Broad Faced Sac Spiders Bites from a broad faced sac spider can be painful.
ABOUT BROAD-FACED SAC SPIDERS
Its descriptive name may make the broad-faced sac spider sound more threatening than it is. Nonetheless, this is not a pest that should be allowed to remain in Yardley homes or offices where a bite may occur.
Broad-faced sac spiders like dry, warm conditions. They are content outdoors during the spring and summer, but the cooler days of fall cause them to seek shelter indoors. With their habit of scavenging from dead insects, they are infested with all sorts of potentially harmful bacteria. If this spider bites a person, there is a good chance of a secondary infection.
A qualified pest control technician can provide the necessary solution to this problem by dealing with broad-faced sac spiders and any underlying pest issues that may have attracted the arachnid to the property.
APPEARANCE
The broad-faced sac spider is rather colorful with its reddish-brown carapace and paler abdomen. Typically, the abdomen is light gray, pale yellow or another hue much lighter than the carapace. A darker dorsal stripe frequently is evident. When seen in close enough proximity, the carapace may look as if it is covered in tiny holes.
Close observation reveals that the broad-faced sac spider has front legs that are thicker and darker than each successive pair of legs moving toward the rear. Adult females may reach a length of between seven and 10 millimeters while males average between five and six millimeters.
DIET
While most spiders prefer to catch their own prey, the broad-faced sac spider shows a marked propensity for scavenging from dead insects and other spiders. Accordingly, they provide a useful service in the larger ecosystem. This also means that this spider tends to carry with it far more bacteria than other species.
HABITATS
The broad-faced sac spider genuinely prefers to be outdoors. Warm and dry conditions are most conducive to their survival. Frequently, they are seen walking along some foliage. People who peer under leaf litter may find this pest as well, and flipping over a stone or board that has been lying undisturbed for quite some time is likely to reveal at least one or two broad-faced sac spiders.
This species is not a web spinner. Instead, they weave a silken tube. They spend most of the daylight hours hiding within that tube and resting for their nighttime hunting activities.
DIET
While most spiders prefer to catch their own prey, the broad-faced sac spider shows a marked propensity for scavenging from dead insects and other spiders. Accordingly, they provide a useful service in the larger ecosystem. This also means that this spider tends to carry with it far more bacteria than other species.
PROBLEMS WITH SPIDERS
This species largely prefers to be outdoors where they dispose of the carcasses of dead insects and arachnids. However, they do venture indoors when seeking food and drier conditions. They will thrive in human habitations as long as there is a sufficient population of insects that also is living inside the building.
In fact, that is one of the primary reasons for calling an exterminator upon finding broad-faced sac spiders in a home or office. Their presence may mean that another pest infestation is already underway. Resolving this infestation will deter other broad-faced sac spiders from attempting to take up residence.
BEHAVIOR
Unlike web-spinning spiders, broad-faced sac spiders create a funnel made of silken threads. This structure is their nest. It is where they sleep during the day and where they conceal their egg sac. If people appear to be threatening this nest, the broad-faced sac spider may become aggressive, delivering a painful bite.
This species is most often encountered outdoors in long grass, on foliage or underneath rocks and logs. Time spent in these areas is devoted to searching for dead insects and arachnids that will make a meal.
HEALTH ISSUES
People who have been bitten by a broad-faced sac spider report that it is quite painful, with sensations that are similar to the sting of a wasp. All spiders have venom that they inject into their prey, and this species is no exception. Unfortunately, the bite of the broad-faced sac spider is one of the more concerning in the Yardley area. Their scavenging habit means that these spiders transmit a great deal of bacteria when they bite. The risk of infection in the victim is great. These bites should be quickly and thoroughly cleaned. If complications arise, medical attention will be required.
SIGNS OF A SPIDER INFESTATION
Indications of a broad-faced sac spider infestation include:
• Numerous spider bites reported on the property • Silken tunnels found inside a home or office • Seeing broad-faced sac spiders inside buildings
PREVENTION TIPS
SafeGuard Pest Control recommends the following broad-faced sac spider prevention methods:
• Eliminate clutter from the interior of buildings • Routinely dust furniture and vacuum floors • Regularly clean in out-of-the-way places inside homes and offices • Ensure that all doors and windows have screens that are in good repair • Look for and seal or cover all cracks and holes in building exteriors • Use a power washer on building exteriors at least twice per year
SPIDER CONTROL
DIY products are not usually successful in controlling spider populations. To keep a home’s spider population under control, a pest control company should be called.
Safeguard Pest Control will use a variety of treatments including dusts, gels, and specialized products to eliminate spiders in your home including attics, wall voids, and cracks and crevices.
Our technicians use environmentally safe products to repel spiders and discourage breeding and population growth.
