Spider Identification

What are spiders?

Spiders are arachnids, same class as scorpions, ticks, and mites: two body segments, eight legs, no wings, no antennae. Every spider makes silk, whether it uses it for webs, egg sacs, or lining a burrow. And none of them chew. A spider injects venom to stop its prey, then digestive fluids to liquefy it before feeding.

Texas hosts thousands of spider species, but around Central Texas homes the regulars are the black widow, brown recluse, wolf spider, cellar spider, and jumping spider. Most of them are harmless and honestly useful, since their whole job is eating other insects. Two of them, though, deserve real caution, and it pays to know which is which.

Are spiders dangerous?

The overwhelming majority of spiders you will meet around an Austin-area home are shy, non-aggressive, and medically irrelevant. Two exceptions. The black widow ranks among the most venomous spiders in North America; its neurotoxic venom can cause severe muscle pain, cramping, and nausea, with kids and older adults at higher risk of serious reactions.

The brown recluse is the other one. Its venom is cytotoxic, meaning it kills tissue around the bite, and a recluse bite can turn into a slow-healing necrotic wound that needs medical care. Neither spider is looking for a fight. Bites almost always happen when one gets pressed against skin, in a stored boot, a folded shirt, a woodpile glove. If you believe either species bit you, get medical attention promptly.

Why do I have a spider problem?

Spiders are predators, so they set up wherever the hunting is good. Lots of insects around your home, drawn by outdoor lighting, moisture, or anything else, means spiders will follow. They come in through gaps at doors, windows, utility lines, and foundation cracks, or hitch a ride on firewood, boxes, potted plants, and patio furniture.

Central Texas keeps insects active nearly year-round, which keeps spiders fed year-round. Homes near woods, creek beds, and native vegetation see the most activity because the hunting grounds are right there. And when temperatures drop in fall, spiders start moving indoors for warmth, which is exactly when most homeowners suddenly notice them everywhere.

Where will I find spiders?

Outdoors: gardens, fence lines, under eaves and overhangs, in woodpiles, and through dense shrubs and ground cover. Indoors they pick quiet, dark spots along insect routes: room corners up at the ceiling line, plus closets, attics, garages, crawl spaces, and basements.

The two dangerous species have their own habits. Black widows favor sheltered outdoor spots: under rocks, in woodpiles, garage corners, around outdoor furniture. Brown recluses prefer dry, undisturbed places indoors, which in practice means cardboard boxes, cluttered storage, shoes, and clothing that sits folded in a closet. Wolf spiders skip webs entirely and hunt on foot, which is why you see them sprinting across the garage floor and along baseboards.

How do I get rid of spiders?

Spider control that works has two halves: the spiders, and the insect population feeding them. Knock down webs, seal the entry gaps, and treat the routes and hiding spots, but if the bug buffet stays open, new spiders keep arriving. A can of store-bought spray drops the one spider you can see and does nothing about the fifty you cannot.

Accurate Termite and Pest Control has managed spider populations for Cedar Park, Leander, and Austin homeowners for over 25 years, covering both the dangerous species and the merely unwelcome ones, while our broader treatment programs cut off the insect supply that attracts them. Get in touch about our home pest control services and get a free estimate.

How can I prevent spiders in the future?

Keeping spiders out is mostly about entry points, hiding spots, and their food supply. Our techs recommend:

• Seal the cracks and gaps around the foundation, windows, doors, and utility entries. Those are the front doors for spiders.
• Put tight door sweeps on exterior doors and repair torn window screens.
• Rethink the porch lights: less lighting at doors and windows, or yellow bulbs, means fewer of the insects that spiders hunt.
• Store firewood away from the house and look it over before carrying any inside. Widows and recluses both love a woodpile.
• Knock down exterior webs regularly, at the eaves, corners, window frames, and porch lights, so spiders do not get comfortable.
• Declutter the garage, attic, closets, and storage areas, and move stored items from open cardboard into sealed plastic bins.
• Shake out shoes, boots, and gloves before wearing them, and check clothes and bedding that have been sitting in a closet or on the floor.
• Trim shrubs, trees, and ground cover back from the walls and foundation so there is less harborage right against the house.
• Deal with other pest problems promptly. Fewer insects around the home means less reason for spiders to stay.
• Put gloves on before reaching into woodpiles, storage boxes, or garden beds. Those are widow and recluse territory.

You can also read about our home pest control and commercial pest control programs.