Spiders

Spider Control

There are many, many species of spiders in and around the Space Coast. Although many people are terrified of spiders, the vast majority, like the black and yellow orb weaver are harmless and beneficial. They generally should be left alone if they're living outside and not bothering anyone. They're doing us a favor.

Spiders are beneficial because they're carnivorous, and most of our spiders have a special fondness for mosquitoes. Mosquitoes get caught in their nests, and the spiders eat them. Unfortunately, like bats, spiders don't get the gratitude they deserve for this service. All too many people want to kill them even when they're causing us no harm, and doing much good, by helping to reduce the mosquito population.

At Beachside Termite and Pest Control, we encourage customers to think twice before killing spiders who are living outside their homes in out-of-the way places such as in bushes or under soffits. There's usually no reason to bother them at all.

Spiders inside the House

Spiders living inside the home where the people live are another story.

Most spiders are capable of biting, and many people are sensitive to the bites of even non-venomous spiders or spiders whose venom is usually considered weak. Although spiders have no particular interest in biting humans, they don't hesitate to do so if, for example, we roll over onto them while we're asleep. (And when you think about it, who can blame them?)

Most spider problems inside the home can be taken care of with nothing more than a vacuum cleaner or dust-buster. If you only have the occasional spider now and then, just vacuum it up and be done with it. There's really no need to do anything more than that for the occasional spider in a house.

Professional Spider Control

You really only need help from a professional exterminator when either (a) you have a lot of spiders (or recurring problems with spiders); (b) you're allergic to spider bites; or (c) when you suspect that you may have either black widow or brown recluse spiders. Black widows are uncommon in Florida, and brown recluse spiders are even rarer. We do get them once in a while, though, so we'll talk a bit about them farther down the page.

In cases where you just have a whole lot of spiders, or if you're allergic to spiders, there are some things we can do to help reduce the problem. Exactly how we approach the problem depends on the particular situation. Sometimes traps are the answer. Other times we can find how they're getting in to the living area and seal them out. Sometimes an exterior treatment with a low-toxicity insecticide that's repellent to spiders may be a better choice.

Whatever the case, we try to solve the problem using non-chemical methods wherever possible, and low-toxicity insecticides when it's impossible to solve the problem non-chemically.

Dangerous Spiders

There are only two species of spiders in Florida that can really be called “dangerous,” and they're both uncommon. We do get them once in a while, however, so let's discuss them briefly.

Black Widow Spiders

Black widows are predominantly black in color, with distinctive red markings. Their bites can be serious, but contrary to popular belief, are rarely fatal.

Still, a black widow bite can make you sick enough that you may think you're going to die. Some of the symptoms include severe abdominal pain, muscle cramps, tremors, profuse sweating, and cardiac stress — even in people who are not particularly sensitive to bites.

The symptoms caused by a black widow bite can last from three to five days — not the kind of thing most people care to experience. So if by chance you have a spider that looks like it might be a widow, you're a lot better off calling a professional.

But again, black widows are unusual — but not unheard of — in Melbourne, Palm Bay and Viera.

Brown Recluse Spiders

The brown recluse or “fiddle-back” spider is even more unusual than the black widow in our neck of the woods, but it's not unheard of. They're not native to our area, but sometimes they arrive in trucks, rail cars, and other conveyances.

The bite of a brown recluse spider can cause reddened skin, followed by severe itching, followed by an open sore accompanied by dermal necrosis. That's a fancy way of saying that the skin around the bite dies, and the dead spot keeps spreading outward and eventually become gangrenous. It's not a pretty picture.

If untreated, this condition can result in death or require the amputation of the affected part of the body. However, the majority of brown recluse bites do not result in this reaction; and as we said earlier, brown recluse spiders are not common in Satellite Beach

Once again, most spiders are harmless, and even beneficial. But if you have a serious or persistent problem with spiders, or if you're sensitive to spider bites, please contact us for a no-obligation consultation. We'll help you identify and, if necessary, treat your spider problem. We look forward to hearing from you.