Spiders are not insects, but arachnids. Most spiders are harmless or even beneficial because their food source consists of the other insects in and around a home.  A few spiders such as the Black Widow (1), Wolf or Hobo Spider (2), and the Brown Recluse (3), can cause injury or illness to humans and other domestic animals.

During late Sumer and Fall spiders often appear in and around homes and other buildings. In the vast majority of cases, spiders are welcome in our environments because they feed on insect pests and other small invertebrates. Homeowners can help eliminate spiders by knocking down cob webs from the basement, garage and other living areas of the home. Spiders that build webs outside of the home are of little concern as they will be gone after the first hard freeze.