Dealing with Spiders
I think it’s important to get one thing clear from the start: I am not a person who thinks that spiders fall into the category of pest. Quite the opposite, I think that spiders are a great anti-pest; the number of house flies living with me was reduced dramatically by the influx of spiders in my house this year, a fact for which I am grateful.
Still, there are many people who are averse to the idea of sharing a home with an eight legged friend (or enemy, as the case may be) and even I will agree that there are some cases in which a spider should be eliminated or dealt with appropriately.
When is a spider not your friend?
Arachnophobia (and I do think that this is a reasonable fear) aside, there are a couple of instances where you might want to eliminate a spider or spider population. For the most part, these are species specific.
* Black widow spiders are feared by many due to their aggressive natures and their bite. They try to avoid humans, however, and their bite is not quite as bad as legend would have us believe; unless you are allergic, it is roughly equal to a bad wasp sting.
* Brown recluse spiders are another “dangerous” spider species. Again, they are reclusive, and the harmful effect of their toxins is greatly exaggerated by arachnophobes.
* Aggressive house spiders are pretty common, and do bite, and the bite can be painful.
Dealing with these spiders
Spiders are difficult to deal with as pests because they are not large enough to trap, like rodents, and do not tend to colonize as most insect pests will. Instead you have to find them, and then the best way to deal with them is a weapon of some kind depending on how afraid you are of the arachnid.
You can also try regular cleaning, and that includes sweeping or vacuuming out corners of your house where you see spider webs. If you are being bitten while you sleep, change your sheets and covers regularly.
If you do live in an area where black widows or brown recluses are known to inhabit, be sure to take precautionary measures when working outside. These spiders are very common in wood piles, as well as piles of leaves or other detritus. I live with kids so I kill these spiders on sight, but it is with regret as they do deal effectively with worse types of pests.
Finally, when you are working outside, pay attention to areas of your yard and house where spiders might choose to make their home. Eaves troughs and porch dividers make great areas sheltered from predators like birds, and they are easy to sling webs from. Regular cleaning will prevent a spider from setting up shop.