Do you or someone you know have a fear of spiders? Arachnophobia, the scientific term for “fear of spiders,” is an incredibly common experience. In the U.S. alone, some 95 million people (reportedly one-third of all women and one-fourth of all men) identify as arachnophobes. That’s nearly 30% of the United States’ population!

With such a common fear, it would be easy to assume that spiders in general pose quite a serious threat to the populace. Perhaps surprisingly, this is simply not the case. Of the 35,000 different varieties of spiders that exist, approximately 3,000 of those can be found in the U.S. That number gets whittled down even further when we focus on those species that populate the Pacific Northwest, in which about 500 different types of spiders can be found. Of those 500 hundred different spiders, there are two specific types of spiders that the Washington State Department of Health consider dangerous to humans: the black widow and the yellow sac spiders.

Spiders might be harmless, but they are pests!

But just because there are only two specific types of spiders in Washington state that can cause lethal harm to humans, that doesn’t mean you should feel obligated to let spiders run rampant in your home and on your property! You and your loved ones deserve a home environment that feels like a retreat, and at Aspen Pest Control, we’re here to do all we can in ensuring that pests of all types won’t ever bother you.

The best way to maintain a spider-free environment is by understanding — the good and the bad — precisely what role a spider plays in our environment, how to best take advantage of that role, and how to keep spiders exactly where they belong!

What should I know about spiders in Camas?

First things first: spiders aren’t insects. They’re arachnids. Unlike the insects of the six-legged variety, spiders are eight-legged creatures. They have no wings or antennae, and their bodies are divided into two distinct sections, as opposed to those insects whose bodies consist of three.

Spiders play a central role in our ecosystem and consume a great deal of the insect population, eating up to 2,000 insects per year. They’re responsible for keeping down the populations of nuisance pests like mosquitoes, and even protect our agricultural industry by feasting on those bugs that cause harm to our crops!

Where do harmful spiders live in Washington state?

As stated previously, there are two varieties of spiders that can be found in Washington state that can be potentially fatal to humans, the yellow sac spider and its more famous cousin, the black widow. Fortunately for residents of Camas, these spiders aren’t typically found in the portion of the state, preferring a more arid, desert-like climate, making eastern Washington the more common area to find these creatures.

That said, all spiders are venomous. It’s the resulting severity of that venom in humans that determines their threat to us. Of course, there are some folks who may have an allergic reaction to certain spider bites, and those instances should be dealt with in a timely, physician-advised method.

Though the actual, physical threat of spiders in Camas is very slim, the fact remains that spiders are pests and are most appropriate in living outside of your home — away from main thoroughfares, areas where you entertain, pose a threat of entering the home, or in spaces where those with real fears of spiders might be.

Using standard pest control methods when it comes to spider extermination is a no-go. Unlike wasps, ants, mosquitoes and other common pests, spiders do not clean their legs with their mouths. It is this precise method — using poisons that insects bring back to their nests to ingest and depopulate the colony  — that makes spider extermination so difficult.

Spider treatment in Camas, Washington

Because spiders require such a different approach in controlling, Aspen Pest Control has excelled in providing thoughtful and effective solutions to your neighbors in Camas and the greater southwest Washington area.

One simple and effective way for eradicating spiders from your home? Control their food supply. Remember when we told you that spiders consume as many as 2,000 insects per year? Odds are, if you have a lot of spiders on your property, you also have a great deal of insects and other pests to be dealt with.

Aspen Pest Control offers year-round, quarterly maintenance for most pests, and we believe that this service is one effective measure you can take in protecting your home from a spider infestation. In the meantime, there are several other environmental considerations you can identify in order to keep spiders out of sight and out of mind.

A spider’s web is central to their entire operation. If you can control their food supply and eradicate their webs, then odds are they’ll be looking for a different, friendlier environment to set up shop. By regularly vacuuming areas like eaves, patios, under decking, on your home’s siding, in corners, cracks in your foundation, etc, you’re limiting the areas in which they can thrive, thereby driving them away.

And if you do see spiders in your home or on your property, don’t panic! Call an expert! We’re here to help. While you’re waiting for us to get there, here are a few more things you can do to keep your home happy, healthy, and safe.

Keeping spiders out of your home in Camas, Washington

Keep spiders from entering. Spiders, like most pests, are incredibly adept at entering the home. If you have poorly sealed windows or doors, cracks in your foundation, broken or torn window screens, or exposed gaps where utility lines come into the home, then spiders — as well as a variety of other pests — have easy access to your house. Periodically check these areas and maintain repairs in order to keep the home pest-free. Also pay special attention when bringing houseplants or Christmas trees into the home, as both are considered spider-friendly environments.

Reduce the clutter, reduce the spiders. Attics, high garage shelves, sheds — none of these are environments that most of us spend a whole lot of time thinking about, let alone cleaning. After all, these are the places we fill with things we don’t know what to do with, right? But here’s the thing, if we did spend a little more time maintaining these areas, particularly those that tend to get cluttered, then we’d have far fewer spiders in our home. Periodically tidying and vacuuming those areas that have long gone undisturbed (spiders prefer untouched areas for laying eggs) will go a long way in keeping pests at bay.

Brush them off your body, shake them out of your clothes. Spider bites are relatively uncommon, but one of the primary reasons they do occur is because we accidentally squish or press them against our bodies, and the affected spider is in turn reacting to what it perceives as a threat. Gently brushing them off of your body is a far more effective method. Relatedly, work clothes stored in barns or sheds can be perceived by spiders as prime environments for laying eggs. Because of this, we highly recommend always shaking these clothes out thoroughly before wearing in order to avoid a potential bite.

Call a trusted professional for spiders in Camas, Washington

Spiders are important, fascinating creatures that, unfortunately, can cause people a great deal of distress. Because you’ve earned a relaxing, worry- and pest-free home, we at Aspen Pest Control are here to serve all your spider and related pest-control needs!  If you’re experiencing the burden of spiders, or any other pest infestation, don’t hesitate to call Aspen Pest Control. We’re happy to answer any questions you might have! Call Aspen Pest Control today.