Yellow Sac Spider in Forked River, NJ
Today, I arrived at a home in Forked River, NJ, for a periodic inspection and preventative treatment included in our part residential home protection plan (HPP). In addition to these periodic visits, homeowners can always call us for any covered pests under the plan at no additional charge. A pest HPP is a great budgeting tool for solid pest protection throughout the year. With an HPP visit, I never know what to expect when I walk through the door and greet the customer. With this visit, I was welcomed with a somewhat frantic “Thank God you’re here!” I have to admit, it’s always nice to feel wanted and it’s also very satisfying to resolve some pest emergency that’s causing a homeowner frustration. Everybody likes to be a hero, even if it’s just for a day!
The homeowner led my to the backyard and told me that she saw some strange-looking spiders that, to her, looked like they came from outer space. I started to inspect the area and immediately found spider webbing. I followed the webbing until I found one of the spiders causing this homeowner so much grief. It was a yellow sac spider. These small spiders are pale beige to yellow, with a tinge of green. When they mate, the female produces up to five egg sacs, each of which contains about 40 eggs. The females typically nest underneath leaves to protect the sacs from the elements and other insects. These spiders are predators that hunt other insects, making them one of nature’s exterminators. In the summer, they are usually found outdoors in gardens and under debris. When temperatures drop in the fall, they may try to come inside homes to overwinter. If spiders are entering your home, homeowners should locate and seal the areas of entry. Most insects and mice enter homes through gaps or cracks around the foundation and a pest control service can inspect, locate, and seal those access points.
Like pretty much any spider, yellow sac spiders bite if you come into contact with them, which is usually by mistake, of course. For some, the bite is painful like a wasp sting, but others hardly feel anything. Most will feel an itchy irritation around the area of the bite, which will be red and swollen for about a week. Although the venom does causes some minor tissue necrosis around the bite, these bites are not as medically serious as bites from black widows or brown recluse spiders. Of course, just as with any insect bite, some may have a strong, even life-threatening, allergic reaction to the bite.
To resolve this spider infestation before this client had a chance to be bitten, I applied a residual dust to the webbing. The dust will do its thing once the spider comes into contact with it.