We bet you thought this post had to do with a new rock band playing on the strip. We wish that were the case. In the desert it turns out homeowners are often plagued by creepy crawling arachnids. The good news is that most of these spiders are not actively harmful to humans. They’re also technically beneficial; they eat flies, mosquitoes, and other insects that plague us.

But when they move in to your home, you probably won’t care about these things.

Let’s look at some of the most typical spiders we see in the Las Vegas area.

Spiders – The Good, Bad, and the Ugly

When people move here for the first time we often get panicked calls when new homeowners come face-to-face (literally) with a giant desert spider.  The bad news is, if there is one spider in your home, there may be lots more lurking where you cannot see them. Some of the typical spiders we eradicate include:

  • The Western black widow spider is perhaps most dangerous on the list. A bite from one of these crawlies can send you to the hospital with cramping, sweating, nausea, and check tightness. Like any wild creature, they prefer to be left alone, but if you surprise them and they feel threatened, they may bite. If you see an all black spider with a red hourglass on its abdomen – call Preventive Pest for removal.
  • Your child may express an interest in owning a desert tarantula as a pet someday. The good news is they’re harmless, but scary looking. The bad news is that they live all over our area. They’re known for eating lizards and invertebrates.
  • The Nevada desert brown recluse spider will do its best to stay away from you, but homeowners that come into contact with these arachnids should beware. The bite of these spiders can produce big, unpleasant pustules that turn tissue into necrotic tissue and leave a serious scar.
  • We bet you can guess what the jumping spider is known for. Imagine seeing a small spider in the corner of your kitchen. When you move closer with the goal of capturing it and putting it outside, it LEAPS through the air at your face! Don’t call 911, okay? These spiders aren’t dangerous. But they can certainly get your adrenalin pumping!
  • Wolf spiders can get big enough to howl at the moon – but they usually don’t. They do bite, which feels like a bee sting, and some people have had allergic reactions. They’re very active in their hunt for prey; some spiders just build webs and let bugs come to them. Wolf spiders can also grow up to 5”, which isn’t big enough to eat your puppy, but might be big enough to send you scrambling onto a chair.

Eradicating Las Vegas Spiders

 Fortunately, we’re here to help. Preventive Pest can help eradicate these pests from your home, and then provide you with tips to make sure your home doesn’t extend a welcome mat to every desert creepy crawler. Contact us today!