Spider… just the word makes most of us shiver! Arachnophobia, or the fear of spiders, has been listed as one of the top five phobias for decades. But of the 37,500 species of spiders worldwide only two groups are considered poisonous to humans in the U.S. – the recluse and widow spiders. Tarantulas, jumping spiders, orb weavers and wolf spiders are but a few of the many species that can be found in and around your home.
Spiders have eight legs, round bodies and range from very small sizes to several inches in length. Their bodies do not have segments, and their heads are fused to their abdomens. All spiders have fangs to inject venom, and most spin webs to capture prey.
Most spiders feed on insects. This makes them beneficial in helping to manage pests in gardens, fields, forests and homes, but they are unwelcome houseguests.
It is important to be familiar with what poisonous spiders look like and how they act. Both black widow spiders and brown recluse spiders have venom that is dangerous to humans, and females are known to be aggressive and bite in defense. If you are bitten, seek a medical professional for treatment.
Black widow spiders get their name from the popular belief that the female spiders eat males after mating, although this rarely happens. They can be identified by their shiny black bodies, which include a bright red, hourglass-shaped marking on the underside of their abdomen. They range from 1½ to 1¾ inches in length, and can be found throughout the U.S.
Brown recluse spiders are known for the brown violin marking on their backs, and they range in color from light brown to dark brown. With eight legs, they have round bodies and are typically ¼ to ½ inch long. They can be found in the central Midwest, from Ohio to Nebraska, and in the south from Texas to Georgia.
To help keep spiders from entering your home, be sure to regularly remove spider webs, seal cracks and crevices, eliminate harborage areas and improve ventilation in attics and crawlspaces.
Approximately 3,500
If your spider situation gets out of control contact the nearest HomeTeam Pest Defense branch to schedule an inspection around the perimeter of your home.
If you are wondering how to identify poisonous spiders, HomeTeam is here to help! Only 1 out of 5 home owners felt they could properly identify spiders. So if you are trying to identify a spider, we have some tips.
Ants are the most common pest problem in America, with more than 80% of homeowners experiencing ant problems.
They are typically one inch long with yellow and black stripes, six legs, two pairs of wings, and a stinger.
Easy to identify by their wormlike bodies, slender antennae and pairs of legs on most of their body segments.
Cockroaches are typically dark brown in color and as long as 1½-inches in length.
Oh that unmistakable sound... a cricket is hiding somewhere!
Earwigs have a low tolerance for heat, becoming active at night and spending the day in hiding.
Fire ants are small, yellowish-red to black in color, aggressive, vicious and known for their painful burning sting.
Fleas are small, reddish-brown, wingless insects that feed on the blood of humans and animals.
Gnats are tiny flies that range from 3/10 to 1/8 inch long, and have one pair of long legs and long antennae.
Grasshoppers are known for their long hind legs which they use to make a chirping sound.
The Hercules beetle is the largest and strongest of the scarab beetle family, measuring from 1½ to six inches.
Did you know that when you bring that fresh cut tree into your home you could also be inviting spiders, beetles, mites and aphids for the holidays!
House flies get their name from being the most common type of fly found in homes throughout the U.S.
June bugs get their name from the time of year they emerge from the ground. They are blackish or reddish brown in color.
The ladybug is also known as 'ladybird' or 'lady beetle' and is typically 7 millimeters in size.
Lovebugs are also known as March flies. During and after mating, adult pairs remain coupled, even in flight, for up to several days.
They have many legs with 2 pairs of short legs on many segments of their bodies. Most are brownish or blackish in color.
Mosquitoes pose a greater threat to man’s health than any other pest.
Moths are known for their distinctive pair of wings, which are drab in color and typically resemble earth tones like brown, white, gray or black.
Occasional invaders are insects and arthropods that sporadically enter your home throughout the year.
Wasps sting many people each year and most severe injuries occur from hypersensitivity or allergies to the venom of wasps' sting.
All rodents are excellent climbers and only need a very small external opening to get inside homes and other buildings.
The roly-poly has many names, depending on where you live. Also known as a pill bug or sow bug, it is typically ⅜ inch in size and can be found throughout the U.S.
Although they are perceived as dangerous, the Arizona Bark Scorpion is the only species with venom that is deadly enough to kill a human.
Silverfish get their name from their silvery, metallic appearance and fish-like movements.
Found on plants, spider mites range in color from red and brown to yellow and green.
Spiders have eight legs, round bodies and range from very small sizes to several inches in length. Their bodies do not have segments, and their heads are fused to their abdomens.
Springtails are very small insects, measuring only 0.4 to 10 millimeters in length. These pests vary in color (white to dark gray), lack wings and have the ability to jump.
The stink bug was accidently introduced to the U.S. and gained notoriety from its rapid spread in the country.
Tarantulas are much bigger than most spiders. Their bodies are typically three inches long, and they have leg spans ranging from three to twelve inches.
When termites from a colony settle into your home, the structure becomes infested. Termites have straight bead-like antennae.
They have oval, flattened-shaped bodies, and can range from five millimeters when they have empty stomachs to ? inch when they are engorged with blood.
Most paper wasps measure about 2 cm (¾ in) long and are black, brown, or reddish in color with yellow markings.
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