This summer has been especially warm for Calgary – with what seems like week-after-week of dry hot weather that has been equally appreciated by humans and common pests. Calgary Pest Control Company – One Man and a Ladybug – are experts when it comes to handling pest infestations in and around Calgary and have noted that late summer temperatures are bringing certain pests out in numbers.
The Jewel Spider (Araneus gemmoides) – one of Alberta’s biggest spider species – is out in full force in late summer and is creating quite a stir with its loonie sized body. Jewel or Cat Faced Spiders start out as small, unnoticeable little critters – but grow to be the size of a loonie due to the female producing hundreds of eggs that she will lay prior to the first frost. After laying her eggs the female Jewel Spider dies within a few days and her eggs, protected by a single egg case, wait-out the winter ready to hatch in the warmer spring months, when literally hundreds of spiders crawl out from the egg-case.
Jewel Spiders can be identified by the type of web they spin. Identification by web is true of all spider species, with distinct patterns being associated with certain spiders. The Jewel Spider’s web probably has the most resemblance to a traditional web that is drawn in cartoons and pictures – it is referred to as an orb web and has a centre hub and spokes extending like a wheel. What also identifies a Jewel Spider is the web’s proximity to your home – as they like to build their web on or around a home, or across a window pane that has light filtering through, or around a porch light. Though not everyone is a spider lover – keep in mind that this little critter and its expansive web helps keep more annoying pests at bay – and may have to be thanked for keeping mosquito numbers down.
One Man and a Ladybug explain that this timid, web-loving spider poses no threat to humans – with a bite causing nothing more than mild swelling and some itching. However, if their numbers and presence around your home or workplace become extreme, this Calgary Pest and Extermination Company is equipped to safely manage any infestation.
For more information on Pest Control in Calgary contact One Man and a Ladybug today 403.262.1666
