The Abcs Of Spider Prevention How To Keep Your Virginia Beach Home Arachnid Free

Many people pay money to attend a haunted house or a scary movie at the local theatre. Spiders are the perennial favorite of the pests that appear in horror productions. Although we pay money to scream in fear at fake spiders that pop down from ceilings on bungy cords or overgrown CGI (giant) spiders on the big screen, we do not want them in our houses. When you wake up in the morning and notice a spider running across the bed or when you walk into spider webs while rummaging through the attic, you may have a spider problem in your home. 

If spiders are running through your house, you need spider control in Virginia Beach from Hawk Mosquito & Pest. We are a family-owned and operated company providing eco-friendly alternatives and budget-friendly solutions. Integrity is the backbone of our company; we promise that you will be 100% satisfied with our service and professionalism. Our trained technicians will work with you not only to eliminate spiders in your home but will help you to take steps to prevent a future infestation.

The Anatomy of A Spider: Understanding Their Physical Characteristics

It is easy to classify anything small with more than two legs as insects, but that is not always the case. Yes, insects have six legs, two compound eyes, a three-part body segmented body, and an exoskeleton, but there are differences even within the Insecta classification. However, our concern in this article is not with insects because when you compare the two pests, you notice that spiders are not insects. 

Although insects have six legs, spiders are creepy for many people because of their eight-jointed, and sometimes hairy, legs. Most insects have wings or wing pads, but spiders have neither; instead, they use their legs to run from one location to another. However, like a few insects (e.g., crickets and fleas), some spiders can jump (e.g., jumping spiders). 

If you have seen a magnification of a fly's face, you'll see two bulging "eyes" that consist of thousands of eyes, but if you get close enough to a spider, you will see two or three rows of simple eyes. Despite possessing multiple eyes, spiders generally have poor eyesight; however, that is not always the case (e.g., wolf spiders). 

Due to inadequate vision, most spider species use their webs to capture prey. Spiders have spinnerets and produce the silky substance used to create their snares. Although most use these to snag insects, some use them as retreats, and some do not build webs but chase their prey. 

Another characteristic of spiders is their two-part body. Whereas an insect's body consists of a head, thorax, and abdomen, the head and thorax of a spider's body are fused into one unit known as a cephalothorax. Finally, insects have two antennae that they use to detect odor, movement, objects, etc., but spiders do not have antennae. 

Although there are many differences, both are members of the Antropoda phylum. Pests in this group possess an external skeleton. For maturing spiders to progress through each growth stage, they must shed their exoskeleton through a process known as molting.

Just like insects, specific physical characteristics vary according to species. Although thousands of spider species exist worldwide, these common house spiders invade Virginia Beach homes:

• Black widow spiders
• Yellow sac spiders
• Jumping spiders
• Wolf spiders
• House spiders

Let's look at each spider to help you identify which spider species is inside your Virginia Beach home.

Black widow spiders are the only venomous spiders in our area. These arachnids are 1 1/2 to 1 3/8 inches long and have a black body with a reddish-orange hourglass shape on the underside of their abdomen. Black widows hang upside down in irregular webs that they create at ground level in dark areas of the basement, crawl space, or garage. 

As black widow spiders are easy to identify, the light yellow to cream-colored 2/5-inch body of yellow sac spiders makes them stand out. These spiders do not create webs to capture their prey, but they hunt them down at night. Instead of building circular round snares like other spider species, they construct tube-line structures or sacs that they use as retreats during the day. 

Another spider species that hunts its prey is the jumping spider. These spiders have 1/8 to 3/4-inch black, brown, tan or grey body with short legs. Like yellow sac spiders, they use their webs as retreats, but instead of chasing their prey, they jump on them.

Wolf spiders are the scariest-looking of our group due to their size, long legs, and hairy bodies. These arachnids have dark brown bodies with yellow or pale stripes or markings. The females have 3/8 to 1 3/8-inch bodies compared to the smaller males with 1/4 to 3/4-inch bodies. Unlike the other spiders on our list, wolf spiders do not spin webs; they run and capture their prey when they hunt at night and usually live along the baseboards in homes. 

If you have spider webs in the upper corners of doorways or windows, it is likely the result of house spiders. These pests have 3/16 to 5/16-inch bodies; the cephalothorax (front section) is yellowish-brown, while the rear is off-white with dark stripes. Males have an elongated abdomens, but females have a spherical backend. In addition to establishing webs in the upper corners of doors and windows, house spiders live underneath the furniture, in basements, garages, crawl spaces, and closets. 

Hawk Mosquito & Pest can remove the types of house spiders in your Virginia Beach home.

Spider Bite Symptoms: Warning Signs To Watch For

Spiders are not aggressive toward humans and will avoid contact when possible. A bite occurs when a spider acts in self-defense or is guarding its eggs. Generally, a bite happens when you stick an unprotected hand in an area where the spider is present, and it defends itself by biting. Most spider bites cause momentary pain akin to a bee sting followed by redness at the wound site. However, bites from two spiders on our list may have more consequences. 

Yellow sac spiders will bite more than most spiders. Although their venom is not as strong as a black widow's, some people experience pain for the first hour, followed by a rash and blistering over the next several hours at the wound site. In some cases, fever, nausea, and muscle cramps may result. 

However, of the spiders on our list, black widows have a reputation for toxic bites. Contrary to popular belief, which is probably enhanced by their name, a bite from a black widow spider is seldom fatal. Like yellow sac spiders, the pain is usually immediate and increases in intensity during the following one to three hours; it will last for the next one to three days. Other accompanying symptoms include fever, nausea, increasing blood pressure, and sweating. For your safety, seek medical attention when a black widow bites. 

Hawk Mosquito & Pest protects you from spiders and spider bites by providing effective spider control for your home.

Preventing Spiders From Coming Inside: Effective Prevention Techniques

Spiders enter homes because of a high insect population in or outside the house. Thus, controlling and deterring insects from entering your Virginia Beach home will also keep spiders away. We recommend the following to keep spiders away from your Virginia Beach house: 

• Prune tree branches and shrubs from the house. 
• Relocate firewood piles 20 feet from the home and elevate them. 
• Clear away overgrown vegetation, debris, and junk on the property. 
• Provide drainage for ditches, gutters, and puddles on your land. 
• Repair leaking plumbing fixtures and pipes. 
• Seal foundation and roofline cracks with caulk. 
• Fix holes in window and door screens.
• Install door sweeps under exterior doors.
• Keep outdoor and indoor garbage containers closed.
• Use bug or LED lights in exterior lights.
• De-web the house. 

Implementing these suggestions will deter spiders and insects from invading your house. When a Hawk Mosquito & Pest technician inspects your home, we can provide additional ideas for your situation.

Professional Spider Control: When To Call In The Experts

When spiders invade your home, you need Hawk Mosquito & Pest because spiders may indicate a deeper problem. We will dispatch a certified, trained technician to inspect your house for entry points, attractants, and hot spots; we will also work to determine the species infesting your home. After gathering data, we will develop a strategic plan to end the spider infestation. 

Because spiders hide in cracks and crevices inside your home, we begin our spider removal process by spraying those areas with the correct product amount. We train our technicians not to overuse or underuse our treatment products. Furthermore, eco-friendly alternatives are available. 

Outside the house, we sweep the eaves and use our effective products to create a barrier around your home that discourages insects and spiders from entering. To ensure the maximum effectiveness of your investment, we work with you to identify entry points and attractants so you can remove them. 

Contact us today to learn about our recurring plans and request a free quote.