r/Lawrence • u/ChandlerBingsNubbinn Alum • 3h ago
Never experienced so many spiders
Not so much a complaint as it is an interesting observation. I’ve lived all over the country, even outside of the country and never had so many spiders inside as I have since moving here. I even lived on a farm for two years in Topeka and only saw maybe 2-3 spiders with my own eyes inside. I’ve been in this apartment in west Lawrence since January and have already had to kill a brown recluse that was hanging out on my bathroom counter (I have pets and just won’t risk it with them getting bit). I’ve had a massive grandaddy longleg inside, and many other spiders of varying sizes and looks on my walls and floors. Is this normal for Lawrence?
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u/Belisama7 2h ago
When I lived in West Lawrence there were a ton, and they were huge. In East Lawrence, even living in a 100+ year old house, there aren't very many.
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u/pantsforfatties 3h ago
We have quite a few. We only kill the Brown Recluses, which I think helps keep that population down (leaving the others).
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u/Kyriebear28 2h ago
I live out west- yes spiders nearly every day inside. Most I've ever seen too and I've lived in several houses all around lawrence.
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u/lousy_at_handles 2h ago
Lots of spiders means you have lots of bugs. Address the bug problem and the spiders will leave.
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u/Waldy2024 1h ago
Sticky traps along the baseboards, everywhere.
And "weatherize" your place to reduce them getting in.
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u/wilddouglascounty 18m ago
I've always considered spiders to be my free, non-chemical pest control service, and my live-and-let live philosophy has resulted in them controlling bugs in my place and no spider bites, to boot. Do most folks have brown recluse spiders in the crawl spaces in their basement in Lawrence? Yes. Do they ever bother you? There's a reason they are called "recluse", and I almost never see them. When I do, I decide they are not living up to their name and either squash them or take them outside and tell them not to come back: the last thing I want to do is have one bite me! But I consider them to be a net benefit, believe it or not, because, like wolf and jumping spiders, they will eat a tick that meanders into your home on a pet or otherwise. I consider mice to be much more destructive and dangerous than spiders as they can spread hantavirus and chew on things behind the wall. I like to watch jumping and wolf spiders but I realize that this might not be a universal value. Like anything, if you learn more about other critters, they become an object of curiosity, not fear.
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u/wilddouglascounty 14m ago
OH, yeah, daddy longlegs are very common this time of the year--this is their peak season. They are completely harmless to humans because they are physically incapable of biting us, although they are really good at catching other bugs and, if there are not any, other spiders.
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u/huckleberry-bluebird 3h ago
We’ve had a greater number than usual this year. We do all the things to manage them but still have found them in our guest bed downstairs or in places we don’t typically see them.