Spiders

Class Arachnida

Spiders are not insects, they’re from the arachnid family and don’t have wings or antennae. You’ll find some species in damp areas of buildings like basements, laundry rooms and crawlspaces. Others prefer warm, dry spots like the upper corners of rooms and attics, under baseboards, tables and chairs. They’re furtive and silent and prefer hiding in darkened, cluttered places. Always shake unused clothing and check the bed and shoes.

Tens of thousands of spider species exist around the world. While they’re different sizes and shapes, they all have the same eight-legged, two-body segmented form. Even with three or four pairs of eyes, most spiders have bad vision, though some, like the Jumping Spider, have exceptional vision.

Spiders produce an elastic silk that adheres to everything. The silk is spun into powerful webbing. The also use their silk to construct egg sacs. Not all spiders live in their webs, some live under crevices and burrows. Unsuspecting prey get caught and dragged into a spider’s web, where they’re cocooned and eaten.

Nearly all spiders hunt insects. They can’t chew and their narrow guts won’t hold large food particles. A spider creates digestive enzymes and salivates to break down its food before eating it.

Spiders enter homes through open windows or broken screens and cracks around window frames and doors. They’ll hide in boxes and on outdoor items brought indoors. Spiders only enter buildings because they’re foraging for insects.

Poisonous spiders found in the U.S. are the Black widow and Brown recluse. If disturbed by accident or provoked, they’ll bite with a venom that subdues their prey. A black widow’s toxin will affect a human’s nervous system and cause intense pain for forty-eight hours with a multitude of symptoms such as: fever, swelling all over, severe abdominal cramps, high blood pressure, muscle pain, dizziness, nausea, shortness of breath and vomiting. The brown recluse bite is a cytotoxin that creates steadily growing lesions and necrosis of living tissue that can take up to two months to heal.

Call Full Force Spider Exterminators for a thorough inspection and strategies for the removal.