pest control expert can identify the Hobo's unique male and female sex organs. THE LONG- BODIED CELLAR With a () APPEARANCE: Black widow bodies are about 2" inch (12.7mm) in length. Males are much smaller than females. Both genders have red and white markings over a shiny black body. The most important feature is a red hour-glass shape found on the underside of the black widow's BEHAVIORAL TRAITS: APPEARANCE: · Bite may lead to necrosis, local tissue death. However, this is an issue of debate among entomologists, as the only study showing this result was conducted on rabbits. The Long-Bodied Cellar Spider Appearance: Their slender bodies 9-11 mm (about 1/2") long. Sometimes mistaken for "Daddy Longlegs" arachnids, the two species are actually abdomen. The black widow's venom is poisonous, and can be deadly to children and the elderly. Not big climbers-they are often found at ground level, and in basements. • Not necessarily more aggressive than other spiders. (They do not live up to their name.) very distinct. Cellar spiders have very long, delicate legs-their front legs, for instance, can be 50 mm (about 2") or longer! Cellar Spiders look creepy, but they're actually doing homeowners a service by eating most of the six-legged flying pests in homes. They will even eat other spiders Collar BEHAVIORAL TRAITS: • Lurks in cluttered areas in basements, crawl spaces, etc. • Normally quite shy; black widow spiders only interact with others during copulation. • When attacked, drops from web and plays dead. WEB: food is scarce. Horizontal with funnel at one end. BEHAVIORAL TRAITS: · Found in barns, garages, basements, and warehouses. • Shakes web when disturbed. EGGS: Female constructs egg case and guards it until she dies, usually in November. There may be as many as 100 eggs in a single sac. WEB: Made of rough silk, it appears messy but actually has three different layers to trap prey. WEB: Note: Some people think the poisonous Spins irregular, messy webs in the upper corners of rooms. Unlike many spiders, cellar spiders do not reuse their webbing. Brown Recluse spider looks like the Hobo Spider. Fortunately, the Brown Recluse is not EGGS: native to the Pacific Northwest, so it's not a big concern for Oregon and Washington pest control. The violin shaped-mark on the dorsal side of its head, as well as six eyes (most spiders have eight eyes). Usually they will only bite if threatened or provoked. Egg sacs are whitish-gray and about 12 mm (about inch) across. Each sac can contain hundreds of eggs. The female carefully guards her egg sacs until the eggs hatch, in about a month's time. Brown Recluse spider has dark EGGS: Female lays few eggs (sometimes fewer than 10). She carries them in her jaws until they hatch. 4 MEDICALLY SIGNIFICANT SPIDERS IN THE US YELLOW SAC SPIDER BROWN RECLUSE HOBO SPIDERS BLACK WIDOW If you get bitten by one of these species, seek medical attention immediately. How Residents Can Control Spider Infestations Keep a well sealed home. Eliminate cracks in your home's exterior. Common locations for cracks: Install halogen or sodium vapor bulbs, or warm-tone LEDS. Florescent and mercury vapor around windows, plumbing fixtures, foundation work, and doors. Not only will this cut down on the amount of 田 lights attract insects, as do cool, blueish-white bulbs. By changing out exterior bulb types and/or colors, you'll attract fewer flying insects, and in turn fewer spiders will be drawn to the area around insect life in your home; it will also decrease your energy bills by cutting down on the amount of heated/cooled air lost to the your exterior lights. That means fewer spiders will find their way into your home as well. outdoors. 田 Keep a clean home. Dirt and food crumbs attract six-legged pests, which attracts eight-legged pests. Sweep and/or vacuum your home at least once a week. Trim landscaping away Organize belongings off the floor. Clutter draws all kinds of pests, including spiders. Give arachnids fewer places to lurk by storing your property in boxes, elevated above the floor. from home's exterior. Brush away spider webs when you find them. This will discourage spiders from building in the same spot. Some spiders (such as the cellar spider) have a limited amount of webbing available, so they will move to a new area quite quickly. Keep a plant-free ring around your home; this will give spiders fewer places to build their webs. Natural, Green Solutions for Spider Pest Control As a licensed pest control provider in Washington and Oregon, we can only recommend state-registered solutions, not home remedies. Still, many homeowners have found success with the approaches listed below. Vinegar and Coconut Oil After cleaning out cobwebs, treat spider-prone areas with a vinegar/coconut oil mixture. Combine a cup of white vinegar with a teaspoon of coconut oil, and spray the area to keep spiders away. Essential Oils Salt Water Solution Dissolve 1/8 cup of salt in a gallon of warm water. Spray the solution directly onto spiders to kill them; this is also an effective Crushed Chestnuts Mix one quart water with a drop or two of lavender, citronella, Spiders abhor chestnuts. To prevent them from entering at problem spots, leave crushed peppermint, citrus, tea tree, or cinnamon essential oil. Spray the spider with the solution to kill it. Bonus: The room will smell great! chestnuts at entry points. way to destroy spider nests. If these steps aren't enough to stop your spider problem, it's definitely time to seek help from professional pest control experts. How Professionals Can Control Spider Infestations Oregon and Washington pest control experts can provide a number of services to keep spiders at bay: Regular spider sweeps. Pest control professionals can come to your home Vacuuming, inside and out. Removing webbing and egg sacs can be an onerous task; pest control experts are happy to complete this job for you. periodically to sweep away any webs that have been built in-between their visits. Chemical treatments can be a final option to reduce large populations in basements and Glue traps can help pest experts understand the local spider population. outbuildings. However, this may send spiders fleeing into living quarters. From Idaho to Oregon, pest control companies can also suggest exterior changes to discourage spider entry, such as switching out light bulbs and repairing broken vent covers. Resources: CEDEN www.edenpest.com/pest-library/profile/spiders www.edenpest.com/blog/post/spider-bites-hobo-or-brown-recluse www.edenpest.com/blog/post/portland-spiders-hobo-spider-not-brown-recluse-is-perfectly-happy-in-portlandia www.edenpest.com/blog/post/portland-pest-management-tips-forgetting-rid-of-spiders-naturally healthyhomeswa.blogspot.com/2013/04/what-spiders-are-venomous-in-pacific.html www.orkin.com/other/spiders/brown-recluse-spiders/ www.orkin.com/other/spiders/wolf-spiders/ www.orkin.com/other/spiders/house-spiders/ ADVANCED PEST TECHNOLOGIES www.edenpest.com www.orkin.com/other/spiders/hobo-spiders/ www.orkin.com/other/spiders/black-widow-spiders/ www.orkin.com/other/spiders/cellar-spiders/ Infographic designed by Mad Fish SEO Copyright © 2014 Eden Advanced Pest Technologies