Orb Weaver Spiders: Are they Dangerous?

As temperatures begin to dip as part of the regular Wisconsin autumn, you may notice the increased presence of spiders in and around your home or business. One common spider you may see outside your home is a large, docile species known as the orb weaver. 

Orb weavers do not pose a danger to people, pets, or property. In fact, orb weaver spiders can prove beneficial to your home. The most dangerous aspect of an orb weaver is what happens once you wander through its web. It’s fairly easy to be caught off guard and end up tripping over your own feet as you deal with the sticky strands in your face.

They rarely bite, and they only occur once the spider feels truly trapped and threatened, with no avenue for escape. Their bite has been compared to a bee sting, and for many people, it doesn’t require any serious attention. So the best way to avoid a bite is to simply observe them in their habitat and try not to touch them.

If you’re concerned about any kind of spider presence in or around your home, Wil-Kil Pest Control is here to help. 

Why Do Orb Weavers Infest Wisconsin Spaces?

Orb weaver spiders are opportunistic and gravitate towards areas where they can build their webs undisturbed and where food sources are plentiful. Common factors that attract orb weavers include:

• Outdoor Lighting: Porch lights, landscaping lighting, and security lights attract flying insects that orb weavers feed on.
• Gardens and Landscaping: Lush vegetation, shrubs, and flower beds also attract insects that these spiders catch.
• Sheltered Structures: Eaves, porch overhangs, deck railings, and fence posts provide excellent shelter. 
• Proximity to Water: Properties near ponds, streams, and birdbaths tend to have higher insect populations, which naturally draws spiders like orb weavers.
• Wooded Areas: If your Wisconsin home borders wooded areas or has mature trees, you’re more likely to encounter orb weaver spiders.

How Do I Know It’s an Orb Weaver Spider?

Lots of spiders fit in the orb weaver spider group. In fact, the Araneidae family claims many different spiders with lots of variation in appearance and size. 

With so many different types of spiders included in this family, how do you know that you’re dealing with orb weaver spiders? The answer can be found in the web they create. Orb weavers build big webs that can stretch from tree limbs to the ground. 

These circular webs feature the appearance of grids; if you’ve seen spider webs used as Halloween decorations, you’re not far off the mark. Orb weaver webs are roughly circular, made from silk, and resemble the spokes of a wheel, with these spokes connected by several concentric strands of silk.

How Do They Build Their Webs?

It should be noted that some orb weavers do not actually spin webs, instead preferring to produce sticky globules that contain pheromones.

1. Orb weaver webs typically begin as a single strand of silk that is released by the spider into the wind, where it eventually finds an anchor point. 
2. Once this first strand is anchored, the spider will release a second line from the center. 
3. The “scaffolding” of the web progresses from there. 

Orb weaver webs are naturally thin and difficult to see, both by prey and by humans. This is why it’s very easy to stumble into an orb weaver’s web while walking around outside.

Many orb-weavers build new webs each day. They tend to be active during the evening, preferring to hide during the day. Because these orb weavers tear down and rebuild their webs with regularity, they’re often free of detritus, dirt, and other substances. 

What Do They Eat?

Like many spiders, they feed on small insects caught in the webs. Some larger orb weavers can eat small frogs or birds, but only if they end up trapped in the web.

How Do I Keep Spiders Out of My Home?

Even though orb weavers don’t pose a concrete danger to people or pets, their presence around your home can still be a nuisance, especially if you’re active outdoors. 

If you’re worried about orb weavers (or any other type of spider) making their way into your home, the best prevention is a professional pest control treatment combined with clearing webs away and keeping clutter to a minimum. Junk piles, boxes that aren’t regularly moved, and unused closets are common hiding spots for spiders.

Because spiders thrive where other pests are abundant, doing your best to keep a pest-free home can reduce the presence of spiders.

DIY Prevention Tips

Here are some practical steps you can take to make your property less inviting to orb weavers:

• Switch your outdoor lighting to yellow or sodium vapor lights, which are less attractive to insects than white bulbs.
• Reduce outdoor clutter, including woodpiles and garden equipment.
• Regularly remove webs with a broom or long-handled duster.
• Keep shrubs, bushes, and tree branches trimmed back from your home’s exterior.
• Seal entry points, including gaps around windows and doors.
• Address other pest issues to make your property less appealing to orb weavers.

Do I Need Professional Pest Control?

While there are remedies for spider infestations on the market in the form of insecticides and natural deterrents, they’re usually not very effective in the long-term. One of the best ways to reduce the number of spiders on your property is to invest in regular pest prevention. 

Professionals (such as the experts at Wil-Kil Pest Control) can point out areas you may have missed or conditions that might lead to spiders. They can also provide treatment solutions and plans to reduce the number of other pests (read: spider food) on your property or in your home.

Contact Wil-Kil Pest Control to Remove Spiders From Your Home

Whether you’ve seen a dramatic increase in spiders around your home or you simply get the creeps when these crawling creatures come near, Wil-Kil Pest Control can help put your mind at ease when it comes to spider control and prevention in your Wisconsin home. 

To learn more about how we use proven methods and techniques to help reduce the number of spiders in your living areas or commercial business, give us a call today. We’ll perform a no-obligation inspection and put together a program for comprehensive pest control that includes spiders, their prey, and more.