Problems caused by Spiders
A lot of people consider spiders pests, and I will admit up front that I am not one of them. I can identify with the reasoning of people who want to condemn spiders as pests and get rid of them, but in my opinion the potential benefits of spiders far outweigh any negative factors that are chalked up to them. In this article we will look at some of the reasons spiders may be on a pest list, but we will also take a look at why spiders can be beneficial.
* They are scary. This is the number one reason why people don’t like spiders around. Let’s face it, with eight eyes, eight legs, webs, and a venomous bite, spiders aren’t the most endearing creatures. Many people are willing to condemn them on looks alone.
* They are poisonous, and potentially harmful. To me, this is a much better reason for wanting spiders removed from your home and garden. All species of spider are poisonous to some degree, but only a small number actually bite humans. In fact only three biting spiders are found in the United States and Canada; the aggressive house spider, the black widow spider, and the brown recluse spider. The widows and the browns are the most dangerous of the two, although their bite and its toxic affect on humans has been greatly over rated. In addition, both of these spiders prefer to remain well out of the way of people, living in sheltered areas such as sheds and woodpiles. You are much more likely to be bitten by the aggressive spider, but even here a bite will not produce much more than a swelling and some pain, which will go away in a matter of days.
The good side of spiders
All that venom and those looks is certainly off putting, but they are what contributes to the spider’s true use. There are very few creatures that can rival the spider as far as a natural predator of real insect pests. The average spider will catch and kill at least one house fly a day, and may store many more in their webs. Outside spiders are even more useful, catching and eating everything from wasps to grasshoppers and even occasionally ants. Even species that are not food for the spider can be controlled through their webs.
While it is pretty natural for many people to have an aversion toward spiders, eliminating them from your home or garden will leave you open to an infestation from insects that are probably a lot more harmful and annoying than a spider ever would be. Carefully think about the situation and weigh your options before you ask a pest control company to take care of your spider “problem”!