Spiders

It’s what they do best. Spiders can find tiny openings or cracks in a foundation, aging windows or weathered siding and invite themselves in to enjoy the warm, dark places in your home or workplace. No one likes to see spiders taking up residence where you live and work.

You’ll know they are there even if you don’t come face to face with one. You’ll recognize the webs they make to catch other insects or see them scurrying away on walls, ceilings or inside of the shower or tub. What is the best way to eliminate spiders in your Omaha home or Council Bluffs office?

The Omaha and Council Bluffs area is home to some spiders that are particularly concerning once they come inside. In fact, Creighton University Entomologist Dr. Theodore Burk says our city is home to some poisonous spiders that can be a danger to those who are bitten, especially children.

Here are some common spider varieties found in our area, presented in order of the creepiness and the danger factor they bring with them (from low to high):

• Daddy-Long-Legs: Recognizable by their long legs and small bodies, these bugs are harmless to humans but aren’t necessarily welcome guests inside your home or office.
• Wolf Spiders: These spiders aren’t dangerous to humans, but they are scary simply because of their size. They are typically grey in color and can grow as big as a common tarantula!
• Brown Recluse Spiders: This is a dangerous poisonous spider whose bite can bring serious consequences. The Brown Recluse is identified by a dark violin shape on the top of its head and torso and can grow to be the size of a quarter and will bite if disturbed. When bothered, this spider injects a necrotic poison that destroys tissue, causing an ulcerous, raw-looking area in and around the bite site. Brown Recluse spiders are commonly found in out-of-the-way places where people aren’t often active (like stored hunting gear or footwear or inside of a tackle box that is used only seasonally.
• Black Widow Spiders: The Western Black Widow has a distinctive black, shiny appearance with a red hourglass shape on the bottom of its over-sized abdomen and grows to be about the size of a penny. It injects a neurotoxin into its victims, which causes inflammation, some skin death, and itching around the bite area. You are most likely to find Black Widow (and most other spiders, as a matter of fact) outside in places like wood piles, under stones, in shrubs or in grassy areas.

Of course, there are many other species of spiders found in the homes and workplaces in the metro area. State extension agencies for both Nebraska and Iowa have online identification charts if you are interested in learning which eight-legged guests are taking up residence in your home or office. But, there is an easier way.