Natural Ways to Deal with spiders

Types Of Spiders In Orange County

From common household spiders to the creepiest spiders in Orange County, here are the types of spiders you may find in your home or around your property: 

• Crab spider: Crab spiders are unique because they have better eyesight than most spiders and don't make webs. They prefer to hang around plants and flowers and catch prey as it flies by. 
• House spider: House spiders like to hang around houses with existing pest issues and are easy to recognize by the dark stripes on their legs. 
• Jumping spider: Jumping spiders are capable of pouncing on their prey, so they are another spider that does not need to spin webs to trap their prey. 
• Black widow: Recognizable by the red 'hourglass' mark on their abdomens, bulbous bodies, and jet black coloring, these spiders are the most venomous in the country and extremely dangerous to have around your home. 
• Brown widow: Sometimes mistaken for black widows, brown widow spiders have tan coloring and aren't nearly as venomous as black widows. 

Regardless of the type of spider in your home, here are few key facts to understand about these arachnids: 

• Most spiders prefer living and hiding in dark areas like basements, garages, or closets, where they are unlikely to be disturbed by people.
• Spiders often end up in homes because they're following insects, so you're more likely to have a spider infestation if you already have an existing pest problem.
• All spiders have fangs and venom, but very few species are actually medically dangerous for people.
• There are over 45,000 different types of spiders, but not all of them are native to Orange County.

While only a few types of spiders living in Orange County are a major health concern, having a lot of spiders on your property indicates an underlying pest problem.

Are Spiders Dangerous Enough To Kill People?

The big question that many homeowners have about spiders relates to how dangerous they are. Can a spider bite kill you or harm you? Fortunately, the answer is no – most of the time. Most spiders, like house spiders, jumping spiders, and crab spiders, aren't dangerous to people unless you're allergic to them. These spiders still have venom and can bite, but the result of these bites is likely to be only mild discomfort or irritation. 

There is only one spider in Orange County that is dangerous to people: the black widow. If a black widow bites you, you should seek medical attention immediately as their venom can make you incredibly sick. 

The good news is that black widow bites are relatively rare because these spiders aren't aggressive. Black widow bites usually only happen if you step on a spider by accident or try to handle one. 

Five Natural Spider Prevention Tips

When it comes to how to eliminate spiders and prevent them, here are a few natural tips to help keep these arachnids away: 

1. Store your food in a sanitary way, including keeping leftovers in sealed containers or packages, cleaning up spills and crumbs, and doing dirty dishes daily. Spiders aren't attracted to these foods, but the pest prey they hunt are.  
2. Use a tight lid or locking lid on both indoor and outdoor trash cans as well as compost piles. This is another way to minimize pest prey that will draw spiders into your home.
3. Use expanding foam or caulk to seal off any tiny cracks that spiders or pest prey may use to get inside. 
4. Clean up clutter around the house, like piles of clothes or storage boxes that spiders are likely to use as a nesting area. 
5. Use a broom to sweep away spider webs as you find them around your home to discourage spiders from sticking around. 

Minimizing food sources, access points, and nesting areas will go a long way in your efforts to deter spiders from moving into your home.