With fall pest problems in full effect, we felt it was only right for us to devote today’s blog post to ever-so-common American House Spider! House spiders are characteristic of laying egg sacs in the fall, which means you’re more likely to see these critters crawling in and around your home as the weather continues to cool. While they may not pose a huge problem at the start, these tiny eight-legged house guests can potentially lay up to 17 egg sacs in their lifetime with anywhere from 100-500 individual eggs inside!

So, what do they look like?

  • Size: American House spiders can range in size from 4-9 mm in length, with those on the smaller side being male.
  • Coloring: They are usually brown or gray in color, but may have white, tan, yellow, orange or red accent coloring as well. Most will have some sort of a striped or chevron pattern across their bodies.
  • Eyes & Legs: All house spiders have eight eyes – two rows of four- and eight legs, with their front pair being longer than the rest.

What are their habits?

  • Behavior: House spiders typically hide in windows, ceiling corners and other discrete crevices of the home, where they spin their signature cobwebs. While they can be found indoors, they’re most commonly found nesting outdoors or in garages and sheds. If it’s their bite that worries you, rest assured knowing that house spiders rarely bite unless they feel threatened. Even then, their bites are generally harmless.
  • Diet: In moderation, house spiders are actually beneficial since they feed on other insects, larger spiders and even rodents or small reptiles.

If you notice an overabundance of spider webs popping up in the corners of your home or have found egg sacs tucked into dark crevices, it’s time to give your local pest control professional a call. If you live in Massachusetts, New Hampshire or the surrounding areas, Pest Control Unlimited is here to help you get your spider infestation under control as quickly as possible.

For more information on how we can help save your home from a pest infestation, call 888-649-9919 today!