Why Spider Prevention Matters
There aren't many spiders in Massachusetts that can cause you harm. In fact, most of the local spiders can't or won't even bite you. They would rather stay away from you and live a quiet existence. However, this doesn't mean you should invite spiders into your home.
There are two potentially dangerous spiders in western Massachusetts, but only one of them is native to the area - the black widow. This notorious arachnid is known for its potent venom. When a black widow bites a human, there is a need for immediate medical attention. If untreated, a bite from this spider could be fatal.
The black widow is black and known for its red hourglass shape, but only the females have this marking. The males are smaller and aren't considered hazardous to humans. Despite the potential danger posed by the female black widow, you don't need to worry too much. These spiders hide out in attics, sheds, and crawlspaces.
The brown recluse makes a rare appearance in Massachusetts because it sometimes hitchhikes in on shipping boxes from other states. However, more often than not, people confuse a wolf spider or another harmless spider for the brown recluse.
Dealing With The Webs
Another issue with spiders is the fact that they leave behind webs. Although not all local spiders make webs, many of them leave behind a tangled mess. They make your home look unkempt and dirty. If you're tired of knocking down spider webs, you need to make efforts to keep spiders out.
Whatever your reason for wanting to keep spiders out may be, one fact remains true. The secret to spider prevention is keeping other pests out of your home. Spiders are happy outside unless you have an abundance of food for them inside.
Tips For Spider Prevention
Are you ready to protect your home from spiders? If so, here are a few things you can do:
- Store Food Properly: Spiders won't eat your dry food, insects will. If you don't want ants and cockroaches to attract spiders into your home, you need to practice proper food storage. Store rice, cereal, and other dried food in sealed containers. When you open a bag of chips or cookies, seal the package.
- Store Trash Properly: Keeping your garbage in containers with no lids gives western Massachusetts pests easy access to food. To keep insects and spiders out, store your trash in lidded cans. You won't have as many insects to attract spiders indoors.
- Remove Clutter: By removing clutter from your property, you give spiders fewer hiding places. You also reduce the number of insects on your property. Typically, cluttered homes have an abundance of crumbs for Massachusetts pests. Once every few months, spend a day moving out the clutter and cleaning in hard-to-reach places. You'll end up with a cleaner home and fewer unwanted pests.
- Knock Down Webs: As you find spider webs in your home or around it, knock them down. Will spiders simply rebuild? Sure, but you might be able to discourage them from continuing to reside in your home.
Use Ongoing Professional Help
Keeping Spiders and their prey out of your western Massachusetts home is no easy task. For the best results, work with us at American Pest Solutions. Our technicians have years of experience keeping spiders and insects outside of homes. We can provide the ongoing professional help you need all year long. To learn more, call us today.