Spider problem? Get Immediate Spider Help
Redback Spider
The Dos and Don’ts of Spiders
- Always wear gloves and heavy shoes when working outside in the garden.
- Screen all windows and make sure there are no large gaps under doors as the Funnel web spiders (and others) can always make their way into the house.
- To keep red-backs at bay dust the weep holes where there is webbing on the house as spiders tend to seek shelter there. Use a powerful duster with a weep hole attachment. Red-backs tend to come from roof voids, dropping from the down lights, Mission Impossible style. The good news is that professionals can flush red-backs from nooks and crannies.
- Remove the webs a week after treatment to force the webless spiders to come into contact with residual chemical. The webs should be brushed off rather than washed away to leave chemical on the surface.
Some information about Spiders
Spiders are commonly found in most houses and gardens and sometimes they’re useful and help by killing other insects. But a few are pests and the sooner you’re rid of them, the better for you and your family. The obvious indication of spiders are the webs they spend so much time weaving around your home in order to catch their own prey but we think cobwebs are a very uncomfortable thing to find (or walk through). The more webs you find the more chance for dirt and dust to build up around your home. Depending on the species of spider, they often have poisonous venom that can pose a serious danger for your child’s safety.
Different types of Spiders
The most dangerous spider in Australia is the Sydney Funnel Web and its bite can be fatal (fatalities are not as common these days as anti-venom has been developed). Most of them dwell underground or under shady areas, so take care outside, as they could be sleeping under rocks. You can identify the Funnel Web by its black, dark brown colour and spur on its second front legs. The Brown Trapdoor spider is often mistaken for the Funnel Web. The difference is physical and the Brown Trapdoor spider doesn’t have a fatal bite. The Mouse spider can bite but it isn’t fatal. The Wolf spider tends to stick with garden areas in a burrow. Its entrance is concealed with leaves and sticks. Again the bite causes some pain but it is not fatal.
Webbing spiders can be different to house-bound and garden spiders which attach their web to the house as an anchor. For the webbing spider, the web is paramount and its material silk is of crucial importance to its life right up until its death. Many species of webbing spiders can be venomous so don’t be fooled by their attractive webs! The Red Back spider comes from the same family as the Black Widow Spider in the USA. It is not particularly aggressive but its bite can be fatal, so always be sure to wear gloves in the garden. The Garden or Orb-weaving spider gets its names from the orb webs it weaves. These can be found near trees, across pathways or doors. The spider is usually found hiding nearby and although it can cause discomfort walking through its webs, the spiders are usually harmless, preferring to run away than bite humans. The bite is not fatal. The Black House spider is often mistaken for a Funnel Web spider due to the nature of its web. The web is usually found around window sills and door frames. The bite may produce pain, vomiting and nausea but it is not fatal. The St Andrew’s cross spider sits in the centre of its web waiting for its prey. It can cause a shock walking into its web, but this spider is not particularly threatening. Don’t be fooled by the seemingly small size of the Theridion spider which can be quite a pest as large numbers of the spider can develop and the webs can be quite thick. The spider is too small to bite people but it remains an annoying spider all the same. The Nephila spider spins a large web that is golden in colour – giving it the name the Golden Orb Weaver. The bite is not dangerous but can lead to swelling. The Huntsman spider can best be described as large, brown and hairy – not a very attractive combination. The bite is not venomous but it can cause pain – best to seek medical attention afterwards to be sure you have not contracted any infections. The real issue is more that it incites fear in people due to its large size and rapid movements.
Treating Spiders
Spiders tend to hide inside weep holes and around window and door frames and surfeits of brick houses. Weatherboard houses provide many more harbourages, often with cracks between each weatherboard. You can use products that both draw spiders out of their nooks and crannies and then apply an overall band spray of the surfaces which works to eliminate them on two levels. Biflex is an example of this product. Spiders require a different kind of treatment than say, termites. Spider treatments are lower volumes of the treatment but at higher pressure requiring smaller diameter hoses and different nozzles.
