Spider Control in Crawfordville

Spiders Common to Crawfordville & Wakulla County

Florida hosts a range of spider species, and Wakulla County’s humidity and year-round warmth support healthy populations. Most are harmless, but a few warrant real attention.

Widow Spiders

Widow spiders are the primary venomous concern for Florida homeowners. According to UF/IFAS Extension, they are the only spiders native to or established in Florida with medically significant venom. Florida has four species: the southern black widow, northern black widow, brown widow, and red widow. Female black widows are identified by a shiny black body and a red hourglass marking on the underside of the abdomen. They prefer dark, undisturbed spaces such as garages, sheds, woodpiles, under outdoor furniture, and utility boxes.

Brown widows have expanded their range significantly across Florida and are now frequently encountered under eaves, on railings, inside mailboxes, and around outdoor furniture. If you’re seeing small spiders in those spots with tan-and-brown banding and an orange hourglass, that’s likely a brown widow.

Wolf Spiders

Wolf spiders are large, hairy, and fast. They don’t build webs; they hunt prey on the ground. Indoors, they show up on garage floors, along baseboards, and in ground-floor rooms with exterior access. Their size and speed make encounters alarming, though their venom isn’t medically significant for healthy adults.

Cellar Spiders & Orb Weavers

Cellar spiders, sometimes called daddy long-legs, are among the most common spiders found inside Florida homes. They’re harmless and recognizable by their long, thin legs and irregular webs in corners and closets. Orb weavers build the large circular webs you’ll find on porches, eaves, and in garden vegetation. Neither poses a health risk, but both can become a nuisance when populations build up.

A Note on Brown Recluse

Brown recluse spiders are not established in Florida. As UF/IFAS Extension notes, no recluse spider species are native to the state, and confirmed sightings are rare, typically limited to isolated cases within individual buildings. If you’ve spotted a brown spider with a violin-shaped marking, contact us for a proper identification before assuming brown recluse.

Signs of a Spider Infestation

Spiders themselves are often the last thing you notice. These are the earlier indicators:

What to watch for in your home:

• Webs in corners, along baseboards, behind appliances, in closets, garages, or attic spaces are the most visible sign of an active population.
• Egg sacs are small silky pouches tucked in web corners or sheltered spots. Their presence means spiders are actively reproducing on your property.
• Frequent daytime sightings of live spiders suggest the population is larger than a few strays.
• High flying-insect activity indoors or around exterior lights signals a food source that can attract and sustain spiders.

Treating spiders without addressing the insect population underneath the activity is incomplete control. Our approach targets both.