The Christmas season is officially underway! Black Friday is over, and shopping has formally begun. This time of year is for chestnuts roasting on an open fire and Jack Frost nipping at your nose. So, turn up the Christmas music, hang up the lights, decorate the tree, and take in all that makes Christmas the ‘most wonderful time of the year’. However, while you’re at it, consider taking a couple of steps to keep this Christmas season pest-free.
Tips for Before Christmas
If you’re like most, this is the time of year you’re going to bring in boxes of decorations from storage. If you store your Christmas lights, ornaments, and other items in cardboard boxes, you might have a guest stop in for a visit. Many insects like to get into stored cardboard boxes, and a few rodents as well. Be aware that bringing a package in from a shed, garage, or any other outbuilding could potentially bring unwanted guests into your home. Consider thoroughly checking before bringing any boxes or bins indoors.
Pests can also enter your home hitched to a Christmas tree. Spiders can lay eggs in trees, and when those eggs are warmed inside your home, they may hatch into dozens of baby spiders. To be safe, give that tree a fair shake before setting it up.
No holiday is complete without lots of food. Make sure you check all of the packages you purchase at the store to ensure there are no holes or rips, preventing unwanted insects from gaining access to your pantry.
After Christmas
Once the festivities are over, it’s time pack everything away. Consider storing items in plastic totes rather than cardboard boxes. Bins will keep them safe from mold, mildew, dust, and even pests during the year and prevent any surprises for the next.
When you’re storing things away, be sure to check for any nesting material in your garage or attic. This is the season when mice are most likely to invade these places for the winter. Mouse nests look like pieces of fabric, insulation, cotton, cardboard, and other obviously collected materials.
If you find signs of pests this Christmas season, or you would like us to assist in preventing all of the many creatures that can invade your home this time of year, Hogarth’s Pest Control is happy to help. Give us a call today! Happy Holidays from our family to yours.
We hate to break it to arachnophobes, but Michigan has its share of the eight-legged crawlers. The good news is that only a couple possesses the power to hurt humans significantly. In this blog, we will get to know 22 of Michigan’s resident spiders.
Cross orb weaver Araneus diadematus
Size: Between 6 and 20 millimeters
Where can you find them?: Many places including yards, fields, and farms
Can they harm you?: Not known to bite humans unless cornered. The resulting bite is similar to a mild bee sting.
Fun fact: These spiders can sometimes “balloon,” meaning they ride the wind to higher locations. They can sometimes be found on the outside of skyscrapers.
American house spider Parasteatoda tepidariorum
Size: Between 4 and 9 millimeters
Where can you find them?: Indoors and outdoors, often near where humans live
Can they harm you?: These will only bite when attacked by a human; otherwise, it will likely run. Even if it does bite a human, only swelling and itching will occur.
Alternate name: Common house spider
Banded garden spider Argiope trifasciata
Size: Between 4 and 26 millimeters
Where can you find them?: In open fields and prairies
Can they harm you?: They will only bite a human if attacked, but the result will be similar to a bee sting.
Fun fact: Males are much, much smaller than females
Grass spider Agelenopsis
Species: A variety of species under the genus Agelenopsis
Size: Between 6 and 19 millimeters
Where can you find them?: In grass and the corners of buildings
Can they harm you?: No, and they will likely retreat if you approach.
Fun fact: They are very easily startled by any creatures except their prey.
Hacklemesh weaver Amaurobius ferox
Size: Between 8 and 15 millimeters
Where can you find them?: In dark places, near homes, under rocks and logs
Can they harm you?: Not known to bite
Fun fact: In addition to bugs and spiders, these creatures will munch on earthworms.
Dark fishing spider Dolomedes tenebrosus
Size: Between 7 and 26 millimeters
Where can you find them?: You’ll likely find this spider in the forest, hanging out on a tree.
Can they harm you?: It’s unlikely they will bite, but if they do, the bite is similar to a mild bee sting.
Fun fact: These spiders are preyed upon by individual wasps and other animals.
Black and yellow garden spider Argiope aurantia
Size: Between 5 and 28 millimeters
Where can you find them?: In gardens (hence the name), fields and farms
Can they harm you?: They might bite you if they feel attacked, but the bite is harmless to humans.
Alternate names: Writing spider, golden garden spider, corn spider
Goldenrod crab spider Misumena vatia
Size: Up to 10 millimeters
Where can you find them?: These spiders love flowers and are often found hiding in goldenrods … hence the name.
Can they harm you?: No.
Fun fact: These critters change colors from white to yellow and back again, to camouflage on different flowers.
Ant mimic spider Castianeira longipalpa
Size: Between 5 and 10 millimeters
Where can you find them?: In a variety of place near ground level, including under rocks, under logs and near fallen leaves
Can they harm you?: No.
