Spiders In Del Rio Don't Have To Be A Problem

Life in Texas has its many benefits, but along with the joys we experience here, there are also problems. One issue confronting many Del Rio homeowners is spiders. No one wants to share their living space with these quick-moving, hairy pests. There is something about spiders that will make burly men jump back and send people screaming from a room. 

If spiders are in your home, you need the spider removal service from Gold Star Exterminators - Del Rio. Our family-owned and operated company has served the local area for over 40 years. Due to word of mouth, we rapidly expanded our services from a tree spraying service to pest control. Thousands of satisfied customers trust us with their pest control needs because they know we use trained technicians to apply the latest products at a reasonable cost. 

We wrote this article because we know spiders are mysterious creatures, but once you understand why they invade a house, you can take action to prevent a future problem. Please keep reading to learn about spiders and what you can do to end your spider issue.

The following factors impact spider activity in Del Rio homes:

• Temperature

• Humidity

• Seasonal changes

• Climate variations

• Environmental factors

Spiders are cold-blooded or ectothermic arachnids, which means they rely on external heat sources to regulate their body temperature. Thus, external temperatures influence a spider's metabolic rate and bodily functions. 

Wolf spiders are a problem for many Del Rio homeowners. These spiders have a brown body with paler, almost yellowish, stripes or markings. The females are 3/8 to 1 3/8-inch, but the males are 1/4 to 3/4-inch in length. Although they seldom bite and only do so when harshly handled, their hairy bodies and long legs make them appear scary to most people. 

Wolf spiders are content to live outside the house underneath stones, leaf piles, firewood piles, and landscaping timbers, where they can access moisture and protection from colder temperatures. Wolf spiders are hunters, and they sometimes follow their prey into homes. When they enter a house, they migrate to the ground level of homes where the temperature is warm and live underneath furniture and along baseboards. 

The black widow is a spider of particular concern for many Del Rio homeowners. These spiders have a 1 1/2 to 1 3/8-inch black body with two reddish-orange triangle markings that merge to form an hourglass-like symbol on the underside of the abdomen. Like wolf spiders, black widows live underneath stones and firewood, but unlike wolf spiders, they dwell in hollow tree stumps and underneath decks for protection against the elements. However, black widows prefer to live in dry structures that provide protection (i.e., barns, outhouses, and sheds). When they invade a house, they migrate to dimly lit areas of basements, garages, and crawl spaces. 

Another spider that inhabits the same areas is the brown recluse. These 1/4 to 1/2-inch light to dark brown spiders are distinguishable from other spiders by the darker violin-like markings on their backs. Outside the house, brown recluse spiders live around rocks, underneath tree bark, and inside utility boxes and woodpiles. When they enter a Del Rio home, they create their webs in the garage, attic, basement, closets, and other storage areas. 

The largest-sized spiders in the world are tarantulas, and we have them in Del Rio. These big spiders in Texas have a total leg-to-leg length of 3 to 6 inches, a grey or brown body, and some may have red or orange markings. Tarantulas burrow into the soil or underneath rock piles for protection and warmth; when colder temperatures arrive, they place soil and plant debris at the entrance held together by silk strands. Tarantulas do not gravitate toward homes but are more like accidental visitors. When they wander into a house, they migrate to the crawl space, basement, and garage to hide in undisturbed, often cluttered, areas. 

Because spiders rely on external factors to maintain their body heat, they are more active in warmer temperatures and tend to slow down when temperatures drop. However, that does not mean that spiders like hot environments either. For example, in warmer months of the year, wolf spiders hunt at night and rest during the day when temperatures peak. Likewise, most spiders in Del Rio seek out locations that are not cold (i.e., crawl spaces, basements, and garages) but are not exceedingly hot (i.e., attics). 

Another reason spiders are more active in warmer months is because of their prey. Spiders hunt insects, which are also cold-blooded pests. Thus, in winter, when temperatures drop, insect activity also decreases. 

