Author: Kurt Treftz, Cascade Pest Control
While most of us get freaked out by them, especially in how many show up in our homes this time of year, spiders are more than the sum of their (many) parts. Beyond being scary looking, and sometimes hairy, they are more beneficial around your home than expected! Many spider species in the Greater Puget Sound area are great at trapping and feeding on smaller household insects we also don’t like.
However, spider control is definitely necessary (and advised) if you spot a venomous one or you’re worried about a spider infestation, regardless of how many flies they trap. Beyond being helpful in smaller numbers, arachnids can be fascinating to learn more about. The numerous spider species and the traits they possess will surprise you.
Surprising Spider Facts & Spider Control
Better understanding the pest you’re trying to eliminate is often helpful in preventing them from entering your home in the first place. You could also learn something you weren’t aware of before that is fun to throw around at trivia night. Either way, here are some notable spider facts for you:
- Spiders produce different types of silk. While walking through a web or constantly cleaning cobwebs isn’t anyone’s idea of a good time, did you know that the spider who made it produced a specific type of silk when creating it? Spiders can produce up to 7 types of silk, and each is used for a different purpose (i.e. creating a web, catching prey, etc.)
- Spider silk is structurally stronger than steel. If adjusted for weight, spider’s silk is very strong. A strand the width of a pencil could stop a jet plane in-flight.
- Spider egg sacs can contain up to 3,000 eggs at once. Talk about having our work cut out for us…these egg sacs are usually found in or near a spider’s web and look like wrapped up balls of silk. Seeing those can be a sign that you’re about to have more spiders on hand than you bargained for – and a possible spider infestation.
- Jumping spider varieties can leap up to 50x their own length. This species of spider literally alters its body chemistry to create extra momentum in their legs in order to jump to catch prey. These spiders can also see light wavelengths humans can’t perceive.
- Tarantulas can shoot hairs at their prey. Much like how porcupines can unleash their spines defensively, tarantulas have barbed hairs that they can fling at oncoming predators or prey.
- Spiders don’t actually have teeth. While some do possess fangs to inject venom into their prey, they don’t have other teeth to actually chew their food. Instead, they inject digestive juices into their captured meals and consume the liquefied critters…yum.
- Ants or spiders in disguise? Over 100 spider species have evolved to resemble ants in both appearance and pheromones. Most do it to avoid predators, but some do it to capture ants as prey…as if we needed more reasons to be wary of them.
- Spiders need proper feed to climb walls. Ever wondered why some spiders scale your wall to escape vs others find a gap in your floorboards to disappear into? Well, spiders need claws at the ends of their legs in order to be able to climb and not all species have them!
While they are at times very entertaining (or gross depending on your experience with them) to learn about, spiders in large numbers can be unwanted guests in your home or business. We at Cascade Pest Control are skilled at spider removal, prevention, and abatement, so don’t hesitate to reach out!
In need of spider control services? Call 888-989-8979 today to get started with Cascade Pest Control