Fun fact: These spiders exhibit many behaviors associated with carpenter ants, including raising front legs into the air to look much like an ant’s antennae.
Six-spotted fishing spider Dolomedes triton
Size: Between 8 and 20 millimeters
Where can you find them?: This spider is found on the edges of all different varieties of bodies of water.
Can they harm you?: They will bite if threatened, but the bites are not dangerous to humans.
Fun fact: These critters can stay underwater for 30 to 60 minutes at a time.
Woodlouse hunter Dysdera crocata
Size: Between 9 and 15 millimeters
Where can you find them?: This spider is predominantly found in gardens, forests, and fields.
Can they harm you?: The worst that will likely happen if this spider bites you is slight itchiness at the site of the bite.
Fun fact: The common name for this spider comes from its diet that consists almost exclusively of woodlice, also known as pill bugs.
Eastern parson spider Herphyllus ecclesiasticus
Size: Between 4 and 13 millimeters
Where can you find them?: Usually hiding underneath objects in wooded areas but might be spotted in the open or even indoors during nighttime hunting
Can they harm you?: They are considered harmless, though their bites might cause an allergic reaction in some humans.
Fun fact: These spiders are very fast and not often captured either literally or photographically.
Carolina wolf spider Hogna carolinensis
Size: Between 18 and 35 millimeters
Where can you find them?: Typically found in dry areas
Can they harm you?: They are timid and will flee humans. However, if caught by a human, this spider might bite, causing a similar reaction as a bee sting.
Fun fact: It’s the official state spider of South Carolina.
Orchard orb weaver Leucauge venusta
Size: Between 3.5 and 8 millimeters
Where can you find them?: In different habitats, including on trees in wooded areas and moist environments
Can they harm you?: This spider is too small to have fangs large enough to deliver venom to a human.
Fun fact: Charles Darwin named this spider.
Arrow shaped micrathena Micrathena sagittata
Size: Between 4 and 10 millimeters
Where can you find them?: In the woods or on the edge of forests, living in foliage
Can they harm you?: If this spider does bite you, which is unlikely, the resulting bite will appear much like a mosquito bite.
Fun fact: This spider has three claws at the end of each leg.
Spitting spider Scytodes thoracica
Size: Between 3 and 6 millimeters
Where can you find them?: You will likely find them in or around buildings, especially in dark spaces.
Can they harm you?: No.
Fun fact: While spiders typically have eight eyes, these creatures only have six eyes.
Barn funnel weaver Tegenaria domestica
Size: Between 3 and 6 millimeters
Where can you find them?: You will likely find them in or around buildings, especially in dark spaces.
Can they harm you?: They rarely bite humans, and even if they do bite, it should cause zero pain.
Fun fact: They sometimes curl into a ball if they feel threatened.
Zebra jumper Salticus scenicus
Size: Between 4 and 7 millimeters
Where can you find them?: In areas inhabited by humans, such as on buildings and fences
Can they harm you?: Another timid spider, their bite is rare and resembles an ant bite
Fun fact: They can tell when a human is watching and immediately change their behavior, basically showing off.
Southern black widow Latrodectus mactans
Size: Between 3 and 13 millimeters
Where can you find them?: Confined, protected spaces both near and far away from structures
Can they harm you?: While this spider is not aggressive, meaning a bite is rare, the venom is dangerous to humans. Healthy adults will likely avoid any potential for life-threatening reactions to the venom but will likely experience extreme muscle cramping and other effects. Anyone who has experienced a bite should seek medical attention immediately.
Fun fact: These spiders are preyed upon by certain wasps and other animals.
Size: Between 4 and 11 millimeters
Where can you find them?: In wooded areas and tree stumps, mostly in the western Lower Peninsula, according to Michigan State University
Can they harm you?: Bites are rare but dangerous because the venom is very poisonous. A tiny percentage (less than 1 percent) of bite victims die. Others experience pain, nausea, cramps, and profuse sweating.
Fun fact: They can be told apart from southern black widow spiders because the hourglass on the northern variety is detached in the middle.
False black widow Steatoda grossa
Size: Between 4 and 11 millimeters
Where can you find them?: Often they are found indoors near the ground
Can they harm you?: This is an extremely timid and non-aggressive spider. However, like many other species, they will bite humans if they feel threatened. Some blistering at the site of the bite is possible, according to the Penn State Department of Entomology, as well as pain and nausea.
Fun fact: In the 2002 film adaptation of “Spider-Man,” this is the species of spider that bites Peter Parker.
Long-legged sac spider Cheiracanthium mildei
Size: Between 5 and 10 millimeters
Where can you find them?: Mostly found indoors, many times nocturnally crawling on walls and ceilings
Can they harm you?: If bitten by this spider, mild irritation or itching is likely.
