This article is about spider and scorpion control. It will explain why they are a pest and what needs to be done for controlling infestations.
SPIDER AND SCORPION CONTROL
There are many pests which can be controlled with basic pest control materials and application methods. Insects fall victim to these products and even applications which are not precise are able to provide control. However, there are other pests around the house which are mysterious yet bothersome.
These pests are not as vulnerable to ordinary spray and seem to persist after numerous treatments. Although they may eat some nuisance insects, they can become a nuisance themselves. I am talking about spiders!
Spiders have long been accepted as a "good" pest to keep around the yard or home. They are usually predatory to some degree and this feature has been exaggerated over time to where it's not uncommon to hear that a good spider population around the house is "better than a bug-man". This is an example of a classic urban legend. Spiders may eat certain pests. Web making spiders tend to be collectors of many flying pests and ground dwelling spiders such as the wolf spider will make a meal of just about any crawling creature it finds. But they will not replace a pest control service or good maintenance practice to keep pests under control. In fact, recent data suggests that spiders will move into an area only if it is capable of supporting their need for food. This means they are looking for an environment which has pests. In order for them to survive, they need to be able to sustain themselves by being able to feed on a regular basis. Without a good supply of food, they will either die or relocate. I have been in many attics and crawl spaces which had a lot of spider webs but the only spiders I was able to find were dead. These spiders had chosen poor web locations. They were doomed from the beginning. If a spider is able to establish a web in your home and is able to feed itself on a regular basis, it is a sure sign that perimeter pest control needs to be done.
There are two types of spiders found around the home: ground dwellers and web makers. Spiders which thrive on the ground are usually much stronger than their web building cousins. These brutes are aggressive, usually nocturnal, great hunters and rely on their strong grip and bite. They stalk food at night and will feed on just about anything which moves. Some species may have toxins to assist in their hunting. When prey is identified, they will usually stalk within pouncing distance, crouch, leap, rip, shred, bite, grab and kill - all within a few moments.
Web builders are spiders which are not built to be on the ground. They are usually fragile, weak, slow, lacking grip and not able to defend themselves when out of their webs. What they lack in physical body they more than make up for with bite. In most cases, they are equipped with toxins that can kill insects quickly and in some cases these toxins are so strong they can be fatal to humans! Although data is limited and more research is needed to confirm suspicions, spider bites are thought to be more of a problem than currently recognized. In fact, most everyone knows the impact of a brown recluse or black widow spider. There are many other spiders which may be nearly as toxic. Undoubtedly they are biting and causing health problems as doctors are labeling many wounds due to "spider bites". Since many species of spiders need to be tested to determine their toxicity, logic dictates that any can be harmful and therefore should not be handled. Realize that they have the potential to unleash a lot of poison from their bite and that sharing your living area with spiders is not a prudent thing to do.
If you are having an abundance of spiders in and around your home and want to minimize their presence, then follow these guidelines. The author has divided them into four sections. These include:
1) Outside treatments,
2) Inside treatments,
3) Attic and Crawl space treatment and
4) Miscellaneous treatments of sensitive areas. In most cases, you will need to treat in at least two areas to obtain control of the situation. Once eradicated, maintenance is suggested to prevent repopulation.
SPIDER OUTSIDE THE HOME.....
Spiders which are allowed free access to the sides of your home will more than likely make it inside. Allowing them to live in a garden, shrub or tree away from the house is acceptable; webs and nests at doorways, lights and windows will almost certainly lead them into your home. To stop this from happening, regular pest control on the outside of the home is necessary. This approach will serve two purposes;
1) Spider populations will be immediately reduced
2) Spiders are less likely to infest around your home as this approach of preventive maintenance will stop insects living there which reduces the spider’s food supply.
