Pest guide: spiders
SpiderControl.
Most spiders are harmless, and some even help by eating other bugs. But nobody wants webs in every corner, spiders running across the floor, or black widows in the garage. We knock them back and make your home a lot less inviting.
Know your enemy
The spiders you'll seeOut West.
Western black widow
Shiny black with a red hourglass underneath. Builds messy webs low to the ground in garages, woodpiles, meter boxes and under patio furniture.
Brown widow
Smaller and mottled tan and brown, with a spiky egg sac that looks like a burr. Common in Southern California. Its bite is much milder than a black widow’s.
House & cellar spiders
The cobweb builders in corners, windows and basements. Cellar spiders have very long thin legs. Annoying, but harmless.
Wolf & sac spiders
Wolf spiders are big ground hunters that wander in from the yard. Pale yellow sac spiders walk on walls and ceilings. Neither is dangerous.
Heads upThe spider to know is the black widow. Bites are rare, even where widows are common, but they can cause pain, sweating and stomach cramps, so get medical care if you are bitten. Most bites happen when people reach into dark spots in garages, sheds or woodpiles, so wear gloves there. Brown recluse spiders are not established in California or northern Utah, and many "spider bites" turn out to be skin infections, so see a doctor for any wound that gets worse.
Why they move in
What brings themInside.
Spiders follow their food. Outdoor lights draw in insects, insects draw in spiders, and cracks around doors, windows and garage doors let them walk right in. Clutter in garages and storage areas gives them perfect hiding places. Many people notice more spiders in late summer and fall, and during the rainy season some wander in after their hiding spots outside get soaked.
Most seen late summer and fall
The Redwood way
How we handleSpiders.
Inspect and identify
We look for webs, egg sacs and hiding spots inside and out, and check the places widows like most: garages, meter boxes, woodpiles and patio furniture.
Clear webs and egg sacs
We sweep away webs and egg sacs around eaves, windows and entry points. Removing egg sacs matters, because sprays do not reliably kill the eggs inside.
Treat where spiders hide
Instead of spraying everything, we treat the cracks, gaps and corners spiders actually use, with extra attention to widow spots.
Cut off their food
Regular service keeps the insects spiders feed on down around your home, which keeps the spiders down too.
Our promise: if they come back between scheduled visits, so do we, at no extra charge.
Get a free quoteYour part
What you can doBetween visits.
- Vacuum webs, spiders and egg sacs regularly, especially in corners and garages
- Seal cracks and add weather-stripping to doors, including the garage door
- Keep garage and storage clutter off the floor and in sealed plastic bins
- Move woodpiles away from the house
- Use fewer or yellow outdoor lights near doors so fewer insects gather
- Wear gloves when moving firewood, pots or stored boxes
Small habits. Fewer bad guys.
Straight answers
Spider questionsWe get a lot.
Do we have brown recluse spiders here?
No. Brown recluses are not established in California; only a handful have ever been found, usually carried in from the Midwest. They are not found in northern Utah either. A related desert recluse lives in desert areas but rarely comes into homes.
Is a brown widow as dangerous as a black widow?
No. Brown widows are common in Southern California, but their venom is much milder. It is still worth removing their webs and egg sacs from around the house.
Are daddy longlegs dangerous?
No. The "most venomous spider in the world" story is a myth. Daddy longlegs and long-legged cellar spiders are harmless to people.
What about hobo spiders?
Hobo spiders do not live in California. In Utah they wander indoors in the fall, but there is no strong scientific evidence that their bites cause the wounds people worry about.
Know your enemy
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Pests don't stand a chance.