Are House Spiders Dangerous?

a common house spider climbs up the wall

When you see a spider in your house, the first thing you probably do is ask yourself if it’s dangerous. There are more than four thousand spider species in North America, and while most are harmless to humans, a few are venomous enough to pose a threat. Here in the greater St. Louis area where we operate, the species you’re most likely to encounter in your home is the common house spider, also known as the American house spider.

What Does the Common House Spider Look Like? 

Common house spiders have drab coloring overall: yellowish, tan, brown, or gray, with darker mottling or streaks. They have a round abdomen, with bodies that are higher than they are long, and usually include streaks on the side and V-shapes behind. Often, a whitish patch can be seen just behind the highest point of the abdomen. Their legs are usually ringed with a dark color. Females can range in length from 1/8″ to 3/8″ (not including legs). Males are smaller, typically only 1/8″. 

Where Do House Spiders Live?

You can find the common house spider throughout the United States and southern Canada. They appreciate quiet, undisturbed areas where food and moisture are available. Gardens, basements, attics, barns, and sheds are some examples, but they’re not limited to those areas–they can be found pretty much anywhere. During the day, they like to reside in the safety of their webs. Their webs can be messy and asymmetrical with spirals of silk originating from a central point. Left alone, house spiders can live indoors for as long as seven years. Outside, female spiders die in the cold and males rarely live longer than a year.

Do House Spiders Bite Humans and Are They Dangerous?

House spiders are generally shy around humans. They prefer to run, hide, or play dead when they feel threatened. They likely will not go out of their way to attack, but if you do get bit, their bites are relatively harmless with just minor swelling and redness.

House spiders are not very dangerous at all, but people consider them a nuisance for the unsightly webs they leave or because they give them heeby-jeebies. If you’re considering house spider removal, it’s worthwhile to consider the benefits a house spider brings to a house. They help control the population of other household pests. Flies, mosquitoes, wasps, cockroaches, beetles and many others are all on the menu. So while you may not like seeing a spider in your home, it’s much more likely to help than hurt you.

Prevent House Spiders from Getting In

Spiders are everywhere and if they want to get into your house, it’s difficult to stop them. However, we do have a few helpful tips for minimizing the number of house spiders who call your house home.

  • Keep the outside of your home tidy: Spiders often congregate around building exteriors. Removing firewood, stacked items, and debris away from the foundation helps reduce indoor migration. Shrubs, vines, and tree limbs touching the house should also be trimmed back since these afford spiders a convenient bridge to the structure. 
  • Seal cracks and crevices: Inspect your home’s exterior, paying attention to any cracks or crevices around doors and windows. These openings provide an easy way for spiders to get inside. Seal them with caulk or weatherstripping.
  • Keep your house clean: A tidy house is less attractive to spiders than a cluttered one. Regularly sweeping and vacuuming will help to remove spider webs, eggs, and insects that spiders feed on. In addition, keep food stored properly in sealed containers to avoid attracting pests because pests will attract spiders.

Trusted Spider Exterminators in St. Louis

Still want to get rid of the spiders in your home? It may be time to call a professional spider exterminator.

Blue Chip Pest Services has been your local spider pro in St. Louis since 1971. Contact us today for a free quote!

How to Keep Birds Out of Your Pool

A diving duck

When summer comes around here in St. Louis MO, we all look forward to taking a swim to combat the heat. Unfortunately, all kinds of birds around the area have the same idea. If you don’t take the proper precautions to keep birds out of your pool, you can easily open up your yard to all kinds of guests. Especially if your pool is nearby dense or fruit-producing trees, you can unwillingly create a bird haven in your backyard or community center. If you’re looking to learn how to keep birds away from your pool, read on for advice from the bird control experts at Blue Chip Pest Services!

Why Are There Birds in My Pool?

Just like humans, birds are looking to relax in favorable conditions and get out of the heat in our sweltering summers. You’ll find birds in ponds and puddles all year long—the only thing keeping them out of your pool is proximity! If birds find an open pool nearby, they will be happy to frequently visit or even set up a nest close by in order to have easy access to it.

