By ElRay Roper, Senior Technical Representative, Syngenta Professional Pest Management Unlike other pests, spiders do not destroy structures, create allergens or transmit diseases, but homeowners often still want them eliminated by a pest management professional. With cooling temperatures in the fall, you may begin to get more calls about spider control as the pests creep indoors to seek harborage for the winter. To effectively control spiders indoors and outdoors, you should consider an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) approach to assess environments that may be conducive to spiders and appropriate treatments. Inspect and exclude: Before treating a customer’s property for spiders, properly inspect the area using these steps: - Inspect for spider webs in corners near ceilings, around windows and doors, and behind furniture and other furnishings adjacent to walls
- Monitor spider activity and trap them indoors with sticky traps
- Seal cracks and crevices, install weather stripping around doors and repair screens on doors and windows to prevent spiders from entering structures
- Use a vacuum to remove webs and spiders from their harborages and be sure to seal and dispose of vacuum bags immediately
- Clean the surrounding landscape, keep debris away from structures and use sodium vapor lights or yellow lights to reduce harborages for spiders and their insect prey
Consider webs before making treatments: Many water-based insecticides will not stick to spider webs, so spraying webs will often not result in long-term control. Apply an insecticide to areas where webs have been removed, as spiders are likely to return to these areas to reconstruct their webs. In areas where webs aren’t present, apply sprays to spider harborage areas around doors and windows, as well as in cracks and crevices. Protect customers with confidence: The SecureChoiceSM Spider Assurance Program combines the proven performance of Demon® WP insecticide with Demand® CS insecticide, or Demon WP with Tandem® insecticide, to help reduce spider populations. The program was built by a team of Syngenta technical experts to provide proven applications recommendations with guaranteed performance against spiders. Even though most spiders are more of an annoyance than a danger, customers want these pests eliminated from their properties. By implementing a thorough IPM program, you can enable your customers to live comfortably without the disruption of spiders. For more information, visit SecureChoice.com/Spider. 
©2017 Syngenta. Important: Always read and follow label instructions. Some products may not be registered for sale or use in all states or counties and/or may have state-specific use requirements. Please check with your local extension service to ensure registration and proper use. Demand®, Demon®, iCAP™, SecureChoiceSM, Tandem® and the Syngenta logo are trademarks of a Syngenta Group Company. Syngenta Customer Center: 1-866-SYNGENT(A) (796-4368). |