Fun fact: This spider is many times confused for the brown recluse.
A note about the brown recluse
Let’s be clear — you are unlikely to come across a brown recluse (species name Loxosceles reclusa) in Michigan. If you do, yes, they are dangerous.
These critters cannot live in temperatures under 40 degrees Fahrenheit, which means Michigan is not the place for them. Once in a while, though, they are found in the state. For instance, a Davison family recently found some of these bad boys in their garage.
If you do believe a brown recluse has bitten you, seek medical attention immediately.
Identification is critical with spiders, and we always ask our customers to try and save the specimen for the professional to identify and treat accordingly. Most of our calls regarding spiders are concerning their presence inside of the home, or their unsightly nests on/around buildings. Spider excrement can leave marks on windows and stain siding as well.
Hogarth’s Pest Control specializes in the removal and prevention of spiders in and around homes. If you are experiencing an unpleasant spider issue, do not hesitate to give us a call today!
The Pennsylvania State University. “False Black Widow Spider (Department of Entomology).” Department of Entomology (Penn State University), 2020, ento.psu.edu/extension/factsheets/false-black-widow.
Spiders are one of the easily recognizable and beneficial creatures; despite this, many people have an inherent fear of them their bites and will not tolerate their presence. The vast majority of spiders living in Michigan are not even dangerous, let alone poisonous. As a matter-of-fact, it is rare to even come in contact with Michigan’s more hazardous species. In short, don’t panic over poisonous spiders in Michigan.
Spider Bites
Most people associate spiders with the potential of venomous bites, but the danger of those bites is profoundly blown out of proportion. The majority of spiders are not at all dangerous to humans, only a small percentage. All spiders, even those that are venomous, are non-aggressive and will not (typically) bite unless they feel threatened or provoked; even then, only the more sizeable species have the capability of piercing human skin with their tiny fangs.
According to the Michigan Department of Natural Resources, there are only two species of venomous spiders living in Michigan: the Northern black widow and brown recluse.
Northern Black Widow
The northern black widow is native to Michigan and can be found throughout the state, especially in the lower peninsula. The black widow is relatively small, only growing to about a 1/2 inch long (1.5 inches if you include the legs). They are entirely black except for a distinct bright red, hourglass marking on the abdomen of the female (it is important to point out that the hourglass is incomplete in the middle). Males lack this trademark, but many have red or yellow bands on their abdomen or back.
Black widows are commonly lurking near or in woodpiles; many encounters with this spider occur as people are carrying firewood into the home. These spiders may also live in boxes, outdoor toilets, meter boxes, under eaves, and other various undisturbed places. Taking extra precautions when working in areas where black widows may live is beneficial; always be sure to wear gloves and pay attention.
Black widows rarely bite, as they are timid and prefer to flee an encounter. If a black widow bites you, however, you will need to seek medical attention immediately. Their bites are quite painful. They can cause acute latrodectism, a condition in which the spider’s venom spreads quickly throughout the body, causing constant, intense muscle contractions in all of the major muscle groups followed by painful and severe cramping. These muscle contractions (a condition called tetany) may include anxiety, dizziness, headache, tearing of the eyes, joint pain, and tremors.
Though death from a black widow bite is rare, and though symptoms will usually dissipate within three days, medical treatment can considerably lessen the unpleasantness of the symptoms by the use of antivenoms and muscle relaxers. Asn with many ailments, the elderly, extremely young, or very ill victims are at a higher risk for more severe complications.
Brown Recluse
Brown recluse spiders are about 0.5 in long with a dark violin-shaped mark on the combined head and midsection. They live in the south-central United States and can only survive in arid, undisturbed areas, such as rock or woodpiles.
Brown recluse bites don’t always hurt immediately. You may not know that you are suffering from their venom until other symptoms become present. Symptoms of a brown recluse bite include:
Reddened skin that may precede a blister that forms at the site.
Mild to intense itching and pain for 2 to 8 hours following the bite.
An open sore with necrosis (a breakdown of tissue) that develops a week or more following the bite. This may take months to heal.
The brown recluse is not one of the indigenous species to Michigan and cannot survive in temperatures colder than 40°F, so they are infrequent in the state. It is believed that those that are found have come in on trucks originating in the southern United States.
Despite this, there are rare, isolated populations of these spiders living in the state. Still, the vast majority of Michiganders will never come within a half-mile of a brown recluse spider.
Dangers of Spiders and Their Bites
Most people concerned about the presence of spiders in the home worry about the potential of bites. Except for the aforementioned brown recluse and the black widow, none of the other species’ in Michigan pose as a threat to human health. This is not to say that these other spiders will not bite because they definitely can; even the bites of the non-venomous spiders can be painful. Spiders will most likely bite if they are handled, but most spider bites do not occur in this manner.