If your yard has large, fruit-bearing trees, shaded areas, or sheltered roof and attic access, birds will be even more likely to share your home with you without permission.

How to Keep Birds Out of Your Pool

It takes effort to ensure that your yard stays pest-free, and this goes for birds as well. There are a few important bird prevention strategies to keep up with to make sure birds aren’t using your pool:

  • Keep your pool covered: Whenever you’re not using your pool, leaving a pool cover on will prevent birds from trying to swim.
  • Keep your plants in check: Trees with nuts and berries will contribute to a bird problem that an open pool will only worsen. Keep them trimmed back and collect dropped fruit often. You might want to consider getting rid of your bird feeder, too.
  • Use decoy toys: You can purchase decoy predators like owls, coyotes, and more to prevent birds from scoping out your property. Reflective balls and spikes are also physical bird repellent options.

Bird Control Help in St. Louis MO

If you’re struggling to keep birds out of your pool even after following our recommendations for prevention, it’s time to reach out to your local bird removal experts. Birds are protected animals here in St. Louis, so it’s important to leave their handling to the professionals. We can set up expert bird exclusion techniques to make sure you can enjoy your pool unbothered. Contact us today for a free quote!

10 Fun Facts About Spiders

A spider in St. Louis MO - Blue Chip Pest Services

Here at Blue Chip Pest Services, we have helped many customers with a crippling fear of spiders. We believe that if more people knew what spiders were really like, they wouldn’t be afraid of them, they’d actually be fascinated! There are many kinds of spiders living in St. Louis MO, but we’re a lot better off than we would be if there weren’t any. With no spiders to take care of insects in the area, we’d be overrun with bugs! Read on to learn more about interesting spider facts from our spider control team.

10 Facts About Spiders

  1. They’re all over the place: At any given point, you’re probably no more than 10 feet from the closest spider! While this freaks some people out, there’s really no cause for alarm—most spiders prefer to stay out of sight.
  2. There are thousands of different spiders: Over 35,000 different species have been identified, and experts believe that there are thousands more yet to be found. We have observed an incredible extent of variation in size, features, and habitats across spider species worldwide.
  3. Some spiders like to dance: As part of their mating ritual, many spiders perform a dance involving scuttling movements and frantic arm-waving.
  4. Male spiders give gifts: To supplement their courting process, male spiders will often wrap up a fly or some other insect in silk to give to a female. However, some spiders get caught wrapping up leaves and other junk.
  5. Female spiders are hostile: Many species of spiders’ females will eat or bite off the head of the male during, after, or before an attempt at copulation. That’s how black widows got their name!
  6. Most spider bites don’t hurt: Only a select few spiders are capable of seriously endangering humans with their bites. The vast majority of spiders don’t have enough venom to even cause us considerable pain.
  7. Spider silk is a liquid: Spider silk only becomes solidified when it is released into the air. Before that point, it is stored as a liquid in a special spinning gland.
  8. Spider silk is very strong: Spider silk only seems flimsy because of the density of the webs that spiders spin. It is actually 5 times stronger than steel!
  9. Spider webs have many purposes: Spiders don’t just build webs as hunting tools, they also spin webs as nests that come in many shapes and sizes. Some spiders also use long strands of silk for transportation, whether crawling along them or using them to float through the air.
  10. Their muscles work differently than ours: Spiders can only retract their muscles inward, not push them back out. To extend their legs, they have to force a fluid through them that pushes them out.

Spider Control Experts in St. Louis MO

Although most spiders in St. Louis are friendly, there are a few that you have to be careful around, like the brown recluse and the black widow. Additionally, we understand that having a spider infestation in your house can be unsettling, even if the ones you have aren’t venomous. If you need help getting rid of spiders on your property, reach out to the spider exterminators at Blue Chip Pest Services today for a free quote!