Once again I come to you in the months leading up to the Florida Summer. Spring is in full swing and everywhere you look it’s bugs, bugs, bugs. And where there are insects, there are arachnids. That’s right, a boom of bugs is going to lead to a boom in the things that eat bugs. That’s why today we’ll be discussing what I’m sure is a lot of people’s greatest fear. A Tampa spider infestation.
Tampa Spider Infestation: Overview
If we’re honest with ourselves, we can say most people don’t like spiders. I’m one of the few that isn’t really bothered by them. But, most folks will say even a few is too many. Even if they’re completely harmless, you don’t really want them in your home. The number of spiders usually increases throughout the year if you have an infestation, though. This number will peak in the fall, as males venture inside your home to find themselves a mate. But, there’s a few steps you can take to keep the number of spiders in your home under control.
For one, a tip that will apply to any pest that you may come across. Keep your home neat and clean. Cutting down on clutter leads to spiders having fewer places to hide. And keeping your food sealed will make it so they don’t attract other pests. Keep floors swept, surfaces wiped down, carpets vacuumed, and bathrooms dry. Anything that leads to less bugs will lead to less spiders.
As for another generalized piece of advice that works every time, seal the cracks in your home. Spiders, rats, and any other insects need ways to get in and out. Torn window screens and vents are usually suspect number one. Seal the spaces under your doors and your garage, and you’ll find with no way to get in or out, their numbers will go down.
Identifying an Infestation
One of the first actions you should take if you think you have a full-on infestation is to look around outside. These creepy crawlies tend to set up their webs outdoors where they’re more likely to grab a hold of a nice, buggy snack. Check for webs around your bushes and hedges. If they’re around your home, one of the first signs of a serious infestation could be the overabundance of arachnids in your bushes. This could lead these spiders to lay eggs that hatch into adventurous spiderlings that look for their own place to set up their webs. This could lead these young bugs right into your home.
Spiders also like to hide, duh. They are generally shy and look for a place to build their web that will lead to both food and shelter. Not only that, but it needs to be a good place to hide from potential predators. This is why corners that are either up real high or way down low, are a few favorite spots of theirs.
Tampa Spider Infestations: Eggs
Spider eggs are laid in a silk sac and have about a hundred on average in each. These sacs may be fixed to a surface, hidden in a web, or carried by the mother. Signs of these sacs fixed indoors can indicate that you’ll soon of a booming spider population. Once the eggs hatch, hundreds of those spiderlings can crawl out. And due to the cannibalistic nature of these spiders, they tend to spread out when they hatch to lower the chances of getting eaten by one of their brothers or sisters.
Tampa Spider Infestation: Tips
There are things you can do to keep spiders out of your home. We’ll discuss them below.
Ladybugs
I know this is an odd way to start, and you certainly don’t want to just release them into your home. But ladybugs are a great addition to your garden, especially if it’s right up against your house. Ladybugs keep spider populations down in one straightforward way. They eat the same insects that attract spiders and disrupt their food chain. This forces the spiders to pack up and try to find their next meal somewhere else. So it’s just as easy as dropping a few of these pretty beetles into your garden and supporting their population
Cleaning
I must sound like a broken record at this point. Clutter. It’s something that all pests love.
They like to set up shop behind boxes and other things that just sit there. Keeping the house clean and free of clutter is a natural remedy for spiders.
Dust at least once a week and put all boxes and packages away quickly to prevent spiders from spinning a spider web. Remove cobwebs as you see them.
It is even more critical to clean up the exterior of your home by removing vegetation in the yard that is close to the perimeter of your house to help create a spider-free zone and eliminate places for insects and spiders to hide. Vegetation in your yard and around your home attracts spiders and are perfect places for spiders to spin their webs.
Sealing Your Home
For my final tip about a Tampa Spider Infestation, let’s get creative. If you have a halfway decent home, and you just leave your door open all night, you’d expect someone to come in, wouldn’t you? Even if they didn’t have bad intentions. Easy, free homes full of food would attract anyone. It’s the same for spiders.
For a spider to be in your home, they had to find a way in. If your house is old, they may be getting in through an abundance of cracks and crevices. Grab your caulking gun and head down into the basement to look for cracks and then seal them.
You should repeat this around the foundation of your home, as well as at all windows and doorways. Filling any gaps, you find makes a big difference. By doing this, you’re essentially closing the front door for spiders. If they can’t get in, they can’t find a tasty meal inside, and they won’t find an easy place to lay their eggs.
