In Topeka, Overland Park and throughout Kansas common house spiders are most noticeable during the warmer months, but as the temperatures start to drop, you may once again find them in your home searching for a suitable place to spin their webs. House spiders are typically brownish or grayish in color. They are relatively small with a body length of about 1/8” to 3/8”. Their large webs can be found throughout our homes, but will typically be located in windows, ceiling corners and above or beneath fixtures, and they often extend from one surface to another, for example from wall to ceiling. House spiders move indoors when there is an ample supply of other insects to snack on, but will quickly abandon an intricately spun web, when the food supply is not adequate. If you can stand the thought of sharing your home with these 8 legged creatures, they really can be a lot of help, but if you can’t bear the thought, Schendel Pest Services, a longtime Kansas pest control company, would like to offer a few tips on things you can do to help reduce the likelihood that house spiders will stick around:

• Keep a clean kitchen: Small crumbs and sticky spills attract other pests that spiders like to eat

• Change your outdoor lighting: Insects, otherwise known as spider food, are attracted to light so keep outdoor lighting away from your home and sweep webs off regularly

• Don’t hang a welcome sign for spiders: Seal any cracks or crevices in your foundation and around any wires or pipes, repair any torn screens, and install door sweeps

• Clean up outdoors: Keep debris, firewood and rocks cleaned up and away from your home, also remember to trim back any trees and shrubs that may be touching your house

• Do not provide comfy accommodations: Store items, such as blankets and old clothing, in plastic bins with tight fitting lids and do not use cardboard boxes, they are very easy to get into for spiders

If you find these spider control tips are not enough to keep house spiders out, don’t worry, there is help. Schendel offers effective, year round home pest control that is sure to get rid of spiders and other household pests and keep them out for good. If you live in Topeka or elsewhere throughout Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma or Arkansas, please contact us today.