Many people hate finding large spiders within their home, and for some particularly arachnophobic individuals, spotting one single indoor specimen warrants the services of a pest control professional. Pest control professionals do not generally consider spiders to be pests that establish indoor infestations, but the presence of a potentially dangerous spider species within homes poses a clear threat to the home’s occupants. Spider species that are considered a danger to residents within homes include black widows and brown recluses, both of which can be found indoors within the state of Texas. If so much as one single specimen from one of these species is found indoors, pest control professionals will make it a priority to inspect an entire home in an effort to locate and destroy each specimen found. These two spiders can also pose a threat to residents when specimens are found near homes, and black widows and brown recluses are commonly found along structural foundations, especially in areas such as beneath leaf-litter, trash piles, outdoor clutter, and patio furniture. Although black widows and brown recluses are the two most frequently cited spiders of medical importance, several yellow-sac spider species can also be a threat to residents. Unfortunately, yellow-sac spiders are capable of surviving all year round within Texas homes.
More than 200 yellow-sac spider species have been documented within the United States and Canada, and all of the most dangerous species are abundant within Texas. Yellow sac spider adults grow to be 1/10 – 1/2 inch long in body length. Although yellow-sac spider species vary in color, they can be recognized for their particularly long front legs. One of the most commonly encountered yellow-sac spider species within homes is the agrarian sac spider, and like many sac spider species, the agrarian sac spider can inflict painful and medically significant bites to humans. Agrarian sac spiders sometimes infest homes in great numbers, and they are often found within bedding, walls, and ceilings during the nighttime hours. Infestations are particularly frequent during the winter months.
Have you ever found a group of spiders clustered together within your home?
