In the Great Puget Sound and across Washington state, giant house spiders are the most enormous spiders in the region!
Finding a giant house spider in your home can be frightening, but we’ll give you all the tips you need to know about these large pests!
Keep reading to learn more about giant house spiders and how to care for a giant house spider bite!
There are slight size variations between the two sexes of giant house spiders. Females typically measure around ¾ an inch, with legs almost 2 inches long. Males are slightly smaller, with their bodies ranging in size to around ½ an inch, with their legs reaching upwards of two inches long.
While giant house spiders aren’t the largest spider species in the United States, they are the fastest! These pests previously held a world record for the speediest spider in the world! Now, the Moroccan flic-flac spider is the fastest.
Beyond their differing sizes, male and female spiders look similar. Both are dark brown with light markings around their bodies. While these pests look identical to common house spiders and hobo spiders, the giant house spider is significantly larger.
Outdoors, giant house spiders prefer to live in secluded spots like wood piles, rock piles, brick and stone gaps, and fences, according to Washington State University. You may find them in webs inside sheds, barns, and trash cans, although they tend to stray away from frequently visited areas.
Once inside, giant house spiders prefer to stay in similarly secluded spaces. Frequently found in garages and basements, female giant house spiders create webs indoors to catch their prey, while male spiders may venture out toward your household.
Giant house spiders consume many of the same insects that other typical house spiders eat. Cockroaches, earwigs, flies, fleas, and ants fall victim to these large pests whenever they infest your home.
If you have cracks on your home’s exterior, giant house spiders may slip indoors to escape the elements, search for a mate, or look for food inside. Gaps under your doors and windows can provide enough room for these spiders to squeeze in.
No spider bite is fun, but will a giant house spider bite impact you seriously?
In the United States, only two spider species are medically significant to humans. The black widow spider and the brown recluse can make you seriously ill or cause necrotizing skin injury.
While physically unpleasant, a giant house spider bite won’t leave you with severe damage. Despite their size, giant house spiders are typically docile and only bite when cornered or threatened.
Once approached by a more significant threat, giant house spiders prefer to flee their attackers instead of sticking around to fight. Mishandling a giant house spider could encourage the pest to bite, but they hardly attack humans.
Likened to a bee sting, their bite won’t leave you much pain. You should notice a reduction in symptoms a day after being bitten. While generally nontoxic to humans, a spider’s venom could make you feel ill. These are some common symptoms:
At first glance, a spider bite may mimic a run-of-the-mill insect injury. Spider bites can resemble small red mosquito bites you spot after a day outdoors with two minor bite marks in the center. Sometimes, spider bites may accompany rashes, but this isn’t common.
Individuals with spider bite allergies may experience different symptoms or even develop anaphylactic shock after a house spider bite. Because these reactions are life-threatening, always consult your doctor after a bite.
Don't hesitate to visit a doctor or an emergency room if you have difficulty breathing, severe pain or swelling, hives, or intense pain. Without prompt care, you could become seriously ill or have a more severe reaction.
Care for Spider Bites
Because these bites aren't generally dangerous, you can treat these wounds home. After you’ve noticed the bite and identified that the offending spider isn’t harmful, wash the wound with soap and water to remove lingering venom and prevent infection.
Apply a cold compress or ice pack to the wound to reduce swelling and redness. A pack of frozen vegetables can also work well in a pinch! Wrap a towel or bath cloth around the cold pack before placing it on your skin.
If you’re experiencing significant pain from the wound, you can take over-the-counter pain medication to ease the ache. Other medications can even decrease the symptoms you’re experiencing, like swelling or itchiness.
Aloe vera and a meat tenderizer solution can help soothe the itch from your spider bite. While unconventional, this DIY tip can help give you some relief! Mix meat tenderizer with water and rub the paste on the bite.
Like insect bites, spiders bites may begin to itch as it heals. We advise against scratching the area and suggest applying an antibacterial ointment to keep bacteria from entering the wound. Some topical creams can ease your symptoms and prevent infection from setting in.
With proper care, your spider bite should feel better in no time! Continue washing the area until the bite mark has completely healed. Consider wrapping the bite in a bandaid or gauze to keep the wound clean and prevent irritation.
If you’re interested in at-home care for spider infestations, sticky traps are an easy and excellent way to eliminate many pests at once.
Place sticky traps where giant house spiders are common, like garages, basements, and secluded areas in your home. As male spiders peruse your home for a mate, you can catch these pests before they breed.
Because female spiders rarely leave their nesting spots, you may have a more challenging time finding and eliminating these pests. If you’re still struggling with giant house spiders after trying this DIY method, we recommend contacting a reputable pest control agency like Zunex.
Here at Zunex Pest Control, we can quickly eliminate spiders infesting your home! Covered under our general pest control services, we’ll remove all spiders indoors with FREE guaranteed reservices if the pests return.
Contact us today to learn more!
.png)
