What do you consider the creepiest pest? Cockroaches? Centipedes? Ants? For many, spiders are as scary as they come. Eight legs, beady eyes, and the ability to crawl upside down, it doesn’t get much more unsettling than that. If you are seeing spiders around your Elizabeth City home and wondering why, we have the answers. Let’s dive in and find out what makes your home so appealing to creepy spiders.
What Attracts Spiders Into Homes
Just like most other pests, the need to eat is what drives spiders. What sets them apart is their diet. Unlike flies, cockroaches, and ants, spiders are not in your home looking for crumbs, meat, or other human food. Spiders only have eyes for one delicacy, other insects. You most likely already know this, but most species of spiders hunt or trap and feed on other insects to survive. If your home has an influx of bugs, you can be sure spiders are going to be nearby.
So, this leaves us with another question. What attracts other insects to your home? Most often, moisture, storms, nearby construction, or exterior lights lure insects. Sometimes pests wander inside without any real reason, and then find your home to be a paradise, filled with food and places to hide.
One other thing that attracts spiders to homes, particularly around this time of year, is warmth. Although spiders have a natural anti-freeze biology that keeps them alive in freezing temperatures, they still need warmth - primarily because other pests (the ones they prey on) need it to survive. When other insects have died off in the wild, and only the ones inside your home have survived, you can guess where spiders will want to be.
Prevention Tips For Spiders
In order to keep spiders out of your home, you need to implement a wide range of preventative measures designed to hold different insect pests at bay. Here are some steps we recommend:
- Keep your yard clutter and debris-free to limit the amount of places bugs can hide on your property.
- Mow your grass regularly and keep your landscape well maintained.
- Trim back tree branches and bushes from the exterior walls of your home.
- Make sure your gutters are in good working order and able to channel water away from the foundation.
- Eliminate sources of standing water in your home and around your property.
- Install door sweeps under all exterior doors.
- Repair or replace any ripped window or door screens.
- Pick up pet food and water bowls and clean them out before going to bed at night.
- Store any leftover food inside sealed containers.
- Limit the number of areas that you eat in your home to one or two.
- Clean all kitchen surfaces and tables after you’re finished eating or preparing foods.
- Regularly clean under kitchen appliances.
- Seal up gaps and cracks around the exterior of your home using a caulking gun. Check your foundation, around utility piping, and along the edges of door and window frames.
If the above steps seem like a lot of work and too stressful to keep spiders away, we have an easier solution for you.
How Albemarle Pest Control Can Solve Your Pest Problems
As you have learned, spiders are not the easiest pests to keep out of your home. For this reason, we offer comprehensive pest control services here at Albemarle Termite & Pest Control. Not only does our general home pest control keep spiders away, but it also deters all the insect pests they hunt. We take the stress off you, so you focus on what matters. Don’t let spiders cause trouble around your home. Find your easy solution to pests by reaching out to Albemarle Pest Control!