5 Tips to Reducing Spiders around My New Jersey Home

In all my years of pest control, I have found that spiders are one of the most feared and most misunderstood pests. They are probably one of the most common pests that you see around your home, particularly in corners of the room, on ceilings, and other out-of-the-way areas that may not be swept often or wiped clean. Fortunately, we live in an area of the country where poisonous spiders are really pretty rare to encounter. However, they do exist and you should be able to easily identify the poisonous types and understand where these types of spiders are typically found. 

Spiders are actually beneficial to have around homes and gardens because they feed on insects. They are nature’s way of naturally controlling pests.  But spiders can also be annoying to have around. They make their presence known with their unsightly cobwebs that make our homes look dirty and we all know the unpleasant feeling of being caught up in a spider web. 

There are some steps you can take to reduce the number of spiders around your home.  Consider these tips which may not completely eliminate but will certainly reduce the number of spiders and spider webs found around the home. 

1. Control pests around the home.  Spiders feed on insects so having a lot of insects in and around your home will attract spiders looking to feed on them.  Doing regular preventative perimeter treatments around the home will knock down both pest and spider populations.
2. Pest-proof your home this fall.  As temperatures fall, spiders will look to move indoors to a warmer climate.  Pest-proof your home before the cold weather sets in: 
   1. Seal cracks and crevices
   2. Ensure that windows and doors are tightly sealed
   3. Remove debris and heavy vegetation around the perimeter of the home to reduce both pest and spider populations close to the home 
   4. Vacuum regularly.  A vacuum will help you control those small and common house spiders and their webs.  Concentrate on the corners of the room, the stairs, and other hard-to-reach places where spiders might make themselves at home.
   5. Sweep outdoor entryways and windows removing insects and knocking down spiders webs.  A hose or power washer may be useful outdoors to keep areas clean of both bugs and spiders.  
   6. Consider switching any cardboard boxes used for storage to sealed plastic containers. Cardboard boxes stored on the floor are a popular harborage site for spiders and they typically are easy for them to access.

To learn more about spiders or to request a quote for preventative pest services visit us online.