Why Fall Is Peak Spider Season
Fall is the busiest time of year for spiders for a couple of reasons:
- Mating season: Many local spiders become more active in late summer and early fall as adults search for mates. This can make them more noticeable around your home, especially indoors, where warmth and food attract them.
- Temperature changes: As outdoor temperatures cool, spiders seek warmth and shelter. Cracks in siding, gaps under doors, and torn window screens make perfect entry points.
- Food supply: Insects are still active in the fall, which draws spiders closer to homes where outdoor lights and warmth attract bugs.
Even though spiders don’t typically move indoors in large numbers, just one or two can be enough to make a homeowner uncomfortable. And since spiders tend to hide in quiet, less-disturbed places, you may not notice them until you stumble upon a web in the corner or a surprise visitor in the garage.
Common Spiders in The Woodlands
Living in Southeast Texas means sharing space with a wide variety of spiders. Some are relatively harmless, while others require more caution. Here are a few you’re most likely to encounter:
Wolf Spiders
Wolf spiders are the large, fast-moving spiders that can give you a start if you see one skitter across the garage floor. They don’t spin webs to catch food; instead, they chase down their prey. While they look intimidating, wolf spiders usually just want to be left alone.
Orb-Weaver Spiders
If you’ve walked through a web strung across the porch first thing in the morning, you’ve probably met an orb-weaver. They’re known for their big, wheel-shaped webs that pop up overnight. They’re not dangerous, but their webs can make getting to your front door tricky without waving your arms like a windmill.
Cellar Spiders (Daddy Longlegs)
With their extra-long, thin legs, these spiders typically gather in corners of basements, attics, and crawl spaces. They’re harmless but can multiply quickly, leaving plenty of webbing behind.
House Spiders
As their name suggests, house spiders are the arachnids you’ll most often see indoors. These small, usually brownish spiders build tangled webs in quiet spots like corners of rooms, closets, and storage areas. While they don’t pose a danger, they’re not exactly welcome guests.
Black Widows
While most local spiders aren’t dangerous, the black widow is an exception. Easy to recognize by its glossy black body and red hourglass marking, its venom can pose serious health risks. Black widows prefer garages, woodpiles, and cluttered areas. If you suspect their presence, it’s best to call a professional immediately.
Brown Recluse Spiders
Another medically significant spider found in Texas is the brown recluse. True to their name, they prefer dark, undisturbed areas like closets, attics, sheds, and behind stored boxes. They’re light to medium brown with a distinctive violin-shaped marking on their back. While brown recluse spiders are shy and avoid people, their bite can cause serious reactions. If you think you’ve spotted one, it’s best to let a professional handle the situation.
Prevention Tips for Homeowners
No one wants to run into a spider while reaching for holiday decorations in the attic or getting laundry out of the garage. Fortunately, there are steps you can take to make your home less inviting to spiders this season:
- Seal entry points: Use caulk to close gaps around windows, doors, and siding. Install door sweeps to prevent spiders from crawling in underneath.
- Reduce clutter: Spiders love quiet, undisturbed places. Store items in sealed containers instead of cardboard boxes and organize garages, attics, and closets.
- Limit outdoor lighting: Bright lights attract insects, which attract spiders. Use yellow or sodium vapor bulbs outside to reduce insect activity.
- Trim vegetation: Keep bushes, shrubs, and tree branches trimmed back from your home’s exterior. This reduces the pathways spiders use to reach your house.
- Regular cleaning: Vacuum corners, baseboards, and ceiling edges where webs often form. Dispose of vacuum bags promptly to avoid reintroducing spiders.
- Check stored items: Before bringing boxes in from the garage or shed, inspect them for spider activity. This is especially important in the fall, when spiders are looking for hiding places.
Why DIY Spider Control Isn’t Always Enough
It’s tempting to grab a broom or a can of spray when you spot a spider, but these quick fixes don’t address the bigger issue. Spiders are resilient, and unless you make it impossible for them to get inside and take away the insects they feed on, they’ll keep coming back.
Store-bought sprays often provide only temporary relief, and some species, like black widows, shouldn’t be handled without professional expertise. That’s where Marathon Pest Control makes the difference.
Local Expertise You Can Trust
At Marathon Pest Control, The Woodlands isn’t just where we work, it’s home. We know the neighborhoods, the climate, and how pests behave here because we deal with them daily, just like you. When it comes to spider control, our goal isn’t only to take care of the ones you’ve already spotted. We also look at what’s drawing them in, whether that’s gaps around your home, clutter in the garage, or a steady food source. By tackling the root of the problem, we help ensure you’re not dealing with the same issue again a few weeks later.
With year-round home pest control solutions, routine inspections, and prevention strategies tailored to Southeast Texas, we help you keep your home comfortable and spider-free year-round.
Take Back Your Home This Fall
Spiders may be a natural part of our ecosystem, but they don’t belong inside your living room or garage. By acting now, you can prevent a full-blown spider problem before it starts.
If you’re ready for real peace of mind this fall, trust Marathon Pest Control for proven spider control in The Woodlands and nearby communities like Conroe, Magnolia, and beyond.
Let’s make this fall the season you say goodbye to unwanted eight-legged guests for good; request your free pest control quote today!
