Whether they live in your bedroom or your cellar, nobody really likes spiders. Not only do they look creepy, but they also make a mess of your house by building webs all over the place.
So, how to get rid of cellar spiders?
There are a few ways to go about it, but first, you should be able to identify what cellar spiders look like, and learn how to control their presence in your house.
What are Cellar Spiders?
They have a unique appearance with their long legs and small bodies. These spiders range from 1/8 to 5/8 of an inch in length and come in various colors such as gray, brown, or yellowish-brown.
Identification: Cellar spiders have eight eyes arranged in two rows of four eyes each. Their body is divided into two sections; the cephalothorax (head) and abdomen (back). The head section has short hairs on it while the abdomen has longer hairs on it.
Habitat: Cellar spiders prefer to live indoors where they can find moist areas such as basements or crawl spaces but they can also be found outdoors under rocks or logs near water sources such as streams or ponds. They build webs close to ceilings or walls where there is plenty of air circulation so they can catch flying insects easily.
Cellar spiders mainly feed on other insects such as flies, moths, mosquitoes and beetles which get trapped in their webs. This makes them beneficial for pest control around the home if one does not mind having them there.
Cellar spiders can be a nuisance and may require special treatment to get rid of them. Now that you know more about cellar spiders, let’s explore how to effectively remove them from your home.
Identifying Cellar Spiders
Cellar spiders are a common species of spiders that have very small bodies (only a few millimeters in size) and long legs. They are also often called Daddy Long Legs, which is a name you are probably more familiar with. They prefer to live in the dark, damp places such as basements, cellars, and crawlspaces, and build webs that are irregular and have no pattern, where they hang upside down while waiting for prey.
Cellar spiders are not dangerous, but they are pests. They do not have venom and are not strong enough to bite humans, so removing them from your house can be very easy. They do, however, build a lot of webs in a very short span of time. This is because once they capture prey in one web, they abandon it and build another one. This can cause quite a bit of trouble in homes because it will not only be a mess to clean up, but it is also not a fun job.
However, cellar spiders do help in getting rid of other bugs and insects, which they eat as prey, by capturing them in their webs and shaking the web to trap them further.
Signs of Infestation
If you’ve ever seen webs in the corners of your basement or attic, chances are they were made by cellar spiders. These eight-legged critters can be a nuisance, but it’s important to know how to identify them and their signs of infestation so that you can take steps to get rid of them if necessary.
Webbing and Egg Sacs: Cellar spiders build messy webs with thick strands that span from corner to corner. The webs may also contain egg sacs which are round and yellowish-white in color. If you see webbing or egg sacs, then there is likely an infestation present.
Droppings and Shed Skins: Another sign of a cellar spider infestation is droppings on walls or furniture near the web sites as well as shed skins left behind after molting. Droppings look like small black dots while shed skins resemble empty shells with legs still attached.
If you notice any of these signs, it is time to take action against your unwanted guests.
It is important to identify the signs of infestation in order to take appropriate action. Next, we will discuss How to get rid of cellar spiders.
How to Get Rid of Cellar Spiders
A cellar spider or two is okay, but if you have an infestation on your hands, you probably want to look into ways you can get rid of it.
Preventing Cellar Spiders from Entering your Home
One of the best ways to prevent a cellar spider infestation is to get rid of the habitat where a spider would like to live. A cellar spider likes humid, dark environments, so by taking away this habitat, by lowering the humidity, you may be able to encourage the spider to leave on its own. Additionally, spiders like to live in houses where their prey is close by, so if you take measures to remove these other insects, such as by changing your outdoor lights to attract less of them, you may be able to eliminate the spiders as well.
Clearing out webs
The first step to getting rid of cellar spiders is to grab a broom and physically remove the webs they have built-in your homes. This is a step you would be taking anyway since they make your house look messy, but it is also an important part of pest control. Not only will you be removing the mess, but you will also be ensuring that any future generations of cellar spiders are also removed in the process.
Since cellar spiders lay eggs in small silk sacs which are kept in webs, by clearing out the webs, you will be ensuring that any spider babies are also cleared out, which can ensure that you will not face another infestation in the near future.
Traps
You do not have to go as far as to use pest control products and services to get rid of cellar spiders for you. There are a few natural ways to get rid of them, a well as traps that you can set to capture these spiders and then squish them or let them out of the house.
After you’re done clearing out the webs, you can use a spider trap by sealing all cracks and crevices where spiders can get in, and place glue traps along the entryway. This way, not only can you avoid spiders getting into your cellars, but you can also monitor insect traffic and take the necessary action.
Spider Repellents
The best way to get rid of spiders – not just cellar spiders, but all kinds – is to use essential oils. Spiders hate many of these oils, and they are one of the best forms of pest control for spiders since they act as natural repellents.
You can use peppermint sprays by mixing peppermint oil with a few other ingredients and spraying them around your cellar, or directly on spiders if you see any to eliminate them faster.
You can also use garlic to make a spray that you can spray around the house to make the spiders leave on their own accord. However, garlic may not be the most pleasant smell to have around your home.
Another method to do away with cellar spiders is to use ammonia, which is one of the fastest ways to eliminate these pests from your house, though you will need plenty of ventilation for this. Once again, this can be made into a spray that can be sprayed over entryways or in places these spiders like to hide, such as pipelines and corners.