To treat the outside of your home for spiders, you will need to do both a liquid and granular treatment. Liquid treatments should be done on the foundation, window frames, door frames, soffit areas, vent openings, exhaust areas, mounted lights, air conditioning areas, cable entry points, deck areas, and stoop and patio areas. Don't waste your time using
Diazinon or Dursban - these products won't work for spiders as they are not insects. Spiders are arachnids and need a special family of chemicals to be used if you hope to achieve any control at all. DELTAMETHRIN and LAMDA-CYHALOTHRIN seem to be the best active ingredients around to use. This family of chemicals seems to be very active on spiders. The other added advantage of these materials is that the formulation is actually a micro encapsulate. This means the chemical is actually encased in a bunch of small capsules making it impossible to soak into porous surfaces easily. Therefore the treatment will last longer. Most importantly, the product will lay on the surface of treated areas so that as spiders and scorpions travel in such areas they will readily pick up lethal doses. Both will work well for many pests so you can't go wrong with either one. The only difference with the two is that you get about twice as much finished product with the Lamda-Cyhalothrin.
Use one of our SPRAYERS for applying either of the products. A good sprayer is essential to getting good coverage and we have several available. Just click on the link above to see our complete line and be sure to get one which will be able to reach all the high points your structure may have. Just before you are ready to do the application, it is best to remove all the webs you see around window frames, overhangs, light fixtures and other locations on the perimeter of the structure being treated. There are two tools that do a great job of removing webs. For low, easy to reach webbing, the WEB SPINNER is ideal. It's telescopic, easy to handle and makes short work of any web by spinning it up into a neat compact ring that can be disposed of quickly. For hard to reach webbing, the WEB REMOVER is better suited. It features a long reaching telescopic handle that extends to over
10 feet long and has a bristled head which will remove most any web with one stroke. Most people will be able to reach spider webs which are 15-20 feet high while standing on the ground. For extra reach, you can remove the head and attach the Web Spinner.
Just turn it on and extend the Spinner, which opens to over 30 inches in length, and you will have the power of the Web Spinner working for you at the end of the Web Remover. This combination will make web removal a cinch and can be used both inside and outside the home. Removing the webs should be done for two reasons. First, it will help to expose all areas for treatment and prevent any cracks or crevices from being sheltered. By removing the webs you insure even coverage of liquid treatments. Second, webs almost always contain egg sacs which will not be killed with any treatment. By removing the spider webs you will also be removing all egg sacs which will prevent another outbreak of spiders. Web removal also insures that all adult spiders currently active will be completely exposed to your treatment and won't be able to avoid being sprayed.
In addition to spraying outside, you may need to use granules. If you are subject to ground dwelling spiders, spraying of the foundation may help, but it will not provide complete control. Create a band of treated turf around your home, at least ten feet out, which will work against any spiders trying to enter via the ground. Again, Dursban or Diazinon granules will do nothing. BIFEN GRANULES seem to be the only active which will work. Spread them in a band ten feet wide around the home. This means that you will have a ten foot wide treated area and assures that as spiders move through this area they will absorb a lethal dose of material and die. Try to use some type of spreader to apply the granules as having them uniformly dispersed is important. A hand spreader such as a GRANULE SPREADER will enable you to apply the material properly. It is important to get good coverage around plants, shrubs and mulch. The advantage of the granule is that it will last several weeks or months as it is designed to withstand rain and weathering.
The above treatments can help to reduce and keep these pests to a minimum. Use the products as the label states and you will be able to enjoy your yard spider free. If you only see a few and want a product for spot treatment, BAYGON AEROSOL works well for a quick kill. The active ingredient is one which will work for spiders.
When sprayed on them, any spider will die instantly. This approach is not practical for treating entire areas, but many people like to have a can around for a quick treatment. Invader aerosol will provide you with just that.
INSIDE TREATMENT OF HOMES - LIVING AREAS...
Treating inside a home for spiders should be done when a problem exists. Once eradicated, either perimeter, attic or crawl space treatment should be done to prevent infestation. There are four approaches for the inside. Spraying, dusting, repellent materials and trapping/zapping.
Spraying is the most direct and will provide the quickest knockdown. It is done with a pump sprayer and using either DELTAMETHRIN or LAMDA-CYHALOTHRIN.
These materials are low odor and may be applied in all areas of the home. Treat baseboards, closets and rooms where problems exist. Keep both children and pets away from treated surfaces until the material dries. These products will provide quick knockdown and residual. The residual will help prevent future infestations.
