Experts recommend an integrated approach to control ... SPIDERS

By DAVID SPRAGUE

OSU Extension master gardener volunteer

CANFIELD

It’s common to find spiders in our homes during winter.

While some are in our homes year-round, others who live outside come in from the cold this time of year – bumping up the numbers of spiders.

Along with more spiders in our homes, we are more likely to cross paths with them now in undisturbed areas, such as where we store our holiday decorations.

It’s almost assured that every home has spiders. A sampling by an entomologist of 50 homes in North Carolina found all 50 contained spiders.

But even if they are in our homes, we have little to fear from them. Almost all spiders you’ll find around the home are harmless to humans or pets.

Spiders will bite when they feel threatened, but for most spiders, their venom is too weak to cause harm and/or their fangs are too short to penetrate our skin.

In fact, spiders around the home are beneficial. Spiders are predators. They will trap or hunt nasty insects that have ventured into a house such as roaches or mosquitoes. Spiders are a natural part of the environment.

In Ohio, there are two groups of spiders that can harm you – the recluse spiders and the widow spiders. Luckily, both groups are relatively rare in Ohio, and they prefer secluded locations to nest, so it’s rare to see one. Be aware that both may defensively bite if disturbed.

While spiders and insects are sometimes lumped together as “bugs,” spiders are different from insects.

Both are invertebrates and have a hard external skeleton, but the similarities end there. For example, spiders have eight legs and two body parts, while insects have six legs and three body parts. Spiders are as different from insects as birds are from fish.

Some people are afraid of spiders, and they can be scary: eight legs, multiple eyes, fangs and venom. For these people, controlling the numbers of spiders is the best approach, keeping in mind you won’t get them all.

The University of Minnesota Extension recommends an integrated approach to control spiders:

Seal up obvious exit places around your home.

Catch and remove outside any individual spiders you find.

Remove webs with a broom or vacuum and destroy egg sacks.

Finally, if spiders are numerous or you think they may be harmful, you can consider pesticides or contacting a professional.

If you use pesticides, read and follow all directions on the label. There are few approved for use in the home, however. Correct identification is important before using pesticides for potentially harmful spiders.

If you think the spider is a recluse or a widow, carefully take a picture of it or capture it. Then contact the Mahoning County Extension office, 330 533-5538, for help. You can email the picture or bring in a sample. Once we have the picture or a sample, we can identify it for you.

For more on spiders in the home, visit http://go.osu.edu/spiders.