Many different spiders occasionally invade the home including the house spider, wolf spider, brown recluse and the black widow. In Birmingham, Alabama, many pest control companies do not cove spider control in their guarantee, saying it is because spiders do not groom themselves and have longer legs that aid them in avoiding brushing up against the poison they spray. While this information is accurate we have gotten many new clients that state that Dave’s Pest Control has been much more successful in controlling spiders where other companies have failed. The fact is that we have had great success in controlling spiders by simply treating very thoroughly on the exterior of homes and sparing no expense on the strength of the chemical we use. Additionally, we definitely are confident enough to provide free return visits if our customers continue to see live spiders. 

The house spider and wolf spider are nonpoisonous, but commonly invade homes.  The wolf spider is large and hairy like a baby tarantula and looks dangerous.  The wolf spider can bite, but their bite does not require a doctor’s visit.   The house spider is what most people actually find in their homes making webs in every corner imaginable and can be controlled by treating outside the house and inside around baseboards.

The brown recluse is very poisonous.  The initial bite of a brown recluse is less painful than a bee sting, but about 10 hours after the bite, a large sore will form. These sores take quite a while to heal and usually leave a scar. Brown recluse spiders and wolf spiders are often mistaken for each other, however, it is easy to tell the two apart.  While the wolf spider will have a mixture of light brown and dark brown markings, the brown recluse specifically has a light brown body with a darker brown or black violin shape on its head. The brown recluse looks puny next to the wolf spider; however it packs a nasty bite.

The black widow spider is also very poisonous. Not many species are confused with the black widow spider.  They have a shiny black, hairless body, with a red, orange, or yellow hour glass shape on its abdomen.  However, there are several other species of black widow spiders in Birmingham, AL, that instead of the hour glass, will have red, orange, or yellow spots or other markings on their abdomen. Unlike the brown recluse, the black widow’s toxin affects the nervous system with less localized symptoms.