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The way to a spider's heart is through its stomach

Abell Pest Control

Spiders see your home as a hunting ground. You could view that as a good thing - they're part of nature's pest control service. Or it can be taken as a bad thing - they're roaming across your floors, walls and ceilings in obscene hunting parties. In either case, you'll need to know a little about your (un)wanted houseguests' diets in order to better understand why they've chosen your residence as a prime stalking field.

Common North American house spiders

Fortunately, there are only two species of poisonous spiders found in North America and neither of them is particularly common, especially in northern climates. The Centers for Disease control and Prevention listed the black widow and brown recluse spiders as mostly confined to the southwestern and midwestern United States. The spiders that you might find in your home are much less dangerous. You may come across such larger species as the wolf, crab or jumping spiders. These three are, according to the University of Minnesota, hunting species that are rarely aggressive and typically eat pillbugs and other small insects. They're harmless to humans, but can be frightful to look at.

Most likely, you will come across cobweb or orb weaver spiders. These aren't dangerous either, but their webs can be annoying. They like dark, undisturbed places, and typically find basements perfectly suited to their needs. These species are mostly known for eating small bugs and beetles.

Amazingly, there is one kind of spider that exclusively consumes mosquitos. National Geographic reported that the Paracyrba wanlessi is of entirely one mind when it comes to dinner. They like to consume the blood the mosquitos take from their own victims. Unfortunately, the Paracyrba is only found in Malaysia, so it won't be stalking bloodsuckers on your porch any time soon.

Hunting the hunter

Although spiders can be beneficial to your house while hunting flies, the better options is to not have flies to begin with. The best way to prevent spiders from moving in is to remove their source of food. Without the lure of prey, spiders will move on to better hunting grounds.

If you keep a clean house, take out your trash regularly and fill in any cracks in the foundation of your house, you'll have fewer insects wandering your halls. This can be difficult during the summertime, when the windows are open, but be vigilant about cleaning up any standing water near your property and you will see incoming pests dissipate in kind.


About the author:

Since 1924, Abell Pest Control has provided quality services, protecting our customers and their patrons from coast-to-coast. Our customers enjoy the expertise and resources of a national provider. Prouder yet, we are members of your community, ready to service your home or business 24/7.

We are reliable experts in pest control—experts who care. At Abell Pest Control, we bring experience, efficacy and knowledge to customers who are looking for a fast, safe and effective solution to their pest problem.

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