Insecticides
If you can’t be bothered to wait until all the spiders have left your house, you can turn to professionals, who are equipped with a variety of products and services to help you with pest control problems. Pest control companies will help you eliminate all spiders in your house using insecticides, which can also remove other bugs and pests at the same time, although you may not be able to enter your house or basement for a while.
There are also many pesticides made specifically for the cellar spider removal, which you can use to remove them from your house. However, pesticides are a short term solution and are not a substitute for sanitation. If you do not change your home environment to be less suitable for spiders, they will return.
Should you remove cellar spiders from your house?
If you don’t mind cleaning up every now and then, and you don’t have a full-blown infestation, you may not mind having a cellar spider or two in your house. They are not dangerous, and they don’t pose any kind of threat. Though they do make a mess, they are happy with minding their own business and avoiding you as much a possible.
A severe arachnophobe may want to remove them immediately, but if you don’t mind spiders from a distance, it may be better to let them be. Not only will they stay out of your way, but they will also help you avoid bugs and insects that can be a pest to remove.
Benefits of Having Cellar Spiders Around
While they may look intimidating with their long legs and big eyes, these arachnids can actually be beneficial to have around. Here’s why:
Pest Control: Cellar spiders feed on small insects like flies, moths, mosquitoes, and other pests that might otherwise cause damage to your home or garden. By having them around, you can help keep the population of these pesky bugs down naturally without resorting to chemical solutions.
Pollination: As cellar spiders move from flower to flower while hunting for food they inadvertently help pollinate plants which is essential for healthy growth. So if you want a thriving garden, then it pays to let some of these eight-legged creatures hang around!
Don’t be too quick to reach for the insect spray when you spot one of these critters in your house or yard. They could actually be doing more good than harm.
Cellar spiders provide many benefits to our environment, such as pest control and pollination. Next, we’ll discuss the best methods for getting rid of cellar spiders in your home.
Fun Facts About Cellar Spiders
They have eight eyes arranged in two rows of four each. Their bodies are typically yellowish or grayish-brown with darker markings on their abdomens. They have long legs that can reach up to an inch in length and a small body about one-eighth of an inch wide.
Appearance and Behavior
Cellar spiders prefer dark areas such as basements, cellars, crawl spaces, attics, sheds, and garages, where they build webs to catch their prey. These webs usually consist of a tangled mess of sticky silk threads which the spider uses to ensnare its victims – mostly insects like flies or mosquitoes but sometimes even larger creatures like moths or beetles! The cellar spider will then inject venom into its victim before consuming it whole.
Life Span
Cellar spiders typically have a lifespan of around three years, although some may survive longer if conditions are favorable. During mating season, males will search out females by vibrating their web until the female responds back with her own vibrations, signaling her readiness for reproduction. Once this is done, the male will deposit his sperm onto the female’s abdomen before leaving her alone again until she lays eggs sometime later on. These eggs hatch after several weeks into tiny baby cellar spiders ready to start life anew.
Cellar spiders may look intimidating, but they are harmless and can actually be beneficial to have around. Now that we know more about their appearance and behavior let’s take a closer look at their lifespan and reproduction habits.
FAQs in Relation to How to Get Rid of Cellar Spiders
Should I kill cellar spiders?
No, you should not kill cellar spiders. They are beneficial to have around as they feed on other pests such as flies and moths. Killing them could disrupt the natural balance of your home environment and create more problems than it solves. Instead, try relocating them outside or using a vacuum cleaner to remove them from your home. If that doesn’t work, contact a professional pest control service for help in getting rid of any unwanted spiders safely and effectively.
Why is there a cellar spider in my house?
Cellar spiders are often found in dark, damp places like basements and cellars. They feed on other insects, so they may have been attracted to your home by an existing pest problem. These spiders rarely bite humans, but their webs can be a nuisance if left unchecked. To get rid of them, you’ll need to remove any food sources that attract pests and keep the area clean and dry. You may also want to use insecticides or traps to catch the spiders before they become a bigger issue.
Should I be worried about cellar spiders?
No, cellar spiders are generally harmless and beneficial to have around. They feed on other insects that can be pests in your home or garden, so they can actually help keep pest populations down. However, if you find an abundance of them in your home, it could indicate a larger problem with other insects. If this is the case, it’s best to contact a professional pest control service for assistance.
How long do cellar spiders live?
Cellar spiders typically live for one to two years. They are not considered a long-lived species, as they reach maturity within just a few months and begin reproducing shortly thereafter. During their lifespan, these spiders will build webs in dark, damp places like basements or cellars and feed on insects that become trapped in them. While cellar spiders may not live very long, they can still be an effective form of pest control if left undisturbed.
Conclusion
Getting rid of cellar spiders can be a daunting task, but with the right knowledge and tools, it doesn’t have to be. Knowing what these pests are, how to identify them, and the best ways to get rid of them will help you keep your home free from infestation. While they may not always be welcome guests in our homes, there are some benefits to having cellar spiders around too! With this newfound appreciation for these eight-legged creatures, we hope that you’ll feel more confident when it comes time to get rid of cellar spiders in your own home.
