There are several types of spiders that can be found across Virginia. Not only do we want to prevent ourselves from any dangerous types of spiders, but most people do not want the non-dangerous spiders in their homes either.
Non- Dangerous Spiders
- House spiders
- Wolf spiders
- Jumping spiders
- Barn spiders
They are considered a nuisance that you can find in your Hampton Roads homes, especially in your cabinets and basements.
House spiders: They can be found in corners, hiding under beds, or just crawling across the floor in your home. Most people think that all spiders are dangerous, but spiders can be very beneficial creatures. They do not seek human contact and they are actually very busy eating the very insects that you don’t want in your house.
Wolf spiders are large, hairy spiders that you can find in dark, warm places like cabinets, basements, windows, house plants, around doors and garages. They look much worse than they are but they are not dangerous. This group of spiders can even be found in open fields throughout Virginia. People think that they are very dangerous which is wrong. They do not attack people. They are very beneficial because they eat other insects and other spiders.
Jumping spiders are white and black daring jumping spiders and are very common in Virginia. There are more than 5,000 species throughout the world. This harmless spider can jump up to 45 times the length of their body. The jumping spider can be found in well-lit outdoor areas and of course, in your house but they only jump if they are teased, disturb or they feel that they are under attack.
Barn spiders are usually found at this time of the year in Virginia. You can recognize these spiders because they are yellow or brown, and have striped legs. It is a known fact that if they are close to each other they can be very aggressive towards one another. If the barn spider has a meal on his web, then he will proceed to wrap it on the web with silk until he is 100% sure it won’t escape. They are known for making large webs in between trees in your yards. This spider gained its popularity through the children’s book “Charlotte’s Web”.
Dangerous Spiders
Besides the non-dangerous types of spiders in Virginia, there are spiders that can be harmful to people. They can get into your homes and be a danger to you or your family.
Black Widow is a glossy black spider that has a reddish-orange hourglass shape on its belly and is approximately ½ inch in length. The black widow is not aggressive, but it can harm you if it feels that you may destroy its nest. They build their nests in woodpiles, in the corners of garages, inside rotting tree stumps or anywhere that there is a small unoccupied or undisturbed hole. If you disturb its nest and it bites you, then you will not feel the pain for several hours. You may experience fever, nausea, a burning feeling in the skin, and difficulty in breathing. If you ever think that you have been bitten by a Black Widow spider, you should seek medical attention right away.
Brown Recluse Spiders are tan to dark brown in color and can be easily recognized by the violin-shaped found on the top of this dangerous spider. The brown recluse spider can be found in basements, attics, and crawl spaces. A brown recluse spider bite can lead to serious health issues. Sometimes these health issues can lead to skin ulceration, tissue deterioration, and scarring. Again, if you think that you have been bitten by a brown recluse spider, you should seek medical attention before any damage from the bite spreads to the surrounding tissue.
What to do about them?
Not only do we want to protect ourselves from any dangerous types of spiders, but most people do not want the non-dangerous spiders in their homes either. Here are some tips that you can use in your home to protect yourself as well as your family:
1. Bug bombs. It does not matter which type of product you choose but make sure that it kills spiders. It will probably kill other insects too. Make sure that the product has its prolonged effects that will last. Many people do not like using these products because they will contaminate the surfaces of your house and you will have to do a lot of cleaning after you use them.
2. Pheromone traps are another way to control spiders within your house. You have to place them in dark places: under your bed, behind your furniture, around your windows and etc. They look like little boxes with open ends. The scent they contain is undetectable to humans but attracts spiders and they can be stuck in the box and die there. Again, many people do not like using them because they can be easily picked up by children and pets.
3. You can use a spray for spiders (after you bombed your house) and make sure that the eight-legged creature is dead without making any contact with it.
4. Lastly, another way to get rid of these creatures is to suck up the spider by using your vacuum. The spider will die in the bag or cylinder and you can change the bag/empty the cylinder afterward. This method is preferable for the non-dangerous types of spiders. For the dangerous spiders, you can use the spraying method or make sure that you use a very long hose attachment on your vacuum cleaner.