The Easiest Way To Keep Spiders Out Of Your Fort Worth Home

While most spiders in Fort Worth are more of a nuisance than a serious danger, that doesn’t mean they’re a welcome sight. Nobody likes sharing their space with spiders, and you shouldn’t have to. Here’s what Fort Worth homeowners should know about local spiders, why they come inside, what you can do to prevent them, and the easiest way to deal with arachnids that wander into your house.

What Types Of Spiders Are In Fort Worth, TX?

Identifying the type of spider in your home is an important part of knowing how to deal with it. If you live in Fort Worth, you’re likely to encounter these species:

American house spider: As their name suggests, the American house spider isn’t shy about invading homes. These spiders can come in varying colors, and you’re most likely to find them building webs in the corners of basements, garages, and other dark corners.

Wolf spider: With hairy legs and big bodies, wolf spiders are one of the more intimidating species to find in your home, but their bite is usually harmless to humans. Rather than build webs, they prefer to hunt their insect prey on foot.

Black widow spider: Black widow spiders are one of the few species that cause a direct threat to humans. While they aren’t usually aggressive, you should seek medical attention immediately if you’ve been bitten by one. You can distinguish black widows by the signature red hourglass-like marking on their bellies.

Brown recluse spider: Brown recluse spiders may get mixed up with other species, like the house spiders, but a recluse will have a violin-shaped marking on its back. Like the black widow, a brown recluse isn’t aggressive, but its venom can be dangerous for people.

Jumping spider: Jumping spiders are another nuisance species, named after their leaping ability.

Most of the time, spiders that come inside your home aren’t looking for human food or shelter – they’re following other pests and insects that are already there. And, most species, with the exception of the black widow and brown recluse spiders, don’t cause a direct threat to humans.

How To Prevent Spiders In Fort Worth, TX

Spiders may be sneaky, but there are a couple of things that you can do to prevent them from overtaking your home, such as:

Clean up excess clutter: Excess clutter, like storage boxes, piles of clothes, and other items, can serve as hiding spots for spiders, so dealing with excess clutter can force spiders into the open.

Sweep up any spider webs: If you find any spider webs, you’ll want to sweep them up with a broom or vacuum. The more their nests are disrupted the less likely spiders are to hang around.

Use sanitary food and trash practices: Spiders aren’t after sweets and meats, but their pest prey may be.

Keeping leftovers in airtight containers, washing dirty dishes, and cleaning up food scraps can all prevent insect prey (and the spiders that follow them) from coming inside.

Block off access points: Spiders need a way to get in, and they’ll often use tiny cracks and holes in your walls and foundation to do so. Use a sealant like caulk to block off any potential access points.

Address moisture issues: Moisture and drainage problems around your home can also lure pest prey in, so you’ll want to deal with leaky faucets or other plumbing problems as soon as you discover them.

Take care of yard debris: Yard debris, including firewood, should always be stored several feet away from the home. Spiders, especially black widows and brown recluses, are fond of hiding in wood piles and other outdoor debris.

The Best Way To Deal With Spiders In Fort Worth, TX

Sometimes even taking preventative measures like the ones listed above, is not enough to keep spiders out of your Fort Worth home. That’s where professional assistance from All-Safe Pest & Termite can help. Our experienced professionals can provide ongoing assistance that addresses spider problems (and any other pest issues) throughout the entire year.

If you’ve been spotting one too many spiders (or their pest prey) around your Fort Worth home lately, there’s no reason to wait. Contact us at All-Safe Pest & Termite for more information about how we can help.