Mistakes Houston Homeowners Make To Attract Brown Recluse Spiders

During the summer months, spiders can be a serious problem for Houston homeowners. The secret to preventing venomous spiders from invading your home is to address issues around your home that invite spiders in close. When you have fewer spiders near your home, you have less of a chance of spiders getting into your home.

One of the worst spiders you can get in your home is the brown recluse spider. Not only do these spiders have potentially dangerous venom that can cause disfiguring wounds, but they do quite well inside man-made structures. Inside your Houston home, these spiders can reproduce at a startling rate.

There are many ways you can accidentally invite brown recluse spiders onto your property and in close to your exterior walls. By altering these conditions, you can make your home more resistant to brown recluse spider invasion.

Rocks

Some homeowners make the mistake of having lots of rocks in their landscaping. These spiders have a preference for rocks and rocky areas. Rock walls, ornamental rocks, and rock borders provide harborage for brown recluse spiders. If rocks are a part of your landscaping, it is wise to inspect them for webs. Brown recluse spiders make webs close to the ground and in the openings of underground burrows. If you're seeing webbing, you may want to consider removing some of your landscape rocks or having a professional do routine treatments to these areas.

Holes

When wildlife come into a yard, they sometimes do their business and move on. Don't make the mistake of allowing the holes they create to remain in your yard. Brown recluse spiders that come into your yard may stay if they find a hole in which to establish themselves.

Organic Debris

Brush piles, leaf piles, bark lying on the ground, these are all conducive to brown recluse activity and harborage. Don't make the mistake of leaving organic debris in your yard or near your home. Keep leaves raked away from your home. Pick up sticks, bark and other debris and move them at least 20 feet away.

Wood Piles

If you have firewood stored in your backyard, you could have trouble with recluse spiders. While these reclusive spiders aren't likely to show up at your backyard firepit party, they'll be happy to live in the gaps of stored firewood or underneath the wood. When firewood is stored close to your home, this will increase your chances of a brown recluse spider infestation inside your home.

Lawn Clutter

Any objects that sit on the ground and provide a dark space underneath can be used by brown recluse spiders as harborage. This could be an appliance stored in the backyard, an old car, or just a stack of inner tubes. If you have lawn clutter, consider removing it or storing it to reduce harborage options for spiders and other pests.

Food

Another reason brown recluse spiders may be attracted to your yard is the presence of a food source. These spiders eat ground-dwelling bugs. The more bugs you have, the more recluse you're likely to have. The best way to control bugs around your home is with a residential pest control plan. Along with protection from brown recluse, you can also get protection from ticks, cockroaches, rodents, fleas, mosquitoes, wasps, and other potentially dangerous pests.

Invasion

Another mistake many homeowners make is not taking the time each year to do an inspection of their exterior walls and sealing entry points. When brown recluse spiders explore your walls, it is vital that they don't find any easy ways to get into your home. Look for cracks in your foundation, gaps around pipes, broken mortar, gaps in weatherstripping, damaged door sweeps, holes in the seals around window and door frames, unprotected vents or weep holes, damaged screens, holes created by rodents, and openings around wall penetrations. Many of these issues can be addressed with a caulking gun and some wire screen material.

Why Spiders Enter Houston Homes & How To Keep Them Out

Spiders enter Houston homes in search of their ideal conditions as well as access to food. In this instance, conducive environments include dark, moist, and secluded areas of the home, and food can be gnats, flies, cockroaches, and other small pests. In order to keep spiders out of the home, there are a few simple yet effective tips that homeowners can follow.

Those include:

• Keep closets, basements, crawl spaces, and attics free from humidity by ventilating them. 
• Remove excess brush and debris from the yard. Also, store firewood at least 20 feet away from the home. 
• Look for leaks both inside and outside of the home and fix any issues that appear. It’s also crucial to make sure that shower heads are always properly turned off and that toilets don’t sweat. 
• Insert door sweeps where they are needed and keep window screens in good condition. 
• Store all pantry items, grains, and leftovers in secure containers that are cleaned out between uses. 
• Use a trash bin that’s lined with a bag and take it out before it gets filled. Check for food residue and leaks between uses. 
• Seek the assistance of a pest control company. 

For more information on spiders in Houston and how to control them, contact Modern Pest Control today.

For industry-leading residential pest control service in the Greater Houston area, contact Modern Pest Control. Our highly trained and fully licensed pest professionals know what is needed to protect your family from spiders and other Texas pest threats. Get started by requesting a free inspection.