What Attracts Spiders to your Home?

Spiders are one of the most common pest complaints we get in Philadelphia. Most spiders aren't after you. They're after your bugs. Common house spiders, wolf spiders, cellar spiders, and the occasional black widow are all showing up in your home for the same reason: your house is probably giving them a steady source of food.

What do spiders eat? Insects like flies, mosquitoes, roaches, ants, silverfish, and other small bugs make up the bulk of a spider's diet. So when you have a spider problem, it's most likely a symptom of a more problematic pest problem happening in your house. That being said, food isn't the only thing that attracts spiders in your house.

Got spiders in your cellars in Philadelphia? Call us at (845) 583-8391 for an inspection and spider extermination.

5 Things That Attract Spiders to Your House

#1 - Other Insects and Bugs

Spiders primarily feed on other insects. They eat flies, silverfish, ants, mosquitos, moths, etc. Common house spiders will spin webs in the corner of your bedroom and stalk their unsuspecting prey. A sudden increase in spiders in your home means that an underlying pest problem is developing. Listen to the spiders. They are trying to tell you something.

#2 - Clutter

Spiders don't like foot traffic. They love to hide in dark undisturbed areas where they can build their web in piece. A cluttered storeroom or garage full of cardboard boxes and numerous piles of things that haven't been moved in months is a perfect location for a spider hideout. Cellar spiders, also known as daddy long legs, love to build loose webs in your cellar. Black widows follow the same pattern.

#3 - Exterior Lighting That Attracts Insects

Outdoor lights pull in moths, flies, gnats, and other flying insects by the hundreds at night. You'll often find webs build directly next to your porch lights.

Pro Tip: Switch to yellow or sodium vapor bulbs. Yellow and sodium bulbs emit light wavelengths that are invisible to most bugs. Because bugs cannot see these colors well, they are much less attracted to the light source compared to the standard bright white, blue, or UV bulbs.

#4 - Moisture & Humidity

Insects love warm, humid, areas. So do spiders. If you spot a lot of them in your home, there is a small chance you might have a moisture problem. Check your basement, areas under your sink, and crawlspaces for any leaks. Bathrooms with poor ventilation are also a high-attractant of spiders and other pests in Philadelphia homes.

#5 - Infrequent Cleaning

Regular cleaning gets rid of spider webs and removes spider egg sacs before they hatch. Hard to reach spots in your room that don't get vacuumed or dusted regularly, like under furniture, behind appliances, ceiling corners, or along basement walls, give spiders a perfect undisturbed environment to make themselves at home. Common house spiders produce egg sacs that contain up to 250 eggs. One undisturbed female in your basement corner can breed hundreds of little buggers by the end of summer.

Common Places to Find Spiders
(And How to Prevent Them)

1. Basements and crawlspaces are the highest-activity zone in most Philadelphia homes. Basements attract cellar spiders that build loose, irregular webs in every upper corner of your basement. In older Philly homes with stone or concrete foundations, black widows can establish themselves in the lower corners and behind basement storage.

Prevention: Spiders love moisture and clutter. Get rid of any unwanted stored items and tidy up the room. Get a dehumidifier and reduce humidity. Seal any cracks in your foundation. Vacuum corners, especially upper ones regularly.

2. Garages and sheds are prime black widow territory in Philadelphia. They are dark and often undisturbed. Always shake out your gloves, shoes, and equipment before putting them on, in case a venomous black widow decided to take the nap there.

Prevention: You could install door sweeps and seal all window frames if you see a lot of spiders and insects in your garage or shed.

3. Under furniture and in closets are where wolf spiders hide during the day. They are hunters and do not build webs, unlike most spiders. You will just find them moving across the floor at night looking for food.

Contact Keystone Pest Pros for Spider Removal in Philadelphia

Spiders can be beneficial as they are natural predators to most pests. A few common house spiders in a basement corner can be a nuisance. But persistent, widespread spiders that keep coming back after you've cleaned them out is a sign of a larger pest issue. At Keystone Pest Pros, we won't just treat the spiders, but also identify and exterminate the food source that keeps them coming back, whether its roaches, ants, flies, mosquitos, or moths.

If you live in Philadelphia, call us at (845) 583-8391 and we will connect you to a professional spider exterminator.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does spider extermination cost in Philadelphia?

Cost varies based on property size, which species are present, and the severity of the infestation. As a general benchmark, the national average for a one-time spider exterminator visit runs around $275, typically falling between $200 and $500. Black widow situations or multi-room infestations will be on the higher end. We give you a firm quote after inspection

I found a black widow in my garage. Is that a real emergency?

Yes. Approximately 2000 to 2,600 people are reported to be bitten by black widow spiders in the United States every year. Of those, about 10% required hospitalization. Children, the elderly, and pets are particularly vulnerable to black widow bites. If you see a black widow spider in your home, do not try to handle it yourself. Call us and a professional will sort it out for you.

Why do I keep getting spiders even after I clean and remove the webs myself?

Because removing the web doesn't remove the spider, and removing the spider doesn't remove the egg sacs or the conditions drawing them in. House spiders will abandon their web to build a new one nearby. So you clean, they rebuild, and the cycle repeats. Professional treatment eliminates the population at the source and applies a residual barrier to stop new spiders from establishing.

Is the treatment safe for my kids and pets?

Yes. We use EPA-approved products applied in targeted areas only. We will walk you through any prep needed before we arrive and exactly how long to keep kids and pets clear of treated surfaces. Once dry, your home is back to normal.

Do cellar spiders mean I have a bigger pest problem?

Almost always, yes. Spiders seek out homes where they can feed on common house pests like flies, cockroaches, and earwigs. A heavy cellar spider population means they're finding enough food to sustain a colony. When I see a basement packed with cellar spider webs, I start looking for the insect problem underneath it, and I almost always find one. We treat both.