Increases in humidity, which coincides with warmer temperatures, also affect spider activity. Because spiders and many insect species prefer living in moist areas (e.g., crawl spaces, basements, bathrooms, kitchens, etc.), activity in these areas increases during the late spring to early fall seasons. As the weather begins to warm in the spring, spiders begin mating, building webs, and hunting for food. Spider activity peaks in the summer months as they hunt insects, which are the most active during the warmest time of the year. When temperatures decline in the fall, spiders seek shelter and a mate; during the winter, spiders are least active, and some are dormant. 

Most spiders are content to live outside Del Rio homes, but drastic temperature drops or long, dry spells often drive spiders to seek food, water, and shelter in nearby houses. Of course, this is the situation for spiders and many cold-blooded pests (e.g., insects). 

Environmental factors also affect spider activity. Vegetation attracts insects, and insects lure spiders; thus, if you have a garden or many plants inside or outside the home, you may experience increased spider activity. Excessive rainfall is another environmental condition that can increase spider activity because it increases insect activity. 

Gold Star Exterminators - Del Rio can stop seasonal infestations and remove spiders found in Texas from your home.

Reducing Spider Attractants: Food Sources And Prey

While it is true that tarantulas occasionally eat small mammals and baby birds, insects are the primary attractant for spiders — including tarantulas. For example, the favorite prey for tarantulas and wolf spiders are grasshoppers and crickets, but they also hunt other ground-dwelling insects like ants, beetles, and cockroaches. 

Some spiders, like the black widow, create webs to capture prey. Because their messy webs are at the ground level, black widows eat the same insects as wolf spiders and smaller spiders that become ensnared in their trap. A brown recluse spider's diet is the same; however, they shy away from larger prey unless they are dead. 

Beetles, ants, cockroaches, termites, grasshoppers, crickets, flies, and mosquitoes are common prey for most spiders. Spiders that create webs in window and door corners or around outdoor lights tend to feast more on flying insects; spiders who hunt at ground level consume more non-flying insects. Although spiders primarily eat insects, some eat other spiders. 

Spiders not only follow insects into a house and stay when there is an abundant supply, but they also remain when they have a water source. Leaking pipes and plumbing fixtures, poorly vented crawl spaces, basements, bathrooms, and laundry rooms provide moisture needs for spiders. 

When you have a spider infestation in your Del Rio home, you may have more than a problem with arachnids. When a certified Technician from Gold Star Exterminators - Del Rio inspects your home for spider removal, we can determine if insects are the attractants and take appropriate action.

When To Seek Professional Spider Control Services

The best time to get professional help from Gold Star Exterminators - Del Rio is before spiders invade your home. Although we can stop your spider problem anytime, it is best to begin creating a barrier around the house in the winter since spiders and insects are most active in warmer months. Our spider control process involves a home inspection to determine entry points, attractants, spider hot spots, and the species invading your house.

Once one of our trained technicians gathers data, we create a plan to eradicate the spider problem plaguing your home. This plan includes de-webbing the house to destroy egg sacs and product application in the interior to eliminate spiders and insects harboring inside the house. We also create a barrier around the perimeter to prevent spiders and insects in the yard from entering the home. While we can perform these services on a one-time basis, it is best to use one of our recurring plans to keep the barrier active throughout the year. 

Gold Star Exterminators - Del Rio can remove and keep South Texas spiders from your home.

Maintaining A Spider-Free Home: Ongoing Tips And Practices

The best way to prevent spiders in the home is to remove these attractants and access points:

• Seal foundation and roofline cracks with caulk.

• Remove debris and junk from the yard.

• Provide drainage for the gutters, ditches, and low-lying areas.

• Dehumidify the crawl space, attic, and basement.

• Repair all leaking pipes and plumbing fixtures in the house.

• Prune tree branches and shrubs away from the home.

• Cover outdoor and indoor garbage containers.

• Vacuum the home regularly.

Since spiders often follow insects into homes, maintaining a clean, dry exterior and interior will deter insects and spiders from entering your house.

Gold Star Exterminators - Del Rio offers spider control near you. We have various pest control plans to accommodate your needs. Contact us today to get your free estimate.

Gold Star has been spraying our house for a few years now and I can't express how much it has helped.  I was spraying Demon WD myself and barely made an impact on the scorpions and spiders.  after they started doing it, we have very few sightings now.  Great company.

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