Spiders – STOP them
Spider control can be managed through a combination of actions.
Firstly regular cobweb cleaning is recommended. This can have the effect of squishing some spiders and chasing others away but will not stop them from re-establishing. One benefit of regular cobweb brooming is this will keep your house paintwork looking tidy. But alas clearing cobwebs will not eliminate the spiders from the wider environs.
Normally the most effective treatment to remove and kill spiders is to spray the house on the outside with an effective contact killing insecticide. PEST STOP™ can provide a range of contact sprays effective at eliminating spiders, flies, cockroaches and other crawling insects.
Spraying is needing to be done on a regular basis before the webs are forming and spiders (or other critters) are present. If you want to spray the whole house – care should be taken to attend to this when it is not windy, and keep pets and children away or safely indoors. PPE gear and masks should be worn when spraying, or alternatively you may prefer to request a professional pest controller to undertake a full house treatment for you.
New Zealand Spiders – are they dangerous?
Most New Zealand spiders are retreating and shy and not dangerous – with a few exceptions. Knowing your spider can help you determine what sort of issues they may bring, and if needing to be controlled in one way or another.
Daddy Longlegs spiders (The Harvestman Spider) can often be an indicator there is other insects present as these spiders are hunters and rely on target insects as a food source. Check their webs to see what they are catching – in some cases this can be useful to identify other pests present. Daddy Longlegs do over time create a messy environment with their webs acting as dust catchers and rubbish tips for old insect bodies etc., therefor regular removal of webs and spiders is recommended for a tidy healthy and not-so-creepy home.
White tail spiders are often feared, and although not known to be deadly they are capable of leaving a nasty rash or infectious lesion in the bite zone. Reactions to white tail spider bites will vary from person to person. Generally these spiders will try and run away and hide from people – but by their very nature of crawling high on walls and ceilings they are often dropping to the ground from heights as part of their scouting and escape prowess, so unfortunately these spiders can often scale ceilings and drop and land on furniture or beds or people, and when disturbed in homes or garden environments they will naturally react on contact and can give a nasty bite.
Effective DIY white tail spider treatments includes residual sprays or professional fumigations. Such treatments are effective against white tails and other spiders and crawling insects. PEST STOP™ also recommend you can minimise spider invasions in homes by keeping the environments and gardens clear and clean of scrub, and clutter (places spiders and critters like to hide) and trim back bushes and trees that are contacting against your house, and clear away rubbish from floors, therein offering less places for spiders and crawlers to hide.
