With the changing of the leaves comes a change in the pests you may be seeing in your home in Wood Dale. As the temperature cools and more time is spent 
indoors, you may be seeing the most hated pest: Spiders.
Contrary to how you feel, that creepy little arachnid does not want to interact with you and wants to quickly get back to its hiding spot. Spiders bite in self-defense, usually when they are squished between you and clothing, bedding, or some other similar material. Some spider fangs aren’t even able to penetrate skin. Although spider bites are rare, they can cause serious complications.
The two most often feared spiders are the Brown Recluse and the Black Widow. Bites from these spiders are rare, but it is critical a problem with spiders is addressed immediately to avoid an infestation.
BROWN RECLUSE
A Brown Recluse spider is rare in Wood Dale and the surrounding area, but they have been found and have caused serious problems after biting a person or family pet. The Brown Recluse is a very hard spider to exterminate once it has established an infestation. They are masters at hiding and they run very fast. They can live for months without eating. A single female spider only needs to mate once to have lifelong offspring.
The Brown Recluse is often known as a “hitchhiking” spider. This arachnid likes wood and paper, they love furniture and boxes, using their hiding spot to travel to new locations. It is imperative when bringing new furniture or boxes into your home that you inspect for spiders and remove any that can be found.
BLACK WIDOW
The Black Widow is another spider where bites are uncommon, but a run in with this spider can leave severe consequences. Venom from a Black Widow can cause chest pain, muscle tightness, and cramping. A female Black Widow can live for over three years, and one egg sac can contain over 200 eggs. Once spiders hatch, they form long strands of silk and balloon away from their location. These new spiders can end up several miles away.
This type of spider prefers to form their webs in out of the way places, being active during the night and hiding during the day. A Black Widow can’t run fast, so they are easier to kill when you do find them.
REMOVAL
Spiders can be hard to eradicate so it is important to use several measures in fighting an infestation:
- Prevent entry by filling cracks and holes in walls and foundations, door and window frames, and any gaps around utility lines. Caulk, foam, or even use cement to seal holes and cracks.
- Keep vegetation and mulch away from the house.
- Check flowers, plants, furniture and boxes before bringing new items inside. Reduce clutter and use plastic bags, tubs, or other containers that seal and prevent spiders from entering.
- Reduce amount of bugs in or around your house, possibly adjusting lighting. Keep windows and doors covered with screens and properly seal doors with weather-stripping.
- Utilize sticky traps to catch spiders. Place traps where spiders would travel including behind or under furniture, under sinks and other dark and damp space. Sticky traps will help you know where spiders are located or hiding. Utilize several traps, which can be found at most major grocery or hardware stores.
- Call your pest control professional to treat both outside and inside the house. Grocery store solutions, like aerosol foggers, don’t work on some spiders and may even cause them to go deeper into hiding. Pest control professionals know where to look and can use special equipment to treat infestations.