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Sac Spider

Sac Spiders in The St. Louis

Sometimes referred to as a “yellow sac spider”, these spiders are often pale yellow in color and have even been known to have a hint or tinge of green. Similar to most spiders, sac spiders prefer to stay away from human contact and typically only find their way indoors by accident. The sac spider is commonly found in homes and is often mistaken for the brown recluse because it is similar in shape, but the sac spider lacks the “fiddle” pattern of the brown recluse. For the most part, sac spiders prefer to feed on a variety of types of spiders along with other garden insects.

Sac Spider Habitat

Outdoors, sac spiders can be seen in gardens, under vegetation, bark, in rolled leaves, and organic debris. Sac spiders are often shipped in agricultural products such as grapes and can make their way into homes on produce. It is common to see these spiders inside a home during the fall as they begin to seek warmth from the dropping temperatures outdoors. Sac spiders can easily climb slick surfaces and will construct silk, sac-like retreats wherever walls meet other walls or ceilings.

Sac Spider Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Sac spiders are hunting spiders that use their silk sac only for their retreat or for their egg capsules. They are nocturnal, hunting at night for other insects. The bite of a common sac spider can be misdiagnosed as a brown recluse spider bite. Injuries develop in a similar manner but are much less severe. Although the bite of a yellow sac spider can be painful, it is not medically significant except for allergic individuals. Reactions, such as swelling, slow healing, and ulcerated sores around the bite site, are similar enough to be confusing. If you suspect that you have been bitten by a spider, seek medical attention if symptoms persist or intensify.

If you need help with sac spiders, contact your local spider exterminators.

Funnel Weaver Spider

Funnel Weaver Spiders in St. Louis

Funnel spiders, also referred to as grass spiders, are well-known for their funnel-shaped webs. These spiders are often called grass spiders because they construct their webs in tall grass, heavy ground cover, and the branches of thick shrubs. Found throughout St. Louis, funnel weaver spider webs are not necessarily sticky, but they are inherently difficult for the prey to escape. Once the prey is trapped, the funnel weaver spider can quickly crawl over and inject it with venom. Occasionally, these spiders may venture into homes in search of prey or mates.

Funnel Weaver Habitat

Funnel weaver spider webs are distinctive and constructed in tall grass, underneath boards and rocks, and around debris. Their webs are seen throughout grassy areas in summer to early fall and are noticeable in the early morning dew. Funnel weaver spider webs are shaped more like a megaphone, or the bell of a trumpet. These spiders prefer to build webs in darker areas, such as flower beds, woodpiles, and secluded corners inside structures. If found in the home, their webs are often in corners of dark rooms, such as the basement.

Funnel Weaver Spider Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Although they are most often mistaken for wolf spiders due to their appearance, when a funnel weaver spider is present in a home, many homeowners misidentify them as brown recluse spiders. However, funnel weaver spiders, or grass spiders are not poisonous, but are venomous. They contain venom, as all spiders do, but because of the small size of their fangs, they have difficulty penetrating human skin. These spiders are more of a nuisance pest as they molt several times before becoming adults, leaving cast-off skins around the house. Contact your local spider exterminators for help with funnel weaver spiders.

Huntsman Spider

Huntsman Spiders in St. Louis

The huntsman spider is one of the largest spider species in the world and is sometimes referred to as the giant crab spider or the banana spider. Although occasionally mistaken for a large brown recluse spider, the huntsman spider is not venomous nor is it related to the brown recluse species. Huntsman spiders are fast, and unlike other spiders, do not spin webs to trap unsuspecting prey. They commonly hunt down their prey, and can sometimes be found in homes.

Huntsman Spider Habitat

Huntsman spiders can move quickly and prefer hiding in dark places during the day, emerging at night to hunt. They are commonly found hiding under tree bark, in woodpiles, structures, and even cars. Their flattened bodies enable them to fit through small cracks and crevices, allowing them to enter homes, barns, sheds, and other sheltered areas. Being cold-sensitive, these spiders cannot exist outdoors in areas with freezing winter temperatures. In cold weather they can be found indoors, under furniture or cabinets, behind wall hangings, and in closets and garages.

Huntsman Spider Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Huntsman spiders are not venomous enough to require hospitalization, but bites are very painful and may cause other side effects in sensitive individuals. While these arachnids are large, they are not generally aggressive and most huntsman spiders will likely try to run away rather than bite. Huntsman spiders are considered beneficial as they feed on a variety of insects, such as cockroaches, moths, and on occasion, small reptiles.

