Spiders are the number one pest problem when it comes to docks. The lake area is in the midst of its rainy season, which brings out a variety of different spiders. A variety of spiders are adapted for life on and around water. Many of these are commonly called fishing spiders or water spiders. Several have the ability to run across the water’s surface. Some build webs, while others do not. Most commonly, we run into two different types on our docks: the Spotted Fishing spider and the Longjawed Orbweavers.
The Spotted Fishing Spider
The spotted fishing spider lives in aquatic habitats and can run across the surface of water. This long-legged, dark-colored running spider is also distinctive in that the oval abdomen is smaller than the broad head. A whitish-yellow stripe surrounds the dark carapace and sometimes also the abdomen. On top of the dark brown abdomen, pairs of minute white spots create a connect-the-dot pattern or run down the middle of the back. The legs are robust and brown, dotted with white hairs. This spider runs quickly.
Fishing spiders live around ponds, slow-moving streams, swampy areas, and other damp places. They are able to run across the surface of water much like water striders and will dive for prey, including small tadpoles or aquatic insects. A spider in this group can encase its body in an air bubble in order to submerge itself, often for several minutes.
Longjawed Orbweavers
Longjawed orbweavers are often called “stretch spiders” because they often rest with their two front pairs of legs stretched straight out in front of them, and the last pair outstretched behind. Combined with their slender bodies and drab, variably marked coloration, they can hide easily while clinging to a blade of grass. They spin circular webs that are usually positioned fairly horizontally within a few feet of the water’s surface.
Longjawed orbweavers typically live in vegetation along a water’s edge — in shoreline shrubs whose branches overhang ponds, lakes, rivers, and streams, usually in shady places. They often live along the sides of docks and piers, too. They spin circular (orb) webs that are usually positioned fairly horizontally within just a few feet of the water’s surface, making them perfect nets for catching aquatic insects that have just emerged in their winged adult forms: mayflies, midges, stoneflies, and so on. When not in their web, many longjawed orbweavers hide under branches, railings, or other sheltered locations nearby. If they are startled, they typically drop immediately down. If they fall into the water, they can run across the surface like fishing spiders and water striders do.
Contact A B Pest Control & Insulation for Your Dock Treatment Needs
Spotted fishing & Orb spiders are nonaggressive and will try to hide if they feel threatened. The best way to avoid these dock dwelling spiders and prevent an infestation is to have a professional Lake of the Ozarks pest control company come spray your home and dock.
Looking for Natural Pest Control Options?
Essential oils can help get rid of these unwanted pests while providing a safe pest control option for aquatic life. Want to learn more about our essential oils treatment? Call 573-964-1100 today to request a free quote.
No comments:
Post a Comment