Seeing Spiders and Ants? It Must be June
If you live in eastern Virginia, then you know that June means ants and spiders can be found everywhere. The warm and humid summers in the Old Dominion state make a terrific home for all kinds of insects and spiders. As other insects that can be considered prey become more active in warmer weather, so do wolf spiders. Here’s what to know about spiders and how to keep them out of your home.
Always Searching for Feed
Most spiders set up shop where they can catch small bugs that crawl or fly into their web. These places include in and around the outside of your home, such as windows, doors, eves, and inside garages, where they are protected from the weather but have easy access to food and water. They can also be found in gardens, woodpiles, under debris, and in shrubs. If they decide to take up residence in your home, then the likeliest places you’ll find them are in closets, basements, storage boxes, and attics. Spiders like warm temperatures, good shelter, and ample food and water. Anytime one of those things becomes scarce, a spider might decide to holiday inside.
A Web of Spiders
Most spiders found in eastern Virginia are harmless, but if you find them in your home, you can bet other unwanted creatures are, too. Spider families in Virginia can be grouped into categories and include jumping spiders, orb weaver spiders, house spiders, wolf spiders, and grass spiders.
- Jumping Spiders: The tan jumping spider is hairy with thick legs and body. It is fast and can escape trouble with a few leaps, which is why bites are rare. These spiders pounce on their prey instead of build webs.
- Orb Weavers: These spiders weave large, orb-shaped webs up to two feet across. They are usually found in gardens between plants, in fields, in barns, and across doorways. They hunt at night and are not usually seen during the day.
- House Spiders: As we spend more time outside and may even enjoy evenings under deck lights and porch lights, you might see a few more spiders appear. That is because any place near insect-attracting lights makes a wonderful place for spiders to hang out. They also like to camp near open trash cans or any place that attracts flies.
- Wolf Spiders: Wolf spiders got their name because they chase down their prey instead of using webs to catch a meal. They are deep brown and have long, strong legs used to pounce on their prey.
- Grass Spiders: These brown and black spiders are extremely fast. Also known as funnel web spiders, they have strips from head to rear along their back. These spiders can bite and leave an itchy red welt.
- Brown Recluse Spiders and Black Widow Spiders: These are the only two poisonous spiders that make their home eastern Virginia. A bite from either of these spiders will require treatment from a doctor to prevent infection and can be painful.
Ants in the Pantry?
Most ants are considered nuisance pests, meaning they aren’t dangerous, but once ants find their way into your home, they can be hard to get rid of and usually require professional pest control treatment. During the winter, ants become dormant and seek warmer areas underground. Once summer hits, ants have a well-established home base and seek food and water in nearby areas. If they find a way inside your house, ants will leave a trail for others to follow. This can result in hundreds of unwanted crawlers in a small area. Ants come in a variety of colors and can be one-eight-inch to one-half-inch long. Most ants are harmless, but they may seek water and food, finding it in kitchens and basements across eastern Virginia.
How to Fight Back
To keep ants at bay, begin by sealing gaps in the foundation and exterior walls of your home. Look for places you can see gaps or feel air coming through. Keep your grass cut short and check the weather stripping around your windows and doors; replace them if necessary. Make sure that tree branches and bushes are trimmed away from your home’s exterior and woodpiles dry and away from your home as well.
Consider calling a professional pest control service. Our professional technicians at Eco Pest Control are trained to look for signs and evidence of a variety of pests, including spiders and ants, and have the tools and expertise to keep them away. Regularly scheduled treatments early in the year will keep spiders and ants from getting out of control.