Giant House Spiders: What are they & How to Deal

One of the most prevalent observed arachnids in American households is the giant house spider, especially in the western region of the nation (the Pacific Northwest). Although it may seem that they are ferocious animals of a great size and authoritative look, these fascinating creatures may be harmless to people and may even be profitable to your house as it depopulate it of pests. This tutorial will teach you what these spiders are, how to alleviate your worries of giant house spiders bites, how to know whether the giant house spiders pose a threat to you or not, and the best ways that you can deal with the presence of the giant house spiders in your house.

What Are Giant House Spiders?

One of the largest spiders to occur in American houses is the giant house spider (Eratigena duellica, previously called Eratigena atrica). Their size, which can go as high as 4 inches in leg span, can be shocking alone. They are generally dark brown, with fine hairs over their entire body and construct huge, sheet-like webs with a funnel-like recess in the dark and undisturbed corners, such as basements, attics, garages and in the corner behind furniture.

At their most active time of seasons in late summer and early autumn, males go into roaming to find females. The females prefer to remain concealed in the webs. Although the giant house spider looks fearsome, it helps in a good way by eating out simple household pests such as flies, moths and even fellow spiders.

Giant House Spider Bite

The issue of giant house spider bite becomes a point of worry to house owners. Although it is also true that the giant house spider has fangs and venom, bites are very rare. These spiders are not very aggressive and they can bite only when they are riled or cornered. In the majority of the cases, the spider always runs away instead of fighting back.

When there is a bite by a giant house spider, the symptoms are usually gentle. The symptoms can be minor redness, swelling, or irritation of the site. Severe reactions are extremely rare and normally only individuals having particular allergies will respond to it. The giant house spider venom is structured to paralyse insect prey but is not harmful to people or pet cats.

Giant House Spider Bite Symptoms

When a bite of giant house spider takes place, the symptoms are usually mild and they might include:

• Redness at the spot of the bite
• Small oedema
• Minor aches or pains
• Local pruritus
• Rare headache cases

Giant house spider bite is not medically significant and is not of any great danger to human beings. The majority of the people will have either no or very mild symptoms.

Are Giant House Spider Dangerous?

People often refer to the question, Are giant house spider dangerous? The quick answer is no. Although the giant house spider is fast and big, it is of practically no threat to human beings. Their venom is too weak to hurt a person too much, and they are not considered dangerous to humans.

Indeed, the giant house spider is among the beneficial ones as it controls other pest populations in your house. Almost all the fear of giant house spider bites or the inquiry of whether giant house spiders are harmful is not so much based on the fact that giant house spiders present a dangerous bite to human beings, but fear created by their scary appearance.

How to Get Rid of Giant House Spiders

Although giant house spiders are helpful, some individuals would want their numbers controlled inside the residence. The following are some of good practices of controlling these arachnids:

Prevention Methods

The best way to treat giant house spider is by prevention:

• Seal access points: Seal cracks and openings in windows, doors and foundations with caulking
• Clear clutter: Do away with corners where things can hide by making storage spaces uncluttered
• Minimize wetness: Seal leaks and increase ventilation in wet places
• Control other pests: Prevent them by limiting food supplies of other insects, by controlling flies, etc.

Natural Elimination Techniques

There are some natural ways one could prevent giant house spiders:

Essential oil repellents

• Peppermint oil: Add 5 drops peppermint oil to some water in a spray bottle
• Eucalyptus oil: Spray all the entry points and corners
• Lavender oil: It generates a nice aroma and displeases spiders
• Tea tree oil: Naturally occurring, good repellent that is antimicrobial

Vinegar Solutions

• White vinegar spray: Mix the same quantity of vinegar and water
• Spray directly on spiders, webs and places
• Put tiny dishes of diluted vinegar in dark corners and in the darkness

Physical Removal

• Vacuum frequently to get rid of webs and egg cases
• Capture spiders using a glass and paper and release them to the outdoors
• Use a broom or vacuum to remove webs

Pest Control Removal

In the case of severe infestation or your desire to be guided in the work by professionals, use the services of a licensed pest control service. They can offer an integrated services of treatment and prevention package according to your case.

Conclusion

Giant house spiders are mysterious animals that, although they look terrific when they appear in human sight, are not dangerous in a great way. When one realises that giant house spiders rarely bite, and the bites are not severe, and that they are not harmful spiders, unnecessary fears can be reassured. They are, in fact, useful as these good arachnids kill flies, mosquitoes and other household pests.

In case you prefer to control the population of giant house spiders at home, you should concentrate on such a preventive technique as sealing the holes and removing clutter. Naturally, Garlic/Natural repellent using essential oils or vinegar has been found to be an alternative of chemical repellents, but natural. Just remember, these spiders do not want to associate with humans and will usually tend to run away when they do.

To get a more comprehensive solution to pest control and expert recommendations for dealing with giant house spiders and other pests inside your household, visit SayNoPest – your reliable guide to a comfortable pest-free house.