Spiders
Spiders evoke a combination of curiosity and horror in people of all ages. Spiders’ seeming ability to appear suddenly out of nowhere on their fine silk lines can startle anyone. But their frightening reputation is largely undeserved. Spiders are fascinating creatures! The webs of many species are intricate architectural wonders. They are superb predators that capture more prey than all other terrestrial predators combined. Spiders can be masters of stealth—blending into their surroundings or hiding so well that they are often overlooked. While both insects and spiders are in the phylum Arthropoda, spiders are in the class Arachnida, which also contains scorpions, harvestmen, pseudoscorpions and ticks. All spiders (order Araneae) have eight legs, two body segments (cephalothorax and abdomen) separated by a waist, and unlike the insects, they do not have chewing mouthparts, antennae or wings. Spider jaws are called chelicerae, and include hollow fangs through which they inject venom to immobilize or kill their prey. Spiders prey on small living invertebrates, such as insects or other spiders. Unable to swallow solid food, spiders liquefy their prey externally by regurgitating digestive juices onto it. They then crush the prey with their chelicerae and suck up the juices. Spiders have a pair of jointed appendages (called pedipalps or palps) on either side of the chelicerae that look like short legs. Palps help manipulate the prey during feeding. Like all arthropods, spiders have a hard exoskeleton with flexible membranes at the joints so that the legs can bend. To grow larger, they molt, shedding the old exoskeleton and then sucking in air to inflate the soft underlying skeleton until it hardens at a larger size. Spiders molt up to a dozen times until they become sexually mature adults.
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Do you have a Spider problem?
Almost any property has the food and shelter sources necessary to keep spiders happy. Gardens, tall grass, woodpiles, shrubs, bushes, and trees make great hideouts for spiders and prey. Many spiders live out in nature away from people, but just as many live near homes and other structures. If your home has many openings in its exterior walls, spiders will eventually find their way inside, usually while following their prey. Spiders also get into homes on plants, firewood, and storage boxes.
Are Spiders dangerous?
The good news is that most species of spiders living across the United States are harmless. Nuisance spiders make up the majority of the spider world. All spiders possess venom, but the venom of nuisance spiders is only strong enough to paralyze insects and other spiders, not strong enough to cause health problems in most people. Dangerous spiders are those spiders that have venom potent enough to trigger health problems in people.
How do I get rid of Spiders?
If you are looking for pest control in the NJ area turn to the local and experienced pest professionals at Inspect Pest Control. We offer home and business owners the benefits of comprehensive pest control, superior customer service, and the peace of mind that comes with our guaranteed services. Our eco-friendly solutions solve current pest problems and keep them from returning. For home and business owners who want to protect their property from Spiders, contact Inspect Pest Control today!