If you are dealing with huntsman spider problems on your property, contact your local spider exterminators.

House Fly

House Flies in St. Louis

Found on every continent except Antarctica, the house fly is one of the most familiar of all insects. House flies are generally found in the greatest numbers during the hotter summer months and generally live in close proximity to humans and animals. These pests breed in animal wastes and decaying organic material, including animal corpses and food waste from which they can pick up bacteria and viruses that may cause human disease. House flies defecate almost every time they land, contaminating food, with the potential to spread disease.

House Fly Habitat

In rural areas, manure piles are often the main source of house flies, and in urban areas, piles of fermenting lawn clippings commonly generate large numbers of flies. Animal manure is a favorite breeding medium for flies with the most important sites being horse manure, human excrement, cow manure, fermenting vegetable refuse, dumpsters and refuse containers, and household garbage. Some species of flies can live and breed in recycling containers, and fly problems are common in recycling centers.

House Fly Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Although house flies do not bite, they are capable of transferring more than 100 different pathogens, including salmonellosis, typhoid, and tuberculosis. Pathogenic organisms are picked up by flies from garbage, sewage, and other sources of filth, and then transferred on their mouthparts, through their vomitus, feces, and contaminated external body parts to human and animal food. They can carry a wide range of germs from filthy breeding sites to the dinner table or spread some diseases within herds or flocks.

If you are experiencing a house fly infestation on your property, contact your local fly exterminators for help.

Horse Fly

Horse Flies in St. Louis

Horse flies and deer flies are large, heavy-bodied insects that are persistent pests of wildlife, livestock, and humans. Their blood-sucking habits also raise concerns about the possible transmission of disease agents. They are notorious pests of horses, mules, cattle, hogs, dogs, and other mammals, including humans. Deer flies, which commonly bite humans, are smaller with dark bands across the wings and colored eyes similar to those of horse flies. An attack by a few of these persistent flies can make outdoor work and recreation miserable.

Horse Fly Habitat

Horse flies and deer flies can be found near aquatic habitats that support larval development. Most horse flies and deer flies are found in brushy or low-lying pasture areas near creeks, streams, or tanks that provide damp soils in which the immature stages develop. Natural environments include freshwater wetlands, saltwater marshes, and open areas within forests. They survive by burrowing down into the sand or gravel substrate of the water body they inhabit.

Horse Fly Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Female horse flies and deer flies can and will bite people, and the painful bites may occur on any part of the body. The bite often results in visible bleeding wounds and general first aid-type skin creams may help to relieve the pain from bites. In rare instances, there may be allergic reactions involving hives and wheezing. These flies are significant livestock pests with their painful and persistent biting behavior. Heavy attacks can lead to reductions in weight gains of beef cattle, and reduced milk yield in dairy cattle. If you are dealing with a horse fly issue on your property, contact your local fly exterminators.

Fruit Fly

Fruit Flies in St. Louis

Over 177 species of fruit flies occur in North America, north of Mexico, and eight species are believed to be common in the United States. The scientific name, Drosophila, means “lover of dew” probably suggesting these flies require moist environments to reproduce. They are known as fruit, vinegar, or pomace flies and are often confused with other small flies found in structures. Fruit flies are vectors of disease, consuming bacteria and sugar from decaying foods and can often be seen near bowls of fruit, glasses of wine, garbage, and trash cans.

Fruit Fly Habitat

Fruit flies are small flies that can pass through ordinary insect screens and are often found in homes, restaurants, fruit markets, bars, salad bars, and any other place where fruits and vegetables are found. They will often enter structures from nearby dumpsters, trash receptacles, and damp compost piles where fruits and vegetables have been disposed of. Fruit flies lay large numbers of eggs on fruit, and the hatched larvae feed on the fruit. Fruit flies are active during periods of warm weather; single generations may develop in less than a week when temperatures are between 80° and 89°F.

Fruit Fly Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

Unlike some insects, fruit flies do not sting or bite. They are primarily nuisance pests, however, results of a recent study showed that fruit flies are capable of transferring E.coli, Salmonella, and Listeria to surfaces and relocating E.coli from a contaminated source to fresh, ready-to-eat food. Although fruit flies spend the majority of their time fermenting foods, they also travel to dishes, flatware, drinking glasses, and even toothbrushes. While you may not consume the contaminated produce itself, when you eat or drink from these objects, you’re exposed to the same bacteria the fruit fly has transported from site to site.

If you are dealing with a fruit fly problem on your property, contact your local fly exterminators.

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