When was the last time you came across a spider in your basement? Probably not that long ago, right? Spiders sometimes come into our homes. That’s just a fact of life. But why do so many of them end up in your basement?
Spiders, unfortunately, have several reasons for liking your basement. In spite of all your efforts to prevent them, spiders may still be drawn to your basement regardless. However, your efforts can minimize the number of spiders you find in your basement. So why do spiders like your basement in the first place? And how on earth do you get rid of basement spiders?
What Spiders Like About Your Basement
You might not think that spiders have any business being inside your home. But when spiders show up in your basement, they have several reasons for being there. In fact, spiders almost never come inside your home without a good reason (in their opinion).
One big reason is that they want shelter. Spiders do often live outside, but when the weather gets cold and wet, it becomes harder to survive. To make sure their species can survive, spiders have to find warm, dry places to stay until the weather improves. The thing is, you also want to live in a warm, dry shelter, so there isn’t much you can do about this reason. Your home will always be attractive to basement spiders and other pests simply because it makes a good shelter.
Spiders are also very attracted to food. Of course, their idea of food is different from your idea of food. You’re more likely to find spiders in your basement compared to your pantry or front room because spiders are more likely to find other pests to feed on in the basement than they are in other places. Of course, if you have pantry pests, the spiders may choose to go in your pantry, but often other insects find their way into your basement through the ground or cracks in your foundation. The spiders simply follow their food inside as well.
Despite needing to be around other insects for food, spiders actually don’t like to be around other creatures. Some spiders are more solitary than others, but for the most part, spiders want to be left alone. They especially want to avoid you because you are big and scary and they are little and fragile. Comparatively.
So because spiders want a solitary place to live and also prefer the dark and quiet, basements often offer them all they want in a home. Whether they find a quiet ceiling corner or a box-filled storage room, spiders can easily set up their homes in your basement.
With all these reasons to come inside, it might seem hard to prevent or get rid of basement spiders. But it isn’t impossible. In fact, there are a few simple things you can do to get rid of and prevent spiders in your basement.
How to Get Rid of Basement Spiders
1. Seal Gaps and Cracks
Because spiders and other pests often come in through cracks and gaps in your home, one of the best ways to prevent them from coming inside is by blocking the spaces off in the first place.
Go around your home and look for any of these cracks or gaps. Some will be big, some will be tiny, but remember that pests can fit through all sizes of spaces. Even if it seems too small to matter, it very well might be big enough for a spider.
After you’ve found all the cracks in your home, seal them up with caulk, expanding foam, steel wool, etc. The most important thing to do is make sure the gap is sealed entirely so nothing can get through from the outside.
2. Pull Out the Vacuum
If you find a spider and/or its web in your basement, your vacuum is your best option to quickly and safely get rid of the spider and its home. This is especially true if you live in an area where venomous spiders are common or if you have an allergy to spider bites. Most spiders in the United States aren’t venomous to humans, but there are a few. So be aware of the common spiders in your area and take precautions when getting rid of spiders.
The vacuum can also be useful in minimizing the spider population in your home. If you often vacuum down webs and cobwebs, it will discourage spiders from building their homes because the area is frequently disturbed.
3. Catch and Release
Many people argue, correctly, that spiders are beneficial to us, so we shouldn’t try to completely eradicate them. Spiders do a lot to keep other pest populations down. But when you find a basement spider, you also run into a problem – how do you keep spiders out of your home and still let the spiders live to eat more pests?
Catching and releasing is your best option in this situation. Some people don’t care about letting spiders live, and that’s when the vacuum comes out. But if you want to let the spiders keep doing their good, you can catch the spider in a cup with a plate to cover it, then carry the spider away from your home to release it. Be aware of which type of spider you’re picking up though. A venomous spider should not be caught and released.
4. Call Pest Control Services
If you find basement spiders have started building webs and hanging out in your basement more, then it’s possible that you have a spider infestation on your hands. Of course, if you have a spider infestation, you likely also have some other sort of pest infestation in your home that is attracting so many spiders to your home.
Whether this is happening to you now or you really want to prevent this from happening, the best thing you can do to get rid of or prevent basement spiders is call pest control services. These professionals will know the best way to protect your home from spiders and other problematic pests.