Spotted a red spider in your house? Having several small panic attacks wondering if your home will become infested? Curious about if this red spider is dangerous and whether or not you should you be concerned? Never fear, the spider control experts are here.
The professionals at H2 Pest Control are ready to relieve your worries and protect your home and family. We know how to get rid of spiders popping up on your property fast. But first, just which type of spider did you see?
Red Spiders in Utah
If it’s tiny red spiders you’re seeing, they’re most likely clover mites, a close relative of spiders. Clover mites aren’t much larger than the head of a pin and are harmless except for the bright red stain they leave behind when squashed.
However, the terrifying-looking fella with the red body that you saw is very likely the red woodlouse spider, a quite common Utah red spider. The bright red color makes them easy to spot as does their large size compared to other spider species.
The red woodlouse spider is named after its color and prey of choice. This type of spider doesn’t build a web to catch its food, rather it is a nocturnal hunter. The male woodlouse spider measures around 1/3″ in size, while the female measures around 1/2″. Both are easily recognizable by the glossy, deep red hue of their upper bodies. While she doesn’t spin a web, the female woodlouse spider will construct a cocoon to lay her eggs in. She will lay approximately 70 eggs at a time, making early detection and removal of woodlouse spiders crucial to preventing an infestation.
Are Red Woodlouse Spiders Poisonous?
In general, avoiding woodlouse spiders is a good idea. While they are not poisonous, they can deliver a painful bite thanks to their large chelicerae, or jaws. The most common result of a red woodlouse spider bite is an itching sensation around the site of the bite which goes away after an hour or two. You may know this spider from nature documentaries: they are one of the spiders that bite their prey and basically drink their liquified insides. Pretty gross, right?
Not all Utah spiders are dangerous to humans, but what about red spiders? Learn more about the common red woodlouse spider that might have made its way into your home.
How Can I Get Rid of Red Spiders?
Red woodlouse spiders are most often found in basements as they prefer damp, high humidity areas when they set up camp inside a house. You can keep these invaders out of your home by checking for gaps and cracks around the exterior of the house and sealing them up with caulk or some other type of patching material. Make sure there are no damp areas near your house such as wood or leaf piles, mulch, etc.
If you discover that you have an infestation of red spiders in your home, the best course of action is to call an exterminator like those at H2 Pest Control. We can effectively get rid of them for you using a combination of spider control treatments including spider traps and repellent.
Whether they are dangerous or not, no one wants to have a spider infestation in their home or around their family. H2 Pest Control is at your service for Utah pest control in locations such as Lehi and Eagle Mountain, UT. Spider control is not a problem for us. Call or contact us for an appointment with one of our professional exterminators. Keep your family safe and keep your home free of the red woodlouse spider and other creepy-crawly invaders.