We exterminate seven pests in one treatment when we spray your home for spiders
Canberra has its fair share of spiders, including the redback, wolf spider, huntsman, white-tailed spider and black house spider. Even the odd funnel-web is found in Canberra. Despite their sinister appearance, many spiders serve a useful purpose in the home by eating pesky insects, such as cockroaches, flies and mosquitoes. The problem arises when the spider population becomes too large, or venomous spiders enter your home – scenarios that ACT Pest Control can deal with.
Which spiders are potentially harmful?
In Canberra, the redback, wolf spider, huntsman, black house spider, mouse spider, white-tailed spider and funnel-web are the ones to watch, especially around small children. ACT Pest Control provides a wide range of spider pest control services in Canberra.
Get to know more about Spiders
Redback spider
The redback spider is usually found in dark, sheltered places, such as roof and wall cavities, letterboxes, garages, sheds, rockeries and rubbish piles. The female redback is the more aggressive and dangerous one. An anti-venom is available for people bitten by a redback.
Wolf spider
The wolf spider is a wandering, ground-based arachnid that lives in burrows and under leaf piles. A wolf spider bite is not generally considered dangerous, but can cause swelling, itchiness and ulceration (in rare cases). Wolf spiders don’t spin webs and are distinguishable by the configuration of their eight eyes (three horizontal rows of 4,2,2).
Black house spider
Black house spiders are typically found around eaves, under external window sills and in wall cavities. They build a tunnel-shaped web and can bite if disturbed. A bite from a black house spider can be quite painful, resulting in local swelling and nausea / sweating in some cases.
Huntsman spider
Huntsman spiders are found all over Canberra. Large and long-legged, they sometimes enter homes during warm weather or after heavy rain. Huntsman spiders can bite (leading to swelling and localised pain), but are not considered a threat to adult humans.
Mouse spider
The mouse spider is sometimes mistaken for the funnel-web spider. Like the funnel-web, the mouse spider lives in a silk-lined burrow and delivers a venomous bite. The venom from a mouse spider is potentially on par with that of a funnel-web, though the species has been known to sometimes “dry bite” humans.
Trapdoor spider
Like the mouse spider, the trapdoor spider is often mistaken for the funnel-web spider. The trapdoor spider lives in a burrow, which may have a “trapdoor” camouflaging its entrance (so prey fall into the burrow). Unlike funnel-web burrows, there are no silk trip lines around the burrow. A bite from a trapdoor spider doesn’t usually require emergency medical treatment.
White-tailed spider
White-tailed spiders are wanderers and live in dark crevices (both inside and outside the home). They enjoy eating other spiders, especially redbacks and black house spiders. Bites from white-tailed spiders are thought to cause severe skin ulceration (necrotising arachnidism) in some victims, though the scientific evidence isn’t conclusive.
Funnel-web
The Sydney funnel-web is Australia’s deadliest spider and few people survive a bite from the male without anti-venom. Although funnel-webs (there are 40 species) aren’t common in Canberra, they sometimes get transported from coastal areas in timber and firewood. Not all funnel-webs are as deadly as the Sydney funnel-web (Atrax robustus) male, but they should all be treated with the utmost respect.
How are spiders controlled?
Web weaving spiders, such as the redback, black house spider and orb-weaving spider, are usually treated with a liquid insecticide (spray). On the other hand, burrowing spiders (mouse, trapdoor and funnel-web) require a powdered insecticide (dust).
For further information on spider pest control services in Canberra, please call the professional team at ACT Pest Control on 1300 022 122.
SPIDERS
We service the ACT and surrounding areas
Gungahlin
Belconnen
Canberra City
South Canberra
Jerrabomberra
Weston Creek
Woden Valley
Tuggeranong
** Queanbeyan, Murrumbateman & NSW local areas.