Are Spiders Dangerous or Beneficial?

Once you bring up spiders, you quickly discover that most people tend to have strong opinions about how to handle them. There are those who claim that leaving spiders alone in a building keeps pest populations down. Then, there are others who immediately shriek at the thought of finding one lurking in a corner.

Spiders do great things. They eat cockroaches, flies and other pesky insects that no one likes to see even when they are outside. This benefit does come with a cost. Spiders can quickly cause problems when they invade places that people inhabit. 

The Advantages and Disadvantages of Spiders

Bites aren’t the only thing to worry about. The cost of letting a spider invasion go untreated can be higher than the benefit of leaving one alone.

What Other Ways Are Spiders Beneficial?

When spiders eat insects outdoors, they also help to minimize problems that other pests cause. For example, fewer pests around farmlands means that there will be less damage done to the crops. 

Spiders also help to reduce the populations of disease-spreading insects such as mosquitoes. These benefits are all important, but they aren’t particularly helpful for the average person at home or around the workplace.

Which Spiders Are the Most Dangerous?

Arizona is home to several spiders that pose a far greater risk to your health than the benefits that they provide. 

Black widow spiders are well-known for giving bites that lead to extreme pain and potentially life-threatening reactions. 

Brown recluse spiders are another type of spider that gives bites that can break down skin tissue. 

You’ll also find tarantulas and wolf spiders. These spiders aren’t as dangerous for your health, but they do give bites that hurt like a bee sting. All spiders carry the risk of bites that cause allergic reactions along with pain and swelling.

What Other Problems Can Spiders Cause?

Spiders may limit certain types of pests, but they can also bring in new ones. Scorpions are natural predators of spiders. If an infestation grows in your home, then it could attract scorpions to the area. 

There is also the issue of mental health. Seeing a spider can generate anxiety in people who fear arachnids. Businesses could potentially lose customers if spiders are visible on the property. Homeowners might experience severe anxiety themselves or expose their houseguests to a traumatic experience.

A spider infestation also leaves nuisances in its wake. Spiderwebs are unsightly, and they can catch dust and other insects in them that need to be removed. If a spider lays eggs, then you could also see hundreds to thousands of spiderlings around your property that further increases the problems they cause.

How Do You Handle Finding One On Your Property?

One of the biggest problems with spiders is that they are hard to identify. By the time that you can see the red hourglass on a black widow, you are already too close. This is why it is typically best to leave a spider alone. Simply take note of where you found it and let a professional identify it. If you can safely take a picture, then this can help in case the spider changes its location.

There is no doubt that spiders play an important role in the ecosystem. We need spiders to eat other insects and serve as a food source for other critters. They just simply don’t belong indoors or in outdoor areas where they might harm a person. 

 

Spider control is an important part of every pest prevention plan that helps everyone who visits your property avoid a bad experience with nature.