The Truth about the Spiders Living in Your Home

It’s common to find people who are afraid of insects. Their fear is understandable too. The thought of insects crawling and writhing around in dark places is enough to send shivers down anyone’s spine.

Insects like bees, centipedes, and cockroaches are particularly good at scaring people. Still, even those insects may not be able to match the type of fear that spiders strike into the hearts of many.

But are spiders really worth worrying about? How should you deal with them in the first place?

To find out more about spiders and what you should do if you find them inside your home, please read on.

Should You Fear Spiders?

This is not exactly a fair question.

Some people cannot control their fear of spiders due to an existing phobia or perhaps because of unpleasant experiences they had when they were younger. Even if they know their fear is irrational, they may not be able to stifle their emotions whenever they come face to face with a spider.

The better question for you to ask as a homeowner is this: Do spiders pose a threat to my home?

You may be glad to know that no, spiders are not capable of damaging your home. Unlike ants and termites, spiders are perfectly content to just hang around.

There’s a good chance that spiders are present in your home right now but you may not see them often because they generally shy away from people. Still, those times when spiders get aggressive and bite you are reasons enough to shoo them away right?

How often Do Spiders Bite People?

For arachnophobes, the idea of sleeping in the dark is scary because of the possibility that spiders may be able to close the distance without getting noticed. As soon as they get close, those spiders may start to get aggressive and scare you awake with a powerful bite.

Here’s the thing though: That scenario that was just outlined is highly unlikely to take place in real life.

According to this article from The Burke Museum, spiders very rarely get to your bed. As long as you remember to keep your covers off the floor and away from the walls, you can pretty much reduce the chances of a spider getting close to you to zero.

Even if a random spider was somehow able to overcome the odds and reach your bed, that still isn’t guaranteed to lead to a bite. Spiders have no reason to bite people unless they are threatened. A spider may feel threatened if you are about to roll over and squish it, but even in that scenario, the spider will likely wind up biting the bed instead of you.

Spiders are more likely to bite if you wear a piece of clothing that they’re hiding in. Just remember to check your shirt before putting it on to avoid that kind of unpleasant experience.

Can a Spider Turn into a Nuisance inside Your Home?

Spiders are not disruptive or destructive insects. Or at least they aren’t to people.

Assuming that you are fine with seeing spiders pop up in and around your home every now and then, there’s no reason to believe that they will ever be problematic to you. If anything, their presence may even be beneficial to your home.

How Can Spiders Help Homeowners?

That’s right. Spiders are among the few insects that can become your allies at least in terms of maintaining an orderly home.

In an article for The Conversation, NC State University Plant Disease and Insect Clinic Director Dr. Matt Bertone notes that spiders can help homeowners out in a variety of ways.

First off, spiders can help by keeping your home free from various other insects and pests. Dr. Bertone describes them as generalist predators and he also points out that spiders like hunting and eating the insects we commonly regard as pests.

Spiders are quite fond of mosquitoes, which is good news for us because those insects are notorious for carrying and spreading diseases. Those eight-legged insects can do more than just prevent the spread of disease by preying on mosquitoes.

They will also consume any flying termites that are unfortunate enough to get tangled in their web. On its own, a spider may not be enough to prevent a termite infestation, but one can still be helpful in terms of keeping your home free from structural damage.

If you end up deciding to co-exist with the spiders in your home, know that their presence can prove beneficial in the long run.

How Do You Get Rid of Spiders inside Your Home?

Now, if you do decide that you would much rather not live in constant fear of the spiders that may show up from time to time inside your home, that’s perfectly understandable. There are some easy steps you can take to discourage them from living with you.

To get started, you will have to do a lot of cleaning. Angie’s List recommends cleaning any spots inside your home where you see webs. You should also remember to put away clothes and shoes because spiders may try to hide in them.

If there are insect nests inside your home, try clearing those out as well. Remember that spiders like preying on their fellow insects so you may be unintentionally giving them a reason to stay by allowing insects to hang out at your home.

When you’re done cleaning indoors, move outside and continue the process. Raking the leaves and mowing the grass should further reduce the number of areas where spiders may be able to hide. If those spots disappear, the spiders will likely go elsewhere in search of shelter.

Keep up your cleaning routines long-term and you should be able to discourage spiders from living inside your home.

Reach Out to the Professionals for Assistance

Dealing with spiders on your own can be a challenge if you’re an arachnophobe. Instead of taking on that problem by yourself, allow us at Romex Pest Control to help. If you’re a resident of Louisiana, Mississippi, Oklahoma, or Texas, please feel free to schedule your appointment today so that we can free your home from spiders as soon as possible.