Spiders worth knowing about
Black widow
Look for a shiny black body and a red hourglass underneath. Woodpiles, meter boxes, garages and other cluttered, dark, quiet spots are where it nests. A bite is uncommon, but it can be a serious medical matter.
Brown recluse
This spider is light brown with a darker violin-shaped mark and six eyes arranged in three pairs. It is native to central and southeastern states and uncommon in other parts of the country. Boxes, closets and storage areas are where it hides.
Wolf spiders and cellar spiders
Wolf spiders are fast, hairy ground hunters that wander indoors. Cellar spiders have long thin legs and hang in corners and basements. Both are generally harmless.
Spider bites and when to see a doctor
A bite or a skin mark cannot be diagnosed on this website. If a bite brings severe pain, redness that spreads, cramping, fever or trouble breathing, seek medical care immediately; if you can catch the spider safely, bring it along in a sealed container.
Moving boxes, firewood and garden tools calls for gloves, and shoes and gloves that sit in a garage should be shaken out before use.
How spider control is done
- Inspection of garages, eaves, attics, crawl spaces and window frames
- Sealing gaps, installing door sweeps and replacing white outdoor bulbs with warm-toned bulbs
- Dust in voids and cracks where spiders hide
- Residual perimeter treatment around doors, windows and foundation
- Web and egg-sac removal by vacuum or brush
Why spiders move into homes
Spiders follow their food. A home with ants, flies, crickets and moths attracts spiders to hunt them. Clutter, boxes, stacked firewood, outdoor lighting that draws insects and gaps around doors and windows give shelter and entry.
Reducing the insect population and the hiding places lowers spider numbers more than spraying webs does.
Keep spiders out of the house
- Keep firewood and debris away from the foundation
- Store items in sealed plastic bins instead of cardboard
- Seal gaps around windows, doors, pipes and vents
- Reduce outdoor lighting at night near entrances
- Vacuum corners, window sills and the garage regularly
Questions to ask before you agree to any spider control
- What species or problem did you find, and what did you see that proves it?
- Which products, baits or devices will you use, and where will they go?
- What will you write down for me: scope, exclusions, follow-up and product list?
- What will you seal, remove or fix, and what stays my job?
- Who is on site, and can you show the state licence or applicator ID for the work?
How a spider control visit works, step by step
Pest visits that are done properly run in a fixed order, no matter which insect or animal is involved. Keep that order in mind when you talk to different companies, because a visit that leaves out the opening steps is the one to question.
- Inspection: the technician walks the outside first (foundation, vents, utility lines, eaves, fence lines, mulch) and then the inside (kitchen, bathrooms, garage, attic or crawl space).
- Identification: the species is named from the insect, droppings, damage or trail, because the right product and method depend on it.
- Plan: the provider explains what will be done, which products or devices will be used, and what you need to do before and after.
- Treatment or exclusion: the work is done in the places the inspection found, not by spraying every room.
- Follow-up: you get a date for the next check and a clear answer on what to report if activity returns.
Prepare your Lincoln home before the visit
A little preparation makes the inspection faster and the treatment more effective. None of it needs to turn the house upside down.
- Fix a dripping tap or wet spot you know about. Moisture feeds most household pests.
- Tell the provider about pets, fish tanks, asthma, pregnancy or any health concern in the home so the plan fits.
- Write down where you saw activity, what time of day, and when it started. Take clear photos or save a sample in a sealed bag.
- Put away food, pet dishes and children's toys from the rooms being treated.
- Clear a path to the garage, water heater, under-sink cabinets, attic hatch and crawl space door.
What makes spider control different in Lincoln
Lincoln is the capital of Nebraska and home to the University of Nebraska, with older neighborhoods, rentals and many mature trees. Cold winters send mice and overwintering insects indoors from fall.
Warm, humid summers support mosquitoes, ants and wasps, and wet spells raise mosquito numbers. Student and rental housing turns over often, which raises the risk of bed bugs and cockroaches spreading. Put the same question to every provider you speak with: how do these local conditions alter the approach at your address? A technique that suits one climate or style of housing may do little in another.
Spider control across Lincoln and nearby cities
Pest Control Lincoln NE covers Lincoln, Nebraska and the surrounding area. Calls and requests also reach providers serving Waverly, Hickman, Bennet, Roca and Raymond. Coverage is confirmed address by address, so say your ZIP code when you call.
To get going, press Call Now at the top of any page and tell the person who answers what you found. That puts you through to an independent provider nearby, and the provider verifies your address, looks the property over and writes up the scope.