Complete Guide To Spiders In Illinois

Many species of spiders are harmless, but there is certainly a fair share of dangerous spiders to be on the lookout for. The good news is that not all 500 types of spiders in Illinois can be found indoors. In fact, many choose to make their habitat far away from the walls of the place you call home. Of the spiders that choose to infest Illinois homes, all are alarming but only a few are harmful. This means protecting your home from spiders isn’t as impossible as it sounds!

Types of Spiders in Illinois:

Illinois is the home of quite a few different types of spiders, and you’re bound to find some of them from time to time.  But by becoming more familiar with the different types of spiders in Illinois, you can protect your home and family from these creepy pests.

The most common spiders in Illinois include:

• Crab Spiders (Thomisidae)
• Orb Weaver Spiders (Araneidae)
• Jumping Spiders (Salticidae)
• Woodlouse Spider (Dysdera crocata) – These are some of the only red spiders you’ll find in Illinois
• Nursery Web Spiders (Pisauridae)
• Wolf Spiders (Lycosidae)
• Funnel Web Spiders (Agelenidae)

Here to make your life even easier are the pest professionals at Pointe Pest Control. In this complete guide to spiders in Illinois, we’ll share with you everything you need to know in order to detect, prevent, and eliminate spiders in your home completely!

Signs of a Spider Infestation in Your Home

No one wants to see a spider in their home. The sight of these eight-legged creatures sparks intense fear in many people–fear of being bitten, fear of venom, or just plain fear. As unpleasant a sight as spiders are, however, being able to detect them is the first step in getting rid of a spider infestation in your home. Here are five signs that you may have a spider infestation.

Spider Webs

Another obvious sign of house spiders is the presence of webs. When looking for spiderwebs in your home, check the following places:

• Corners of rooms: Cellar spiders prefer to hang upside down and most often build their webs in the corners of ceilings or floors.
• Shielded spaces: Sac spiders create tubular silk sacs that are about an inch long in shielded places, such as between two angled surfaces, inside indoor plant leaves, in corners, or around door and window frames.
• Damp and dark areas: Cobweb spiders like black widows spin their irregular shaped webs in moist spaces like crawlspaces, garages, and basements.
• Beneath or inside household objects: Brown recluses spin their sheet-like webs in dark, secluded places like behind picture frames, beneath furniture or garbage cans, and inside boxes or clothing.

Egg Sacs

If you find a spider egg sac in your home, that is a sure sign that there’s a spider present and that more are on the way. Egg sacs can be found in spiderwebs, on spiders, or left in undisturbed areas of your home. Once you spot an egg sac, get rid of it right away and search your home for the adult spiders you now know are hiding nearby. In order to safely remove an egg sac, you might consider calling a pest expert.

Moist Environments

You probably avoid damp spaces like storage rooms, attics, and abandoned closets. Spiders, on the other hand, are attracted to such spaces. If ceilings, walls, or areas of your house are affected by humidity or other moisture, your risk of spider infestation increases. Be sure to thoroughly examine moist environments when on the hunt for signs of spiders.

The Presence of Other Insects

You like your home stocked with food–so do spiders! A home where other pests are present is more likely to contain spiders since spiders survive by eating other insects. If you have noticed an abundance of flies, mosquitoes, or other insects in your home, be sure to check for spiders as well.

How to Prevent Spiders in Your Home – DIY Treatments

The best way to protect your family from the stress and danger of spiders is to keep spiders from entering your home in the first place! Spiders will take any opportunity to make themselves comfortable in your home. In order to prevent spiders in your home, try following the advice of the spider experts at Pointe Pest Control:

• Use caulk or wire mesh to seal cracks and openings.
• Keep the perimeter of your home free of plants, woodpiles, or clutter to avoid cultivating spider populations near your home.
• Maintain a clean kitchen and turn off lights during the night to prevent an increase in flies, moths, and other spider food.
• Remove hiding spots for spiders by decluttering, especially in damp and dark spaces like basements and attics.
• Try applying a DIY spider deterrent like eucalyptus oil, peppermint spray, tea tree oil, vinegar, lemon peels, or garlic to the appropriate areas of your home to naturally prevent spiders.

How to Get Rid of Spiders in Your Home

Spiders are scary, but you are a lot larger and smarter than them and can get rid of most spiders in your home in a few simple ways. By regularly vacuuming and dusting, you prevent spiders from getting the food they need and, in many cases, from reproducing. Less effective but still helpful are sticky traps and glue boards, which should be placed in the corners of your home or areas you think are at risk of infestation. With these traps, you can identify the general area of an infestation and know where to concentrate the treatments later.

Another way to eliminate spiders is with the use of DIY spider treatment. If you know exactly where spiders are hiding in your home, you can use a homemade saline spray (1-ounce salt to 1-gallon water) or a mixture of half white vinegar and half water to kill spiders or destroy spider nests in your home by spraying them directly with the solution. If applied accurately to the areas of your home that spiders are hiding, you can also use the natural spider repellents mentioned above to force spiders out of your home.

Call Your Local Spider Exterminators

If you want spiders (and spiderwebs) out of your hair, consider calling your local spider control experts! At Pointe Pest Control, the only thing we love more than sharing our pest advice is using our expertise and our experience to get rid of your pests once-and-for-all. With our unbeatable spider control in Illinois, your home could be spider-free in no time. We offer free quotes AND a money-back guarantee to ensure that you are completely satisfied with our spider control.