Do you know of anyone who has been bitten by a deadly spider? Well, the possibility is very low that
you do.
Most spiders are harmless creatures, unless your are an insect.
However, every one of us, it seems, hates to meet this eight-legged creepy creature; maybe because they
look so deadly.
I am of two minds when it comes to spiders. Why? Spiders are beneficial arthropods, that
survive by feeding on insects. Oftentimes, they are the most important biological control
of insect pests in gardens, fields, forests, and homes.
Still, it is no fun to run into a cobweb or
have a spider crawl on you. There are about 1000 species of spiders in the United States, but only a very
few are deadly to human. So should I love spiders or hate them?
To get rid of spiders, you may first want to keep away the insects that the
spiders feed on. For example, if food droppings remain in your kitchen overnight, then that will
attract insects like ants. And since many spiders place ants
high on their favorite meals list, the spiders will come in with the ants. So a first step in getting rid
of spiders is to
keep your kitchen clean. This, in general, is a good overall pest control task.
You will also want to keep your closet clean and tidy. Make sure that clothes do not lie
on the floor in
heaps - heaped clothes are warm shelter for spiders in the cold wintertime.
Most spider bites are harmless, the may feel unpleasant, if noticed at all. Still there
Are some deadly exceptions, black widows and brown recluse spiders are the most commonly known
poisonous spiders. The hobo spider, wolf spider, and jumping spider can also produce bites that
require medical attention.
If you think you may have those species wondering in your home you will want to
take some precautions until they are removed.
To prevent spider bites...
Shake out clothing and shoes before putting them on.
Inspect bedding and towels before use.
Wear gloves when handling firewood, lumber, and rocks (Don't forget to inspect the gloves for
spiders before putting them on).
Remove bedskirts and storage boxes from underneath beds. Move the bed away from the wall.
Exercise care when handling cardboard boxes (spiders often are found in the space
under folded cardboard flaps).
Keeping spiders out of the home...
Install tight-fitting screens on windows and doors; also install door sweeps.
Seal or caulk cracks and crevices where spiders can enter the house.
Install yellow or sodium vapor light bulbs outdoors. Such lights attract fewer insects for
spiders to munch upon.
Tape the edges of cardboard boxes to prevent spider entry.
Use plastic bags (sealed) to store loose items in the garage, basement, and attic.
Clean up Outside and Inside Your Home
Remove trash, old boxes, old clothing, wood piles, rock piles, and other unwanted items.
Eliminate clutter in closets, basements, attics, garages, and outbuildings.
Do not stack wood against the house.
Clean up dead insects that the brown spiders can feed on.
Non-chemical control
Use sticky traps or glueboards to capture spiders.
Dust and vacuum thoroughly to remove spiders, webs, and egg sacs
(dispose of the vacuum bag in a container outdoors).
Use a rolled up newspaper or fly swatter to kill individual spiders.
Spray, withn a spray bottle, a solution of 40 percent water, 40 percent alcohol and 20 percent dish soap directly
on the spider.
There are, of course, several commercial pesticides you can use to kill spiders. I suggest
reserveing the use of such pesticides for the deadly species of spider, only.
If you do get bitten by a non-poisonous spider, wash the area as you would a minor scratch
to prevent any chance of infection.
If you are bitten by a poisonous spider, remain calm,
but seek medical attention immediately. If possible, bring the spider that bit you (dead remains,
are just fine) with you to the medical facility. Remove nearby rings and constricting items
because the affected area may swell.
There are many things you can do to control spiders. Although most spiders are both harmless and
useful,
if spiders make you panic, there is more you can do to keep them away.
I recommend you get the following, e-book,
Save Me From The Spiders.
Bugs need respect, too (The Peterborough Examiner)3 Jul 2009 at 9:48am
Creepy crawlers from around the world, a moth as big as a bird and a butterfly that was born half male and half female are all on display at Peterborough Square. The Incredible World of Bugs, a travelling exhibit, features about 500 bugs, insects and spiders in glass cases.[...]
Water Webs Help Connect Spiders, Residents In The Southwest (redOrbit)29 Jun 2009 at 3:16pm
If you are a cricket and it is a dry season on the San Pedro River in Arizona, on your nighttime ramblings to eat leaves, you are more likely to be ambushed by thirsty wolf spiders, or so a June 19 study suggests, published in the journal Ecology, and featured as an editor's choice in the journal Science.A potential horror story for any cricket.
Inside the outdoors (Detroit Free Press)2 Jul 2009 at 2:27am
Leapin' sunfish If you see sunfish "jumping," or taking insects from the surface of a lake, try a dry fly to catch them. I've seen many days when fly anglers caught fish after fish while people using bait didn't even see their bobbers jiggle.
Heart of stone (Guardian Unlimited)3 Jul 2009 at 6:08pm
Drawing on natural forms - hives, spider webs, nautilus shells - Peter Randall-Page's sculptures are deeply connected to pleasure and the comfort of physical contact. By Marina Warner
Wildlife up-close will always be a wonder (Asheville Citizen-Times)2 Jul 2009 at 11:18pm
It's hard to say who is the more excited about nature sightings at the Georgia farm, us or our grandchildren. The farm is in a remote rural area, far away from the development that sometimes keeps wildlife at bay.
Movement will send sunfish out deeper (Detroit Free Press)2 Jul 2009 at 2:29am
This was enlightening. A man was fishing with worms and a bobber from the shore of a small lake in Crawford County where Bill Edwards and I were fishing from kayaks. It was a slow afternoon, and the man told me he had caught one small bluegill.
AAA Exterminating
Spiders in the United States : Identifying Spiders in Utah
