Why Spooky Spiders Love Halloween

Businesses and Homeowners Should Watch for Spider Infestations
During October

READING, Pa.–(BUSINESS WIRE)–As Halloween approaches, spiders seem to be everywhere and not only in
the form of Halloween decorations, but also near or inside a home or
business. So why do we associate spiders with Halloween and why does
there seem to be more of them in October? Spiders (and specifically
their ability to spin webs) have a mystical quality about them, and,
according to folklore, were the evil companions of witches during
medieval times. Spiders as symbols of Halloween work out well for this
time of year because they really are more noticeable in the fall. This
is because many species of spiders have been feeding for several months
now and are at their peak in size, making them highly visible in the
environment.

Do spiders deserve the fear they invoke? Logically speaking, spiders
could be considered the good guys of the arthropod world because they
are not destructive, do not spread disease, do not create allergens—and
they eat insects. In fact, possible medical uses for spider venoms are
now being investigated for the treatment of conditions such as strokes
and Alzheimer’s disease. Also, scientists are currently working with
spider venoms as an alternative to conventional pesticides.

However, despite these positive attributes, spiders attract the
attention of home and business owners enough to seek out pest control.
Often no more than a nuisance, no one wants to share a living or work
environment with them. To eliminate spiders, here are some important
facts to know:

• Most spiders spend their lives sitting in webs in dark, undisturbed
  areas around the house or yard, so homeowners should pay special
  attention to basements, garages and attics, as well as any wood or
  clutter outside.
• Effective methods for spider
  control start with understanding that spiders are loners and
  predators.

• If you have a pest management plan in place to reduce other insects in
  and around your structure, spiders will be less interested in the
  environment by reducing the “food” on which they prey.

“It’s important to note that even though spiders can be creepy-looking
and large this time of year, the vast majority are not dangerous and
won’t live over the winter—even if they enter indoors,” said Nancy
Troyano, PhD and entomologist for Rentokil. “Nonetheless, the first step
is to determine possible points of entry and the type of spiders
present. Proactive, professional spider control is important because
although most spiders do not bite, there are a small few that will and
their venom can make a person ill or leave them with a problematic bite
wound.”

About Rentokil North America

Rentokil North America is part of Rentokil Initial plc, one of the
world’s largest and most diverse business service companies, operating
in more than 60 countries worldwide. J.C. Ehrlich Pest Control (www.jcehrlich.com),
Western Exterminator (www.westernexterminator.com),
and Presto-X Pest Control (www.prestox.com)
are all part of the Rentokil family of pest control companies in North
America. They provide commercial and residential pest control,
bioremediation, bird control, vegetation management, deer repellent
services, wild-animal trapping and termite control from 165 local
offices in the U.S., Canada and Mexico. For more information, visit www.rentokil.com.

Contacts

Sterling Kilgore
Joe Scolaro
Senior Account Executive
630-964-8500
x224
jscolaro@sterlingkilgore.com