SPIDERS and other insects are usually exterminated when they find their way inside homes.
An entomologist is cautioning people against getting rid of the spiders in their homes since they can bring surprising benefits.
Spiders play an important role in the ecosystem in nature, as well as the ecosystem inside homes.
Most homeowners will never see the majority of spiders that are living in their home, but they will notice the benefits, says Matt Bertone, Extension Associate in Entomology at North Carolina State University.
Bertone and his colleagues conducted a survey of 50 North Carolina homes and found spiders in each one.
The most common spiders found were the cobweb and cellar spiders.
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The spiders wait in their webs to catch their prey, which is often pests like flies and mosquitos.
Some spiders leave the webs to eat other spiders to limit the competition for food.
Having a spider in your home is like having a free pest removal service.
Although many fear spiders, most of the species have venom too weak to cause issues in humans, and that’s if their fangs can pierce the skin.
If you do happen to see one in your home, rather than squishing it, try to catch it and release it back outside.
Spiders prefer to avoid humans since we’re more dangerous to them than they are to us.
Even if you don’t see them, they’re most likely there, providing benefits to keep your home comfortable and pest free.
Invasive “parachuting spiders” that can use their webs to ride the wind for long distances have begun spreading along the southeast in the US.
Officially called the Joro spider, its legs can span about three inches. Paired with the striking blue and yellow colors, the spider has given quite the fright to homeowners who stumble upon them.
Although they’re venomous, the spider’s fangs are too small to break the skin of humans or pets.
Scientists also believe they may be helpful to the environment since they eat pests that ruin crops.
