There are over 3,600 varieties of spiders in the United States. These eight-legged creatures often perform a great service by eating mosquitoes and other annoying bugs. But they are creepy, and some of them can be dangerous to humans. No one wants spiders living in their homes regardless of any service they provide.
You can make your home less inviting to spiders. It takes a little work, and sometimes if there is a large infestation, it takes the help of a professional pest control service.
What Attracts Spiders To Your Home
There are two main things that attract spiders to take up residence in your home: a continual food source and a safe place to live.
Spiders dine on small bugs, especially ants, flies, and mosquitoes. Eliminating these bugs is the best way to keep spiders from entering your home. Ants are abundant and they will gladly move into your home if they can find a food and water source. Make sure to always clean p spill of food and drinks so that the ant will not swarm, and eliminate standing water on the outside of your home to avoid having mosquito larva form.
Spiders also enjoy a safe place to live. They like spaces that are out of the way and not easily disturbed, like around window sills and door frames. Spiders also like the dark spaces under furniture and behind bookcases. Spiders love clutter because they can hide, and all cutters inside and outside your home should be eliminated to make it less habitable for spiders.
Preventing Spiders From Entering Your Home
- Trim shrubbery around your home. Spiders love to build webs in bushes and they often gradually work their way over to the doorway or windowsill if it is easily accessible.
- Look for cracks around the windows and doorways. If there is space, the spiders will enter.
- Remove woodpiles and other forms of debris from your yard – this is one of the largest attractants to spiders because rotting wood attracts bugs that they love to eat.
Common Spiders Found Around Las Vegas
There are many different types of spiders found in Las Vegas and Nevada. However, the three most common types of spiders are the Camel Spider, Brown Recluse, and the Black Widow.
- Camel Spiders – These brown spiders are the most common spider found in this area. Small in size and often confused with a scorpion, these spiders are not dangerous but do pack a painful bite. While most people will not react to the bite of a camel spider, those with more severe allergies to spider bites should still take caution. Camel spiders do carry venom, it is just very mild.
- Black Widow – Known for their very shiny black bodies and the female having a red hourglass on her abdomen, these spiders can be dangerous. Female black widows are very aggressive and ill attack if they feel their nests are in danger. Black widow venom is more toxic than many spiders and many people need to seek emergency medical care when bitten.
- Brown Recluse – The brown recluse is a dangerous spider. It has very long legs that enable it to move fast, and both male and females are highly aggressive. Brown recluse spiders will attack if they feel threatened, even if they are not actually in harm’s way. Their actual venom is not as strong as the black widow, but they carry a dangerous enzyme in their mouths that transfers to the skin when bitten. This enzyme can cause skin lesions and many people have had to have skin grafts after being bitten.