Roughly translating to unenthusiastic inhabitant, Parasteatoda tepidariorum illegally resides with innocent inhabitants of structures. As one of the most common infiltrators of architectural spaces, the American house spider invades numerous construction types.
Irregular webs are spun purposefully in corners and angular spaces. Oval, parchment-like brown egg cases (about 250 eggs per sack, with about seven sacs or 1,750 eggs in a lifetime) are a coarse silk cocoon conspicuous within webbing. Co-conspiring second-instar spiderlings balloon and produce independent webs.
AHS adult female suspects are 5 to 6mm; males are 3 to 5mm. There are eight eyes, with two proximal pairs. The female is yellowish-brown on the carapace, with a dingy-white to brown abdomen. Legs are yellowish and pale-ringed. By contrast, a male’s legs are orange. There are pale chevrons on the back.
These comb-clawed vagrants can live more than a year. An AHS produces sticky silk stand webs to capture insect victims. The assailant waits in an extra-silky area of the web. If the victim is larger, it becomes entangled and more aggressively battered with additional silk and torque.
Management of pestiferous spider populations is adjudicated through a template of integrated pest management (IPM):
- Inspect and investigate for AHS, including the structure and exterior premises.
- Identify AHS species.
- Determine occupant tolerance levels.
- Implement multiple control measures (cultural, physical, mechanical and chemical).
- Evaluate intervention effectiveness and make appropriate adjustments.
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