Should I Be Scared Of The Spiders I Encounter In Kittitas County

If you're scared of spiders, we don't blame you. All spiders have fangs and venom. And while not every spider can bite you, it's hard to identify a spider when you're flailing around and screaming, "Ahh! Get it off! Get it off!" Humor aside, the reason Kittitas County residents are scared of spiders is that they aren't able to easily identify the spiders they find in their homes, and even if they are able to, they don't know all that much about the different spiders in our area. If you're afraid of spiders, we hope to alleviate some of your fears today.

The Bad News First

If you've come here looking for information about dangerous spiders in our area, please understand that there are only two to be concerned about. They are the black widow spider and the yellow sac spider.

The Black Widow Spider — It is likely that you're aware of this spider. The venom of a black widow spider is potent and could have you running to the hospital. What you may not know is that deaths from black widow spiders are extremely rare in the United States. We have not had a confirmed death as a result of contact with a black widow spider reported to the CDC since 1983. While many people are bitten by black widows each year, most do not need medical attention.

The Yellow Sac Spider — This spider can cause a painful wound with necrotic properties. In many cases, yellow sac spider bites are mistaken as bites from brown recluse spiders. Fortunately, the venom of a yellow sac spider will only cause localized necrosis and is much less toxic than the venom of a brown recluse spider. There are currently no known populations of brown recluse spiders in Washington state, but keep in mind that brown recluse spiders can hitchhike. If these spiders are carried into your home with furniture or some other household item, they can survive and reproduce inside your home.

General Facts About Spiders In Kittitas County

Let's talk a moment about the vast majority of spiders you'll come in contact with in Kittitas County. These are the spiders that create webs on or inside your home, or show up in unexpected places on or inside your property. We'll exclude black widow spiders and yellow sac spiders for a moment.

• Some spiders will come at you when you touch their webs, but few will bite you.
• Big hairy spiders are likely to be mostly docile. Scary, but docile. While we don't recommend handling a wolf spider, some people do so without getting bitten.
• The pain from a spider bite ranges from a light pinch to the painful burning sensation of a bee sting.
• Some spiders aren't able to bite you at all, like the long-legged spiders you find in your cellar.
• Most spiders don't prefer to live inside your home, but the ones that do generally have the weakest venom.

How Dangerous Are Black Widow Spiders In Kittitas County?

It is scary to think of a black widow spider biting you, but these spiders may not be as bad as you fear.

• Black widows typically stay outside and aren't likely to stay in your home for long.
• Black widow spiders are reclusive. You are likely to have few encounters with them
• A black widow spider can bite you and not inject venom into the wound. This is called a dry bite.
• If you wear gloves while working in your yard or moving things around in storage spaces, you can reduce your chances of being bitten.

How Dangerous Are Yellow Sac Spiders In Kittitas County?

These spiders commonly bite people. Most bites occur when one of these spiders is trapped against the skin. Here are a few things you should know.

• Most bites result in mild swelling and an ulcer at the center of the wound.
• You can avoid bites by shaking towels, clothing, and shoes before use.
• These spiders come inside in the fall to get out of the cold. If you take time to seal exterior entry points you can significantly deter these spiders in this key time of year.

Professional Pest Control Can Reduce Spider Encounters

Spiders are mostly creepy, scary houseguests. If you'd like to reduce encounters, the best solution is to invest in a residential pest control plan. When you have routine pest maintenance and treatments performed by a licensed professional, the exterior of your home will have what it needs to reduce spider activity and keep spiders out. We can help you with this. The service team here at Prosite provides the highest level of pest control to Kittitas County residents. We'd love the opportunity to speak with you about your options. If you live in Kittitas County, Washington, reach out to us today.