Dusting is helpful if there are voids such as electric outlets, switch plate covers or vent areas where spiders are emerging. DRIONE dust lasts a long time, kills on contact and will repel any pest. It is safe enough to be used on pets as a flea powder yet its desiccating action is enough to stop spiders. Apply it with a HAND DUSTER which allows for easy treatment of cracks and crevices. Once treated, these voids will not allow spiders to nest or enter.
COBWEB ELIMINATOR is another material that is now in the market and helps to provide relief in the war against spiders. It is not a pesticide; it is a natural material which spiders hate. It can be sprayed anywhere they are a nuisance. It will help by killing spiders where it is sprayed and seems to be effective at slowing up the reformation of webs.
To obtain the best results when using this product, first remove all visible webs with our WEB REMOVER or WEB SPINNER as featured above. Compete removal of all webs will certainly enhance the effectiveness of Cobweb Eliminator as well as remove egg sacs which can lead to future spider populations once they hatch.
Remember, Cobweb Eliminator is all natural and is not going to be as quick or complete as spraying nor does it last as long, but it is helpful in those sensitive areas where spraying is not possible. Such areas could be where someone is sick, has asthma or is sensitive to pesticides. When combined with the removal of the webs, you can offer good spider control for these sensitive areas and be using products which are effective.
GLUETRAPS are another tool helpful for sensitive areas where spraying is not desired. I am amazed at how many we catch from week to week in the two glue traps we have placed at the entrances to our store! These doors are not sealed well at their bottoms and the simplest way to solve the problem at this time has been to place our glue traps at each corner. I have watched spiders enter only to be caught by the glue. Of course, I have also watched others enter and miss the trap by a large margin! Clearly the answer to this problem is to seal around the door properly.
However, trapping pests in these glue boards allows us to have an ongoing sales tool at work. We also have obtained some hard to find specimens this way. In the home, these traps are helpful where doors are open frequently. This includes garage and front doors. These traps should be placed along walls where spiders are expected to travel. Generally, this is on either side of the entrance way. You may consider equipping yourself with a HAND HELD ZAPPER as well.
This device is a great tool to have around for many flying insects like flies, wasps, bees, and moths but it works great on spiders as well. Simply hold the "electric grid" over the targeted spider, press the button on and you can now deliver a lethal dose of electricity to the unwanted arachnid. This device is great for reaching under appliances, killing spiders which are residing in webs and for insuring they are not able to move elsewhere in the home to set up a nest. It kills both instantly and cleanly which means there is no messy cleanup. And the extra-large grid area insures a sure hit since many aggressive spiders will lurch and lunge at it unknowingly leaping to their demise. For an even cleaner and more convenient pest removal tool, the BUG VACUUM/ZAPPER is cool. It features a "capture" head attachment which is placed over targeted pests. Once trapped, switch it on and the insect is sucked up through the extension to an electric grid which fries it quickly and humanely.
If desired, you can turn the electrocution grid off which enables the tool to be a great device for both capture and relocation of desirable insects. No more having to clean smeared insects off your walls and ceilings. This is another good tool to have around the home if you are subject to a lot of spiders throughout the year.
ATTIC AND CRAWL SPACE TREATMENT...
Attics are places where many spider invasions begin. Vents around soffits and gables have small b screening which can allow flying insects to enter. Since many web making spiders rely on "parachuting" to move around, they can move into these same locations. Once in your attic, they will find a steady supply of silver fish, mosquitoes, flies, wasps and bees. When they reproduce, their young will find their way into your living areas. To prevent this from happening, make sure all entry points into your attic are sealed. Current infestations should be treated with dust. Spraying with a liquid is not effective since the porous nature of the attic reduces the effectiveness of such a treatment. Dust formulations are made for this environment. ECO DUST is easy to apply and once again the best choice for this application. The dust will cover vast areas easily and because it is dry, it will stay on surfaces spiders must use to migrate. This residual protection will stop them from getting into your living area and offers the best long term protection.
