Why Spiders Invade Jacksonville Homes And How To Keep Them Out

Do spiders really want to live with you? That is the question we're going to explore today. The reason it is worth considering is that most spiders don't actually want to live inside your home. If you understand what motivates spiders to want to invade your space, or what factors promote infestations, you can do something to keep them out. We'll consider a few common spiders in Jacksonville, why they get in, and what all-natural methods work to stop them. If you're curious about how to get rid of spiders in your home, you'll find lots of great ideas in this little article. Of course, you always have the option to contact us and have a licensed home pest control professional help you address your spider concerns. Our friendly and knowledgeable technicians are here to assist you. Jump to our contact page or give us a call.  

Types Of Spiders Often Found In Jacksonville

Arachnology is the study of spiders, but you don't have to have a PhD in this field of study to understand what motivates Jacksonville spiders. All spiders are a bit different but there are similarities in each category. Let's look at these categories.

Outdoor Spiders: These spiders live in your garden, landscaping, and other vegetation on your property. They are attracted to damp environments and insects that feed on vegetation.

Ground Spiders: These are the predator spiders that live in holes. If you have the right kind of soil, these spiders will love your property. They're also drawn to yards with lots of hiding places. As they explore your yard and find hiding places, they'll stay if food is available. They eat crawling insects and bugs. 

Aerial Web Weavers: These spiders create webs on your exterior, near trash receptacles, light fixtures, window panes, and gutters. They do this to catch flying insects. The more flying pests you have, the more likely these spiders will start encroaching.

House Spiders: There are a few spider species that prefer to live indoors. Often, they don't even enter homes from the outside. They hitch a ride in used furniture and other objects. They don't need a reason to invade your space, they're already living with you. A house spider can live on a meager diet of tiny flies, ants, and pantry pests.

Venomous Spiders: These are the worst spiders in Jacksonville. If bitten by one of these, you may need to take a trip to the hospital. Venomous spiders have potent venom because they take down larger prey than other spiders. If you have lizards, snails, frogs, or other small animals in your yard, you'll likely have trouble with venomous spiders.   

Obviously, these are general categories. Some spiders fit into more than one. But these provide an idea of how spiders see your property, and give reasons why they may enter your home. Let's quickly break them down one more time. Spiders are attracted to:

• Plant-damaging insects
• Grainy soil
• Available holes
• Yard clutter
• Crawling bugs
• Flying pests
• Indoor insects
• Lizards and other small animals

Most of the reasons why a spider wants to live on your property or get into your home are related to the food spiders eat, namely insects, multi-legged bugs, other spiders, and small animals. So now, we need to move from the science of arachnology to entomology, which is mostly the study of insects.    

Spiders Often Follow Pest Prey Into The Home

Insects come in many shapes and sizes. We're sure you know many of them by name. Every insect you can name has a spider that likes to eat it. Outdoor spiders eat mosquitoes, bottle flies, moths, aphids, Asian lady beetles, and the list goes on. Indoor spiders eat fungus gnats, phorid flies, fruit flies, carpet beetles, moth flies, houseflies, Indian meal moths, and more. They'll also eat millipedes and centipedes, and other spiders. Spiders live where food is found. As they explore your yard, they'll stay if they find something to eat. If they see their prey enter your home, they'll go in behind them. Once inside, they may stay if they're able to continue to get a meal. The secret to keeping Florida spiders out is to keep insects and other pests out.

Controlling the food sources spiders eat has another benefit. If spiders can't find food, they may die off. Some spiders give birth to 300 spiderlings at a time. When the spiders hatch, they'll search for food. If your yard is not a target-rich environment, they may crawl to a yard that is. In some cases, the same is true of spiders that hatch indoors.   

Tips To Prevent Spiders And Their Pest Prey

There is no way to get rid of spiders outside, but you can deter them and stunt population growth by reducing food and addressing other conducive conditions. Some of these tips are specific for controlling the insects spiders prey upon. Some will control spiders. A few will control both.  

• Flies are attracted to the scent of garbage. If flies are buzzing around your receptacles, spiders may create webs near them. Clean your receptacles to remove the odor.
• When flies buzz around a receptacle that is near an exterior door, they can fly right into your home when you open the door. Move receptacles away from exterior doors to prevent this from happening.
• Many insects are attracted to light. Keep lights off at night if it is not a security concern. In areas where light is needed, consider yellow light. Insects aren't able to detect yellow light.
• Light in entryways can attract flying insects that zip into your home when you open the door. But you need those lights. It isn't practical to keep them off. You could replace them with yellow light, but it isn't ideal. Try motion-sensitive light bulbs or light fixtures. These will come on when you need them and turn off when you don't need them.
• Spiders hide in wood piles, stumps, dying trees, leaf piles, and certain objects. Yard work and management of clutter can deter spiders.
• Spiders that create webs also create eggs sacs with hundreds of eggs. Remove the webs and destroy the egg sacs to prevent them from hatching.
• Many insects eat nectar. If you have flowering weeds in your yard, you'll provide an ample food source for these insects. Stomping out weeds doesn't just make your lawn attractive, it removes an attractant that invites insects and spiders to your property.
• Spiders enter your home by way of gaps, holes, and cracks. If you inspect your exterior and consider all of the ways tiny insects or spiders may find a way inside, you can deter them all. Pest-proofing is a long-lasting deterrent and well worth the effort. The tools for this job are expanding foam, silicone caulk, and weatherstripping.
• Pantry pests invade your kitchen by hitching a ride in grocery food packages. Sealed glass or plastic containers can help you stop pantry pests from spreading once they get into your home.
• Fruit flies ride into your home on produce. Keep fruits and vegetables refrigerated, just in case there are eggs hidden on them.
• Check potted plants for tiny black flies before bringing them inside. Fungus gnats often get in this way.
• Keep your kitchen and pantry clean to deter a long list of common household pests that eat food debris. Wash counters, wipe down shelves, clean floors, and vacuum cracks.
• Clean your home of dust and hair to make it hard for carpet beetles to live with you.
• Protect clothing to deter clothing moths and silverfish.
  Indoor humidity control is essential for deterring moisture pests. Install a dehumidifier, use your bathroom fan when taking showers, and fix leaking faucets.

Everything you do provides another layer of protection. If you need help keeping spiders and other pests out, keep us in mind. When you have a year-round pest control service plan, you don't just reduce spiders in Jacksonville, you get wide-reaching control of a long list of common household and yard pests.  

Pro Pest Control Makes For The Best Spider Control

The best way to stop spiders is to hire a professional to do the things you would do yourself. We do a pass around your home and get those spider webs and remove the egg sacs. We address common entry points spiders and other pests use to enter your home. We apply spot treatments, crack-and-crevice treatments, and other essential services to build a pest control barrier. We set up quarterly visits to make sure your exterior has the protection it needs all year long. 

At Lindsey Pest Services, we know the pests you're dealing with on your property and in your home. We've created three plans to help you get the right amount of control at the best price possible. Call us and ask us about Good, Better, and best pest control for your Jacksonville home. All of our plans cover more than thirty common Florida pests, including spiders. We'll help you pick the right service plan for your family and get the coverage you want for the pests that concern you most. We're here to help!