Why Are Spiders Invading My Home?

There are two main reasons spiders get into Florida homes. They have to do with pest pressures around homes and the availability of entry points. Here's what you need to know.

a black widow spider at a home in middleburg florida

Pest Pressures

There are a lot of bugs and wild animals that live in Florida, and those creatures are constantly applying pressure on residential properties. You might also say that they constantly encroach. This constant pest pressure has a direct effect on spider populations near your home.

The more attractive a yard is to insects, the more interesting it will be to spiders. The more invertebrates you have around your home, the more spiders you'll have. If your foundation perimeter is teeming with life, you can expect to have spiders. It's a bug-eat-bug world out there. That's just how it is, and Florida weather is ideal for outdoor living.

What Draws Insects And Invertebrates To Your Yard?

Do you have exterior lights? While these are great for home security, they attract insects, which are food for spiders. That is why you'll see spider webs created near light fixtures.
Do you have rocks in your landscaping? Invertebrates and many insects hide under rocks. This will make rocky areas of interest to spiders.
Do you have plants? Aphids, scales, and other insects that feed on the sap of plants will be a tasty treat for spiders.
Is your landscaping damp? Ticks, fleas, and other pests that require a lot of moisture are drawn to landscaping high in humidity. While regular watering of plants can provide enough moisture for these pests, some conditions can increase and prolong dampness, such as an obstructed gutter system or a leaky spigot.
Do you have open trash receptacles? You would be amazed at how attractive trash is to pests. Rotting organic matter, both sweets and meats will draw in a wide range of pest creatures.

If you want to reduce spiders and the threats spiders can present, it begins with controlling the food that invites spiders to hang out near your exterior walls and foundation. All of the attractants above can benefit from a residential pest control program. With routine treatments of your foundation perimeter, you won't have to worry as much about exterior lights, rocks in your landscaping, how many plants you have, how humid your plants are, or whether or not you have tightly sealed trash receptacles. When pests come to explore your landscaping, they come in contact with a residual control product designed to eliminate bugs without causing harm to humans, dogs, cats, and other animals. This is the best way to reduce spiders and other pests around your home.

Entry Points

When populations of spiders increase, entry is more likely. But, to get into your home, those spiders need an entry point. Sealing potential entry points can help you prevent pest infestations from taking root.

Spiders and other pests will use gaps around door frames, damaged door sweeps, and gaps in weather stripping to get in.
Windows, especially windows that are in foundation walls, are common entry points. Gaps on the outside of frames, holes created by wood chewing pests, broken window panes, damaged screens, and broken mortar can provide entries.
Gaps around plumbing and wire conduit give quick access. These entry points are even more of a threat if they have landscaping or trash bins near them.
Spiders can enter a home both low and high. Your roofline, eaves, soffits, roof-soffit intersections, chimney, roof penetrations, and more may give spiders a way in.

Spider Control In Florida

In many states, spiders are mostly nuisance pests. That is not the case in our Florida service area. Brown recluse spiders and black widow spiders can present a serious threat. So can many other pests. Ticks, mosquitoes, cockroaches, mice, rats the list goes on and on. No Florida home should be without an effective pest control plan. If you don't have a plan in place and you're in our Jacksonville service area, let the industry-leading service professionals at Lindsey Pest Services help you form one. Our team is nationally recognized as QualityPro Certified by the National Pest Management Association. When it comes to managing Florida pest threats, you can count on the team at Lindsey Pest Services.