Wet Winter and Spring Mean More Spiders in Summer

If you watch local news or The Weather Channel, you’ve probably heard about the El Nino phenomenon in the Pacific Ocean. This happens naturally every few years and leads to warmer and wetter winters and springs across the western United States and the plains states. Because of this, Oklahoma experienced winter and spring that were slightly warmer and wetter than average. However, just this slight variation is enough to make bug populations explode. And when insect populations increase, so do spider populations.

The good news is that when there are more spiders, they’ll eat more bugs. So you probably won’t notice the increase in the insect population so much. The bad news is that there are more spiders, and you probably will notice them more. Fortunately, most spiders don’t pose any danger to human beings. Many of them are not venomous and even those that have fangs that are too small and weak to break human skin. And though it might not always seem like it, spiders are more scared of us than we are of them, and they work very hard to stay out of our way.

There are a few spider species in the United States than are venomous and are big and strong enough to be able to bite humans. Some of these, such as the Southern Black Widow and the Brown Recluse, live in Oklahoma. While these are the most well-known venomous spiders, there are others that have the potential to cause pain and swelling with their bites, especially for those who might have a sensitivity to their venom. For those who are not familiar with different spider species, it can be difficult to tell dangerous spiders apart from their harmless cousins. We created a spider identification guide to help you identify common Oklahoma spiders and figure out which ones need to be exterminated immediately and which ones are okay as long as they stay outside.

Many spiders re-infest the same areas over and over again, so professional control is recommended to keep spiders away long term. Our Preventative Pest Control plan guards your home against spiders, as well as many other common summer pests. And professional pest control services are always recommended for dealing with dangerous spiders such as the Southern Black Widow or the Brown Recluse. However, there are a few other things you can do on your own to decrease the risk of a spider infestation:

• You can create natural spider repellents by mixing water and salt in a spray bottle and spraying on flowers, bushes, windows, doors and around your home’s foundation to keep spiders away. You can also use cinnamon, peppermint extract, garlic or lavender in place of the salt.
• Reduce clutter inside your home and throw out old stacks of paper or unused boxes that could be hiding places for spiders. Spiders like dark, cluttered and infrequently used places. So cleaning often will keep them from taking up residence.
• Eliminate spaces that spiders would want to build webs. These usually include dark, unused crevices or nooks.
• Eliminate other pests that spiders prey on, including moths, flies, mosquitoes and more.
• Patch up any holes in screen doors and window screens, repair cracks in your siding or foundation, fill in holes around utility lines entering your home, replace chipped or damaged weather stripping around doors and close up any gaps around doors or windows to make it harder for spiders to get inside your home.

At Emtec Pest Control, we are committed to safe and responsible pest control. We understand that your family’s safety is your number one priority, so we make it our priority, too. If you have any other questions about spiders or spider control for your home or business, contact your Oklahoma pest control experts at Emtec Pest Control by calling us or by filling out our online contact form. Our service areas in Northeast Oklahoma include Bixby, Broken Arrow, Catoosa, Owasso, Jenks, Sand Springs, Sapulpa, Skiatook, Stillwater, Tulsa, and the surrounding areas. In Central Oklahoma, we service Edmond, Moore, Oklahoma City, Yukon, and the surrounding areas. You can also connect with us on social media for more helpful pest control tips and information.