Five Easy Ways To Keep Spiders Out Of Your Kittitas County Home

Nothing puts you on edge more than spotting a spider skittering across the floor of your Kittitas home. While most of the spiders you’ll encounter aren’t a danger to your health, they can still bite if they’re threatened. It’s no surprise that these pests aren’t welcome.

Fortunately, there are ways to keep these unwelcome critters out of your house. Here’s what Kittitas homeowners should know about the type of spiders they might find around their property, what tips they can use to keep them away, and what to do if you’ve got an actual infestation.

Common Spiders In Kittitas County

Spotting a spider is never fun – especially if you’re not sure if the kind you’re dealing with is dangerous or not. In Kittitas County, there are a couple of different types you’re bound to encounter.

Giant House Spiders: As the name suggests, giant house spiders are frequently found in homes and have leg spans up to four inches long. These arachnids are after the insects in your home and try to build their nests in places that won’t be disturbed by people.

Hobo Spiders: While they may look similar to giant house spiders, hobo spiders have a long, dark stripe that runs down the center of their bodies, and they’re known for their funnel-like webs.

Wolf Spiders: With hairy legs and stout bodies, wolf spiders may look intimidating, but they only bite if they feel threatened or cornered.

Cellar Spiders: Usually light brown or pale yellow, cellar spiders also get called “daddy long legs” and don’t pose a threat to people.

Black Widow Spiders: Of the spiders listed, black widows are the only venomous species dangerous to humans, and they’re usually identified by the red hourglass marking on their abdomen.

Most of the time, spiders don’t come inside your home because they’re after you. These arachnids are looking for a food source, so homes that already have existing pest problems tend to attract more spiders.

Five Spider Prevention Tips To Protect Your Kittitas County Home

Not only do the tips below help you prevent spiders, but many of them are great for preventing the pests that may attract spiders in the first place.

1. Properly Store Your Food And Trash

Proper food and trash storage are crucial if you don’t want to attract pests (and the spiders they bring with them). This means keeping your garbage and trash cans completely sealed, cleaning up food scraps and crumbs, and keeping leftovers stored in airtight containers. Even open pet food containers can be an attraction, so it’s best to seal this as well.

2. Deal With Any Moisture Issues In Your Home

Moisture is a big draw for any pest – spiders included. If you’ve got leaky pipes, flooded gutters, or a faulty faucet, you don’t want to leave these problems untreated. It’s a good idea to deal with moisture issues as soon as you notice them and to regularly check for new ones so that you catch them early.

3. Get Rid Of Clutter

Many spider species will build their webs in areas where they don’t think they’ll be disturbed by humans – like in dusty corners, basements, or other storage areas. A crucial component of spider prevention is taking away these hiding spots. This means dealing with clutter around your house, sweeping up spider webs when you spot them, and regularly checking storage areas for spider issues.

4. Seal Potential Entry-Points

Like most pests, spiders use the tiniest holes, cracks, and gaps in your home’s exterior to make their way inside. You can use caulk to seal up tiny holes and cracks, but you may want to use weatherstripping to get rid of gaps around doors and windows. Even tears in screens can serve as a potential entrance for spiders, so you’ll want to make sure screens are in good condition.

5. Keep Yard Debris And Firewood Away From Your Home

If they aren’t making their way inside through tiny cracks and holes, spiders can get inside accidentally – you may bring in yard debris or firewood that’s home to a spider. If you can, try to clear yard debris from your property and keep firewood and woodpiles at least twenty feet from your home and neatly stacked.

The Best Way To Deal With Spiders In Kittitas County

While there’s plenty of ways to prevent spiders, an actual spider infestation only has one solution – and that’s ongoing professional assistance from Prosite. There’s a reason we’re one of central Washington’s most trusted pest management companies, and we’ll put our expertise to good use in your Kittitas home.

If you’re noticing too many spiders around your property or in your house, call us at Prosite today to schedule your consultation or to learn more about how we may be able to help.