There are a variety of beneficial bugs all around the world but spiders are probably the most well-known and possibly the most feared.

Spiders are beneficial (pdf) for pest control because of their diet; they eat arthropods and other insects. They’re also great for controlling pests since spiders feed on a wide variety of insects all year round.

Garden spiders and house spiders are both helpful for controlling nuisance insects both inside and out. They feed on common indoor and outdoor pests including ants, cockroaches, fruit flies, beetles, etc…

Another benefit to having the spiders around (pdf) is they kill a large number of insects who destroy crops and carry diseases. I’ve already mentioned several species of insects such as the Asian Citrus Psyllid and Mediterranean fruit fly who cause billions of dollars in crop loss every year. Spiders are essentially a cost effective and environmentally friendly form of pest control.

Of course not all spiders are beneficial; a few are dangerous but the majority of spiders are harmless and even helpful. Out of the ~3,000 species of spiders in the United States, only a few are poisonous; the most popular being the black widow and the brown recluse.

Unfortunately spiders have a bad reputation for being creepy crawly and causing painful, red bumps from their bites. Many times, spider bites are confused with the bites of mites or ticks. Needless to say, most people don’t want to see spiders in the house so here’s what to do if you want to cut down on the number of spiders in your dwelling.

• Vacuum spiders
• Get rid of just the spider webs
• Make it more difficult for spiders to get inside by using screens in the windows and caulk any gaps in windows and doors
• Take spiders outside instead of killing them on the spot
• Remember the needs of pests (spiders included)…if you eliminate their food supply then they will look else where for food

If you think the spider population in your home has gotten out of control or you just can’t stand the idea of spiders lurking in the shadows, contact an exterminator near you for a little assistance.

{photo credit: klynslis}

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