Spiders

What are spiders?

Spiders are arachnids, and are closely related to mites, ticks, and scorpions. All spiders can be identified by their two body regions - the cephalothorax and abdomen. Spiders also all have eight legs, no wings or antennae, and they have chelicerae (fangs). Spiders usually have eight eyes, but some species may only have six. Spiders come in a wide range of colors and sizes, depending on their exact species. Some spiders have bodies that are covered in hair, while others have bodies that are smooth and shiny. Spiders are arthropods and have exoskeletons (skeleton is located on the outside of their body).

Are spiders dangerous?

Most spider species that live throughout Kansas, Missouri and Oklahoma are considered to simply be nuisance pests, and they pose no real threat to people. The venom of nuisance spiders is not strong enough to cause serious health threats under normal conditions. However, there are some dangerous spiders living in the United States, including the brown recluse spider. Brown recluse spiders can be identified by the violin-like marking found on the top of their bodies. They have yellowish-gray to dark brown bodies, and long, thin legs which are darker in color than their bodies. The injection of their venom may produce necrosis, or dead tissue, resulting in the ulceration of skin around the bite site. Care should always be taken around brown recluse spiders. A professional should be immediately contacted if these spiders are discovered on your commercial property.

Why do I have a spider problem?

Spiders are attracted to commercial properties that offer a safe place to live with access to plentiful sources of food, water, and nesting sites. Spiders like to build their webs and hunt for food in areas of dense vegetation, wood piles, rock piles, tall grasses, and in gardens. Spiders also like to live in areas that provide water sources, such as clogged gutters, leaky hoses, drippy outdoor fixtures, and ponds. 
  
If you have large spider populations on your property, it is usually an indicator that you have large populations of insects living in or around your commercial facility. Having spiders and insects on your property in large numbers should be addressed to protect your business, customers, and employees from their potential threats.

Where will I find spiders?

Spiders prefer to live outside in dark, quiet, out-of-the-way places. They make their webs or burrows in tall grasses, inside bushes and shrubs, between rocks, underneath decks and porches, in gardens, in wood piles, under outdoor furniture, and in the corners of entryways. Inside, spiders hide out in dark, dry, quiet areas, creating webs in basements, attics, crawl spaces, under furniture, and in storage rooms. Spiders place their webs in a variety of locations. Some species place their webs up high while other species don’t make webs at all, instead creating burrows in the ground. Brown recluse spiders place their irregular-shaped webs at ground level.

How do I get rid of spiders?

The best way to eliminate dangerous or nuisance spiders from your Kansas business is to partner with a pest control professional. At Pinnacle Solutions, we specialize in providing customer-focused, commercial pest control services to protect a wide variety of facilities and industries from spiders. To learn more about the spider control services we offer, contact us! 
  
Our team of experienced professionals utilizes advanced treatments and eco-friendly products to accurately identify the spider species you're dealing with, and provide consistent treatment to solve your property’s spider problem for good. Learn more about our commercial pest control services and how they can help protect your Wichita-area commercial property from spider invasions and the problems they cause. Reach out to us at Pinnacle Solutions for more information!

How can I prevent spiders in the future?

Preventing problems with spiders can be a difficult task. There are several things you can do in and around your commercial facility to stop them from damaging your business and its reputation:

• Caulk cracks and crevices in the foundation and exterior walls.
• Place weather stripping around exterior windows and doors.
• Make sure screens are completely intact.
• Trim tree limbs away from the exterior of your facility.
• Keep delivery or garage doors closed when not in use.
• Remove excess piles of debris like wood piles, rock piles, leaf piles, and grass piles from your property. 
• Maintain your lawn and keep your grass cut short.
• Limit sources of water, making sure that gutters are clear and leaky outdoor fixtures are repaired.
• Keep storage areas clutter free and well-maintained.