Joe Barile, BCE, Technical Service Lead, Bayer
Spiders may be beneficial, but they may cause enough anxiety and outright fear to generate calls and complaints. Certain spider species are classified as public health pests. Spiders may occur in any account; residential, commercial and/or industrial.
All spiders are predators. If spider activity is common, they must have access to a population of prey (usually insects and other arthropods).
Effective spider control starts with effective prey management. Start with a comprehensive perimeter pest management program combining non-chemical controls (landscape management, sanitation and exclusion) with effective spray formulations. Use a “web brush” to destroy and remove webs; this puts physiological stress on spiders. If appropriate, you may sprinkle the top of the brush with a dust formulation and apply to nesting sites.
Indoors, remove clutter, reduce humidity and apply residual insecticides in harborage sites. Identify prey and target them, too. Use dusts where appropriate, targeting both the spiders and prey. Vacuum or sweep to remove spiders and their webs.
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