At Sprague, we understand how critical it is to keep your business free from pests, including spiders. While many may think of spiders as a single group, the differences between ground spiders and ballooning spiders can make a big impact when it comes to managing and preventing pest threats.
Here’s a closer look at the differences between these two types of spiders, where they’re most commonly found, and how we can help keep your business protected.
Ballooning Spiders: Common Species and How They Differ
Ballooning spiders, rely on intricate webs and move through the air using gossamer threads to catch the wind. They tend to position themselves in higher areas like corners, ceilings, attics, and outdoor structures such as eaves, rafters, and light fixtures. These spiders often have longer legs for navigating webs and can vary in size and color.
Common Species:
- Common House Spider (Parasteatoda tepidariorum): Known for spinning webs in corners and ceiling areas, this species is frequently seen inside homes and commercial buildings.
- Orbweaver (Araneidae): These spiders are recognized for their large, circular webs and are often seen in outdoor areas like doorways and eaves. They tend to remain stationary in or near their webs.
- Western Black Widow (Latrodectus hesperus): Though less common, black widows are a serious concern due to their venomous bite. They build tangled, irregular webs and prefer secluded, higher locations.
Ground Spiders: Common Species and Key Traits
Ground spiders are known for staying close to the ground and actively hunting for their prey rather than relying on webs. They prefer dark, undisturbed places like basements, crawl spaces, under furniture, in cracks, crevices, and around outdoor foundations where they can ambush insects.
Common Species:
- Wolf Spider (Lycosidae): Known for their large size and speed, wolf spiders are frequently found indoors, especially in basements or ground-level areas. They don’t spin webs and are solitary hunters.
- Barn Funnel Weaver (Tegenaria domestica): This species often builds funnel-shaped webs in basements or crawl spaces but will actively leave the web to chase prey if necessary.
- Spotted Orbweaver (Neoscona crucifera): Often found in gardens and around buildings, this spider prefers damp areas and is known for its fast movements.
How Sprague Can Help
We offer proactive and customized pest management services to protect your business from all types of spiders. Here’s how we help:
- Comprehensive Inspections: Our expert team thoroughly inspects your facility to locate potential pest entry points, webs, and harborage sites.
- Environmental Modifications: We work with you to eliminate spider-friendly environments by sealing entry points, removing webs, and reducing clutter. This minimizes the attraction for both ground and air spiders.
- Targeted Treatment Plans: We create customized pest control solutions based on the species present in your facility. Whether it’s dealing with ground spiders or web-building air spiders, we’ll use the most effective methods for each.
- Ongoing Monitoring and Support: Spiders can be persistent, so we provide ongoing monitoring to ensure they don’t return. Our pest management solutions are designed to keep your business, employees, and customers safe year-round.
Whether your business is dealing with ground spiders like wolf spiders lurking in dark corners or air spiders like orb weavers building webs near your ceilings, Sprague is here to help. With our in-depth knowledge of spider species and behavior, combined with customized pest management solutions, we can effectively protect your commercial space from these pests.