Use a DUSTIN MIZER to apply the ECO dust. This is a manually operated device which enables you to propel the dust 15 to 25 feet. You will get good coverage in small to medium sized attics. If you have a huge area to treat, the B&G; POWER DUSTER will get the job done.
It runs on electricity and can propel dust 25 to 40 feet.
It will enable you to treat 1000 sq./ft. in a couple of minutes. Remember, good coverage will provide long term control - usually a full year. And since ECO dust controls many pests, treating the attic will keep several pests from getting into your home.
Crawl spaces may become havens to an assortment of pests all of which can become food for spiders. Camel back crickets, roaches, ants, flies and many other pests will take advantage of crawl spaces if given the opportunity. Make sure all cracks are sealed, vents have screening intact and holes around pipes are sealed. By keeping unwanted pests out, you will minimize spider invasions. Once pests move in, spiders will follow. Although attics are most likely to have web making spiders, crawl spaces can have either. Both will take advantage of ample food supplies. Power dust your crawl space with ECO to get the longest residual. Treat once a year to make sure unwanted pests are kept out. Use either the Dustin Mizer or B&G; duster listed above to get the needed coverage.
TREATING SENSITIVE AREAS....
There are many sensitive rooms or homes where spraying is a problem, yet spider populations are unwanted and pose even more of a hazard. Some rooms that may be too sensitive to spray include those with newborn babies, sickly patients, elderly people, pregnant women, or anyone allergic to chemicals or pesticides. What can you do? Employ some of these methods which will provide some relief.
GLUETRAPS can be placed anywhere. They will collect some of the unwanted spiders. Put them where spiders are being seen. Web making spiders can be discouraged by making sure to remove any webs found. Make sure to keep windows closed, doors sealed and any other entry point closed off. These are great areas to install glue traps. Use several around entry points and doorways. These will help to collect spiders and other perimeter invaders as they enter your structure. Every one caught is one less that can bite! COBWEB ELIMINATOR can be sprayed in these areas as well.
It is not a pesticide; it is formulated from a variety of food stuff which spiders seem to hate. They will avoid it and relocate or die if they persist in treated areas. Cobweb eliminator seems to discourage web reformation as well. Use it as needed. This may be once a week, once a month or once a quarter. Generally, after a few treatments, spider activity will decrease dramatically which reduces the amount of treating needed.
Be sure to remove all spider webs which are present and visible using our WEB REMOVER or WEB SPINNER. Web removal helps by both removing the safety netting for existing spiders as well as the removal of egg sacs which are destined to be hatching sometime in the near future.
Spiders need the protection of webs as well as the food which a well spun spider web will catch. By removing their homes spiders will become more vulnerable and many times will have to move away in an effort to build new nests. This relocation is sometimes an effort they cannot survive which indirectly will aid in keeping their numbers minimal.
Dust wall voids if there are a lot of spiders entering from outside. Use DRIONE DUST for this as it repels them and will kill any who try to cross through it. Drione is relatively safe; it is labeled for use on dogs and cats as a flea powder. Once applied in the wall void, there will be no chance of exposure to those in the room and even if an exposure occurred, the chance of any impact is practically non-existent.
Just keep people who are sensitive away from the area during the treatment and reintroduce them one hour afterwards. Once treated, the Drione will keep just about any perimeter pest from coming inside. The barrier formed should keep spiders out thus insuring no one is bitten.
Lastly, you should equip anyone in these rooms with a HAND HELD ZAPPER. Used effectively for mosquitoes, flies, wasps and bees, this device allows the user to quickly deliver a shock of electricity which will kill most any insect on contact. It is an excellent tool to have around since it kills without any mess.
Cleanup is easy and quick and the large surface area of the "electric grid" insures you can get any targeted spider. If used in a web, just clean it after you have zapped the spider residing there and the Zapper will provide years of use. Remember, this is not a toy but rather another tool that can be used in the war against unwanted pests.
If you want to see any of the products listed in the above article, simply click on the product name in the body of text where it appears in a different color or underlined. This will launch you to our huge on line catalog where you will be able to see the product, find out how it is packaged and pricing.
Ref:
https://www.atlantaenvironmentalpest.com/spider-control
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