Question: I live in a house built in 1951 and a big spider problem – I hate spiders! How much would it cost? Would it be effective to spray something to keep them out? I would probably need a one-time only service, the house will be torn down/rebuilt in January.

ANSWER:

The most effective control programs limit the spiders’ food supply. Since most spiders prey on insects, outdoor infestations can be addressed by simply reducing the use of exterior lighting. Spraying outdoors to control indoor spiders is not effective. If for no other reason than most indoor spiders don”t come from outdoor habitats. There are many species of spiders that only live indoors.

The local Branch office can provide the most current information on treatment costs. You can find the local Branch by going to the Orkin website, look under Locations, then Find Your Local Branch (right-hand column).

It may seem easy to provide a treatment schedule, a list of the pesticides to be used, and an estimate on the time or number of treatments it will take to solve a specific pest problem. However, there are many factors that make this very difficult. Pests such as spiders can have varying levels of resistance to modern insecticides, or there are local or state restrictions on what insecticides can be used, or there may be limits to the availability of some insecticides.

It is difficult to determine the size or extent of an infestation without an inspection.