5 Things You Need To Know About Ant Mimic Spiders
Ant mimic spiders are a type of spider that can be easily mistaken for ants. Here are five things you need to know about them.
What do they look like?
At first glance, ant mimic spiders look like large, black ants. They are between 5 and 10 mm long and are black with whitish-cream markings. They have eight legs, like other spiders, but they hold their front pair of legs up in the air and wave them around to make them look like an ant's antennae.
These spiders can be distinguished from ants by the silken, web-like hiding places they build. You may also see them walking on their front legs instead of pretending they are antennae.
Are they found in all states?
Ant mimic spiders have a very large range and can be found in most of the continental United States, with the exception being the desert states of the Southwest. Within their range, you might find them in the same sorts of places you'd find ants, such as beneath rocks, logs, and patio stones. They can also enter homes.
Are they venomous?
Ant mimic spiders use venom to paralyze or kill their insect prey, but their venom isn't strong enough to be a concern for humans. They are classified as a no risk spider, so you don't need to worry too much if you see them around your yard. The bite may be painful, like a bee sting, but not severe. You only need to worry about bites from these spiders if you are allergic to their venom.
Do they infest houses?
Ant mimic spiders are wandering spiders, which means that they roam around your backyard and home to find food instead of building a web and waiting for food to come to them. If they enter your home during the summer or fall, they may lay eggs while they are there, but fortunately, their egg sacs tend to be fairly small and may contain only eight or nine eggs.
How can you control them?
You can keep these spiders out of your house by sealing any openings that they could crawl through, like gaps beneath doors and tears in your window screens. Spraying residual insecticides around the perimeter of your home can also help to keep these spiders out. If any manage to make their way inside, you can either kill them or move them back outside. Make sure to do the same with their egg sacs if you find any.
If you have ant mimic spiders inside your house, call a pest control company such as Aloha Termite Kauai Inc to help you get rid of them.
