Yellow sac spiders are between ¼ and ⅜ of an inch in length and have pale beige or yellow bodies that are often tinted green. Their fangs and the tips of their legs are dark brown, which gives them a nickname: the black-footed spider. These active predators don’t use webs to hunt and rest as other spiders do. Instead, yellow sac spiders spin silken tubes in debris, curled leaves, and other small, hidden spaces. These web masses, or tubes, are used for protection against predators during the day. Additionally, yellow sac spiders use their tubes as a safe place for molting, hibernating, mating, and laying eggs.
When yellow sac spiders invade New Jersey properties, they are often found in areas of high insect activity or hidden locations that mimic the places they would naturally use outdoors for their silken tubes. Discarded papers, unused shoes, boxes, and other clutter can be used as hiding places for invasive yellow sac spiders. Without the presence of webs in doorways and the corners of rooms, it can be difficult to identify when these spiders have infested your property. However, if you regularly find pale spiders darting out of your sight during the night or unexplainable bites on your skin, you could be dealing with a yellow sac spider infestation.
Are Yellow Sac Spider Bites Dangerous?
You will rarely see yellow sac spiders during the day. Yellow sac spiders are nocturnal, which means they hunt, mate, and are active during the night. In many situations, you may not even discover these spiders on your property until after you’ve been bitten. Bites from yellow sac spiders are often misidentified as brown recluse bites because the symptoms can be similar, albeit less severe. There have been no reports of fatal yellow sac spider bites. Even so, bites from these spiders can range from being hardly noticeable to quite painful, followed by swelling, itching, and redness. Like many other spiders, yellow sac spiders generally try not to interact with humans. Occasionally, they may bite when provoked, caught in clothing, or disturbed.
Yellow Sac Spider Prevention
Reducing all pest populations around your New Jersey property can help reduce the chances that yellow sac spiders will infest your home. Yellow sac spiders are among the most likely spiders to invade your property, which makes preventative action an important step for every homeowner. A few basic spider prevention tips you can use to keep these pests off your property include:
- Removing factors that attract insects to your property, such as moisture, thick foliage, and open trash cans.
- Checking your window screens for rips or tears and fixing any damage you find.
- Installing door sweeps on all exterior doorways.
- Reducing the clutter on the interior and exterior of your property.
- Sealing gaps and cracks along your foundation.
Unfortunately, spiders can be hard to control once they’ve invaded because of their elusive behavior and fast reproduction rates. The only true way to treat a spider infestation is with a long-term spider control plan from Heritage Pest Control. With effective pest management and treatment options, you can trust the professionals here at Heritage Pest with all your pest control needs. Give us a call today to learn more about our spider control plans!