Barn Spider Facts & Information

Barn spiders are most commonly found in rafters and wooden structures in suburban and rural structures or areas, and on boats near lakes, thus getting their name, “barn spider”. But they have no problem coming inside should the opportunity present itself or they are looking for food. When agitated (by a puff of air, for instance), these spiders sometimes bounce up and down in the center of their webs, possibly in an attempt to look larger and more threatening. This reaction could be due to their response to vibrations in the web when prey is trapped. Barn spiders shake or sway their webs to instigate further reaction from the prey caught within the web or to confirm that it was debris or other environmental disturbances (fallen leaves, sticks, etc.). They are also able to glean information about the object/insect, through the feel of the web as it shakes. If the spider senses a likely meal has been caught, they move to it and immediately begin wrapping it with silk.

Some spiders are attracted to moisture, so they take shelter in basements, crawl spaces, and other damp areas inside a home. Other spiders prefer drier environments such as; air vents, high upper corners of rooms, and attics. Most common house spiders actually spend their entire lives indoors.

Barn spiders are carnivores, so they feed on other bugs. The more food supply there is, the more favorable your property becomes to them. So of course, barn spiders will come to your home and spin webs around it to catch this plentiful supply of insects. So if your Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island home has their food source, it will also have barn spiders!

Spiders get a bad rap for just being scary looking. In addition, their webs may be out of reach of your broom, making for an unkempt look in your home or business. They don’t cause any problems other than that, though. That doesn’t mean you want them in the house or break room with you! If you do have spiders and spider webs, it is an indication that there are other pests (their food) in your business or home. So, spider treatments will help with spider control and some may even help with the other insects that could be there as well.

Professional exclusion work can help keep all pests out, including barn spiders. Unfortunately, most pests are small, so keeping them out can be difficult. They can scuttle in while you’re bringing the groceries in or if a door is propped open too long. And it doesn’t need to be open for all that long! Once they are in, glue traps can help capture them. But preventing spiders from getting in could be a losing battle. You can minimize with exclusion work and some common sense practices, but to truly take care of nuisances like barn spiders, you’ll need a pest control professional.

We’re passionate about controlling spiders because we live and work here – it’s our neighborhood, too. With our 130 years of experience keeping homes and businesses in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island safe from pests, Waltham has the experience you can trust.