A more conventional yet still rare manner of a bite occurs when people are asleep. A spider will be lurking about beneath the covers, seeking the darkness and warm. A sleeping person can unknowingly move and startle the spider, which will then results in a bite before scampering away. The unsuspecting victim will then up with a painful or reddened bite, sometimes mistaking the spider bite for bed bugs.
It is imperative to note that it’s challenging for a medical professional to diagnose the perpetrator based solely on the appearance of a bite, though.
Many “spider” bites are bites from other insects that go unnoticed until a reddened, itchy, or painful spot occurs. These are likely reactions from the bites of mosquitos, gnats, and flies.
Spider Control
Spider eggs are also a threat, in the sense that a spider that lay eggs in the home will only create more spiders. These sacs look like furry, white balls, usually a little smaller than a marble. Destroying/removing spider eggs is essential in controlling spider a population.
When it comes to spiders, identification is key. We always ask our customers to try and save a specimen for our professionals to identify and treat accordingly.
Despite knowing the rarity of an encounter with a dangerous spider, it does not stop the vast majority of the public from letting out a shriek when spotted. Knowing what to look for is the most important step in avoiding an encounter with a potentially poisonous biter. The more you know!
In the pest control industry, we are no stranger to dealing with very real fears. Many of the critters we deal with have some kind of a phobia attached to them— whether it be general fear, anxiety induced by the diseases they carry, etc. We know that we are often dealing with sensitive nuisances. This is why it brings us so much pride to come to the aid of our customers. We truly have seen it all, and are pretty much desensitized to most. However, there are some creepy crawlies that will cause even the most seasoned PCO to jump— namely, spiders.
Spiders are among the top concerns for homeowners. It is important to know that not all spiders are “bad”. Many are extremely helpful to the ecosystem. Moreover, the presence of spiders ensures that the insect population is being controlled naturally. Despite the positives, many have an instinctive fear of spiders and will not tolerate their presence in the home. This is where we come in. There are a few main issues that we hear about concerning spiders: the fear of bites, the visual unpleasantry of their presence and webs, and the potential for structure staining and damage from their droppings.
Spiders are generally an unpleasant sight in outdoor seating areas, as well as on the exterior of structures. Spiders and their webs cause an unsightly problem for both owners and guests. Their droppings leave stains and with time they can do damage by causing build up, especially with vinyl siding. Have you ever returned your cottage or cabin only to walk through webbing to reach the door? Are you sweeping webbing off your screens? Do you have to wash the spider mess off your windows more than once a year? These problems are very common in wooded and heavily-scrubbed areas as well as waterfront properties. In our great state it seems that many seasonal homes are located in these areas.
While there are many different types of spiders in Michigan, most of them are simply web builders and house invaders. There are only two spiders in Michigan that we consider dangerous: the Brown Recluse the Northern Black Widow. Fortunately, these are not very prevalent and we rarely find them in or around homes.
The Brown Recluse
The Brown Recluse rarely bites unless pressed against the skin. It is common to its name in the fact that it hides in dark areas, gloves, undisturbed clothing and bed sheets, and it is non-confrontational. We identify the Brown Recluse by the violin shaped marking and can range in color from cream to brown to dark brownish gray. If bitten by this spider it is imperative you seek medical attention immediately as it can turn into severe skin lesions.
The Northern Black Widow
The Northern Black Widow is shiny black in color and can be identified by a red hourglass marking on the underside of the abdomen, which is incomplete or split in the middle. It can also have white stripes on the abdomen. This spider is timid and chooses to flee when disturbed, therefore rarely bites. If bitten pain is felt almost immediately and increases for 1 to 3 hours. There has only been a 1% mortality rate from a Black Widow bite.
We have many species of spider that help to control mosquito, wasp, hornet, and even other spider populations. However, their legginess and seemingly erratic movement patterns make them all equally unwelcome house guests for most. Your every day home invaders include the common house spider, wolf spider, daddy long-legs, orb weaver and the jumping spider. Most are quick to dodge anything you throw at them and their disappearance can cause uneasiness for even the toughest person.
If you are noticing spiders in your home, especially in the spring months, it is important to call a licensed pest control professional. Spiders will lay between 2 and 1000 eggs, depending on the species, so a small problem can become much larger in a short amount of time! Identification is key with these pests, and we always ask our customers to try and save a specimen for the professional to identify and treat accordingly.
Hogarth’s Pest Control specializes in the removal and prevention of spiders in and around homes. If you are experiencing an unpleasant spider issue, do not hesitate to give us a call today!