Although there are a few people who don’t fret over the presence of a spider, we find that most folks have a  real distaste for them.  There are many different types of spiders found in Idaho.  They are typically found hiding in dark, damp areas of the home and landscape, places such as a woodpile, in the basement, attic, the crawl space of your home, in a storage box left in the garage or in a crack or crevice. 

 

When and if possible, move firewood, leaves, and other debris away from house.  Spiders tend to eat insects and other spiders.  This is where you’ll find a great many insects such as flies, sow bugs and spiders, thus the reason for their living quarters as well.  Eating insects and other spiders may not sound like a good reason for having them nearby,  but spiders do help in controlling many insects.   You’ll find that most spiders are nocturnal, meaning that they often pray on insects during the evening and night time hours.

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Of course there are a few spiders that no one wants to see, no manner how many insects they consume.  Most common in our area is the Hobo spider (AKA aggressive house spiders) and the Black Widow spider.  Both of these spiders often give all other spiders a bad reputation.  And to add to a spider’s reputation, we have all seen spider movies and TV shows that make you queasy to your stomach.  The thought of a spider web may send chills down your spine.  When you think about Halloween, what often comes to mind?  Spider webs!  How scary is that.  Did you know that not all spiders create webs?  Spiders such as the Black Widow (got its name because it kills the male after mating) and the Hobo spider don't necessarily create webs to help catch its pray.  And the Wolf spider and Jumping spider do not create webs at all, relying on other means of catching pray.  Speaking of webs, if you find a web near the floor surface (Hobo spiders build funnel webs), you might check to see if the web is sticky.  Hobo spider webs are not sticky.

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There are some spiders that secrete venom to subdue the victim they’re intending to make a meal of.  When you find a spider that you cannot easily identify, leave it alone!  Otherwise the spider may think of you as a predator or as someone who's there to afflict damage to their young.  Not all spiders have good vision (Hobo spiders have poor vision) and will aggressively protect their territory. 

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One of the poisonous spiders that people often refer to is the Brown Recluse.  We understand there are perhaps a few found here in our area but they are certainly not as common as the Hobo or Black Widow spider.  You can identify the Brown Recluse because of the brown shape found on their back.  These spiders are very poisonous!  If you suspect you have a Brown Recluse spider, purchase a spider trap and place them in several places around the house.

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Since the Hobo spider is fairly common in our area, we sell Hobo/Brown Recluse spider traps that only attract these spiders.  There are several on the market, but we have tried most of them and found the only one that really works well is the Hobo Spider trap by Big H Products.  We said it before and we will say it again, if you can’t identify a spider, leave it alone or kill it.  It’s better to be safe than sorry.  Should you get bit by a spider (even non-poisonous spiders will bite), see a doctor immediately to confirm the type of spider that bit you.  When possible, kill the spider and take it with you (that doesn’t mean smash it).  Symptoms vary by the type of spider bite, so you should always seek medical attention if you or one of your children is bitten.  Keep in mind that symptoms don’t typically occur immediately and can take a day or two to show symptoms of a bite.  Symptoms may include headache, vision loss, redness, vomiting, and soreness around the bite as well as other symptoms. 

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Keeping a clean house will certainly deter spiders.  Vacuuming carpets and under furniture will certainly quell the opportunity for spiders to nest.

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Predators such as birds and wasps love to eats spiders and if you have a cat around the house, they will kill spiders as well  (and no, it is very rare that a cat will die from being bitten by a Hobo spider).

We also sell chemicals that repel spiders outside the home.  Spray a perimeter about three feet wide around the home.  Depending on rain and sprinklers, apply about once every three to four weeks for the best effect.