May 29, 2020, 12:56 PM by Clark Pest Control Lodi Office

Learn about the common cellar spider from the spider experts at Clark Pest Control. Why are they so common? Where do you find them and how to reduce the cellar spider population? Click to learn more.

Clark, your neighborly pest control, lawn care and termite control expert, has been covering a list of the five most frequently encountered pests you may see crawling or scampering in or around your home. This list was generated from pest trend data from across the state, and has been analyzed by Darren Van Steenwyk, Clark Pest Control’s chief pest expert and Director of Learning and Technical Services.

Who (or what) made the list? Here’s the top five:

1. Roof rats
2. House mice
3. Argentine ants
4. Cellar spiders
5. German cockroaches

We’ve already shared information on rodents – roof rats and house mice –  along with an insect that virtually every Californian has likely encountered, the Argentine ant. This week, we meet the cellar spider, also known as “daddy longlegs.”

What makes the cellar spider one of the most frequently encountered pests in California? Where could you see one in your house? What you can do to reduce your risk? Clark offers the following information about the cellar spider:

• Cellar spiders have extremely long, skinny legs with small bodies that are usually tan or gray.
  
  
• Like all spiders, cellar spiders have eight legs, two body parts (cephalothorax and abdomen), and fang-like mouthparts. The body length of adult cellar spider is about 1/4 inch or less.
  
  
• Cellar spiders are usually found in dark corners of cellars, crawl spaces, and garages.
  
  
• They construct loose, irregular, even messy webs, and it’s their active and extensive
  
  
• web spinning that makes them more of a nuisance than anything else.When disturbed, these spiders characteristically will shake their bodies rapidly, vibrating their webs.

Why are cellar spiders so common?  Because they live on the outsides of homes and structures, where they feed on the small flying insects that are found in that area.

Where might you encounter or notice cellar spiders most often? Usually in the eaves and around exterior lights on your home.

What can you do to reduce spider populations? Manage the moisture in the yard, as doing that will reduce the food that these spiders live on. Also, decrease the amount of light around the house to reduce its attractiveness to the nocturnal flying insects that spiders feed upon, and sweep away the spiders’ accumulated webbing.

If you are having unwanted encounters with cellar spiders around your home, call or text California’s trusted, friendly pest control expert, Clark, at (800) WE-NEED-YOU (936-3339) or send an email to clarkcares@clarkpest.com.

Until next time, the pest management professionals at Clark Pest Control thank you for helping to keep unwanted pests out of your home.