Whether crawling on their eight legs or leaving webs for you to walk through, spiders are rarely a welcome visitor. While most people think of them as terrifying creatures that should only be seen as part of a Halloween display or in a horror movie, the truth is most spiders in Connecticut are relatively harmless.
While most spider bites will result in some pain and itchiness, of the more than twenty species of spider in the Hartford area, only the black widow has a potentially fatal bite. In many cases, spiders actually help control the population of other pests like flies and ants.
Common Hartford Spiders
While most spiders in Hartford are harmless, it is helpful to be able to identify some of the most common spiders you will see in your Connecticut home:
- House spiders: House spiders are mostly grey or brown with some white markings on a round abdomen. They are smaller spiders, usually about the size of a nickel. You will find them in dark areas like cabinets, basements, garages, and other areas where flies may be.
- Orb-weaver spiders: There are many species of orb-weavers that are commonly found in Connecticut. They can vary in color but are generally identified by their large size, bulging abdomen, and bold color patterns. Orb-weavers spin their webs in the pattern that most people think of when they think “spider web.” While no one wants spiders in their home, orb-weavers are great pest control aids in outside areas like gardens.
- Wolf spider: The wolf spider gets its name from the grey, black, or brown hair that covers its body. They are a large species, growing up to an inch and a half. Instead of spinning a web to catch prey, they hunt. They are commonly found in garages, sheds, and basements, hunting other insects.
- Cellar spider (daddy-long-legs): Perhaps the most famous and easily recognizable spider in the world, daddy-long-legs have one round body part and eight long, thin legs coming off it. They are completely harmless and are usually found outside.
- Black widow: The black widow is the only species of spider native to Connecticut that is dangerous to people. Black widow spiders are easily identifiable by their shiny black color and red hourglass marking. Symptoms of a black widow bite may include intense pain, muscle stiffness, nausea, and vomiting. Treatment for a black widow bite should include an immediate trip to the nearest ER.
The Problem With A Spider Problem
While having a spider problem in your home is bad enough, the reason for the spider infestation is a cause for concern all on its own. While some spiders spend their entire lives indoors, many spiders enter your home because of an existing pest problem. Ants, mosquitoes, moths, and other insects are all prey for a spider. If you have an existing pest problem in your home, chances are you will end up with a spider problem if you don’t take care of it.
How To Prevent Spiders In Your Home
Even if most spiders found in the area aren’t poisonous, no one wants spiders in their home. Here are a few tips to help keep spiders and the pests that attract them outside:
- Keep your garage and attic clean. Spiders seek quiet, undisturbed areas where they can build their webs, and clutter infrequently empty rooms only provide spiders more places to hide.
- Repair any gaps that could let spiders in. This includes sealing any cracks in your home's walls or foundation and repairing or replacing ripped or damaged window screens.
- Inspect your boxes and your groceries before you bring them inside. Spiders hide in bags and boxes, including those holiday decorations you haven’t touched since last year.
- Clean messes and eliminate environments that will attract other bugs.
If you follow these tips and still find yourself with a spider problem, contact the professionals at American Pest Solutions. With almost 100 years of pest control experience in the Hartford, CT, area, we can help make your spider problem disappear.