Spiders: Nature's Own Form of Pest Control

Spiders: Nature’s Own Form of Pest Control

 

Globally, there are literally thousands of species of spider in existence; it is likely that many species have yet to be discovered. In the UK there are approximately 650 species. Only a handful of these might be encountered within your business or domestic premises. The vast majority of spiders to be found within the UK are harmless, including those that you are most likely to find in your home and workplace. These spiders – those fund in the UK – are not considered to be pests; indeed, it is worth taking into consideration that we treat them as being quite the reverse. Spiders, as is commonly known, spin webs in order to catch insects on which to feed. The insects that spiders are most likely to catch in their webs are, in most cases, considered to be pests. All manner and species of fly are caught by spiders, and sometimes wasps. The advice of Key West Pest Control, therefore, is to avoid destroying spiders’ webs and to avoid killing spiders. Spiders can rightly be considered to be nature’s own form of pest control.

 

The spider species that you are most likely to encounter around and about you domestic and business premises are: the Zebra Jumping Spider; the Cellar Spider; the European Garden Spider; the Giant House Spider; the False Widow Spider; the Wolf Spider. Here follow some facts about these species of spider, which are worth considering the next time you encounter one with a mind to preserving it.

 

Zebra Jumping Spiders (Salticus Scenicus) are named for their black and white markings and can be found all over Britain and Europe. The adult body length, excluding the legs, varies from 5-9mm for females and 5-6mm for males. The distinctive black and white stripes are formed from black and white body hair. The power of their vision is remarkable: they have eight eyes. The two forward eyes are the largest.

 

The Cellar Spider (Pholcidae) is colloquially known as the daddy longlegs spider. Its proper name is given owing to the fact that it is primarily found on the ceilings of rooms or cellars. Adults are 2.5cm in length and have four pairs of long legs and two body parts. The cellar spider will rapidly shake its body on the web when it is disturbed. The legs are very long and thin.

 

Wolf Spiders (Trochose ruricola) hunt at night but spend the day concealed, usually amongst moss and decaying matters. The adult female is approximately 8 mm in length and the male - 6 mm. They are generally between brown and grey in colour.

 

European Garden Spiders (Araneus diadematus) are found across the UK and all over Europe. They are colloquially known as the ‘cross spider’ because of a distinctive white marking on the abdomen.

The adult body length, excluding the legs for females varies from 6 -20 mm and from 5 - 13 mm for males. Colouring can range from light yellow to a very dark grey. All European garden spiders have the distinctive, mottled white markings across the abdomen resembling a cross.

 

The Giant House Spider (Tegenaria gigantea) has an adult body length ranging between 11-18mm for females excluding legs and for males from 10 - 14mm. They are mainly brown in colour on the body with conspicuously hairy legs, palps and abdomen. They are generally found during the Autumn months scampering across the floors of your business or domestic premises in search of a mate

 

False Widow Spiders (Steatoda) have a brown bulbous abdomen with pale markings. The females grow to 15mm. False Widow spiders will only bite in defence if they feel threatened.