Spider pests commonly found in the Verde Valley and Prescott Valley.
Tarantula
Tarantulas can be found out and about usually between July and October. This is mating season for the big male spiders. Generally they will molt one last time then head out on an adventure looking for girl tarantulas. They are a very gentle spider that frighten most people just by their size. If provoked, they’ll bite and it will hurt, but no health complications usually result. they very rarely are found in house unless the home owner likes to leave the doors open. If you do get one in the home, you can call us to come remove it.
Crab Spider
The crab spider is often mistaken for a baby tarantula because of its large size. They are usually found up high on the wall near the ceiling in the fall when they start to seek shelter for winter. If provoked they’ll bite and it will hurt, but no heath complications usually result. They get in the house by crawling under the door or around doors and windows that aren’t sealed well, or else they are inadvertantly carried in. When you get these spiders, a pest control spraying of the interior and exterior of the house will quickly remedy the problem.
Arizona Brown Spider, (aka Brown Recluse Spider)
This spider hasn’t been as common in the Verde Valley as most people think. Seems like most folks confuse common house spiders with the Arizona Brown spider. This spider is not a web hunter (doesn’t use a web to catch its prey). The Arizona Brown Spider has a toxic venom that can cause renal failure in very rare cases, and because the venom is necrotizing, it can eat away your flesh, causing ulceration and permanent scarring. These spiders are brown in color with a violin-shaped, dark marking on the head with the neck of the violin pointing away from the head. They have 3 pairs of eyes, and their leg span is about 1 inch. Regular monthly pest control sprayings should remedy any problem of an infestation.
Black Widow
Female Black Widow Spiders are black with a red hourglass shape on their abdomen. Their webs are easy to recognize because they are messy (random and disordered in construction), and usually are found in dark undisturbed hiding places. The Female Black Widow Spider has a venomous bite that is painful and can be, but is very rarely life threatening. She is a very shy spider but will bite if it feels threatened. These spiders actually float in using the wind and a piece of silk for their “sail.” The best control method for this spider is to have the trained eye of a professional bug exterminator look over the property and treat infested ares as necessary.
