Addison's 3-in-1
Spider Extermination Near You in Toronto
Jump To: Service Area, Our Process, Effective Treatment, Identifying Spiders, Customer Reviews
You want…
To quickly eliminate a spider infestation from your home, garden or balcony, stop the bites and anxiety caused by this invasive pest...
An affordable, professional, honest, and warrantied spider exterminator...
An environmentally conscious treatment that is safe for the whole family, including your pets.
Addison has...
A trusted history in the GTA
Decades of experience
All-inclusive guarantee
Tried and tested extermination methods
Highly-rated customer service
Vigorously trained technicians
The safest insecticides, kid-and-pet-safe
Here’s what to expect from Addison:
A no-obligation estimate over the phone in seconds
Comprehensive answers to all of your questions
Flexible & fast scheduling with same-day & 24-hour emergency throughout the GTA.
No hidden service fees or ongoing costs.
Service Area
Near you in Downtown Toronto, Midtown, Chinatown, the Annex, Burlington, Little Italy, Harbourfront, Cabbagetown, Guelph, Summerhill, Forest Hill, Rosedale, the Junction, Parkdale, Woodbridge, Bloordale, Scarborough, North York, Brampton, Mississauga, Vaughan, Markham, Pickering, Hamilton, London and beyond!
Key Facts about Spiders Near The Greater Toronto Area
Many customers who suffer from an extreme fear of spiders, called arachnophobia, use our spider treatment to keep them protected from spiders year-round.
The most common species of infesting spider in Ontario are the common house spider (Parasteatoda tepidariourum) and the barn funnel weaver (Tegenaria domestica); they are most active in late spring to summer.
These spiders pose an infestation risk because of the house spider’s high reproductive potential ( approx 3760 offspring in her lifetime!) and the barn funnel weaver’s long lifespan (up to 7 years).
These spider species live almost exclusively in and around human structures, including homes, apartments, garages and barns
Spiders feed on insects, and can help to reduce the number of other insect pests in your home
Neither of these spiders are poisonous, and only bite humans if they are threatened
Spiders are arachnids which are differentiated from insects because they have 8 rather than 6 legs, and have 2 main body segments (cephalothorax and abdomen)
Our process for Spider Extermination Near Toronto
Step 1: Spider Heat Treatment
Category:
Physical
Equipment:
Handheld heat treatment gun
Method:
Direct heat applied locally to areas of spider concentration such as basements, balconies, storage rooms, window sills, under beds and furniture concentration
Strengths:
Heat kills spider eggs
No damage to furniture
Instantly kills all spiders and egg sacs treated.
Avoids pesticide resistance
Weakness
No residual protection
Only kills the spiders and eggs that are visible and accessible to technicians
Not sufficient without other complementary extermination techniques.
Step 2: Spider Powder Treatment
Category:
Physical + Chemical
Equipment:
Power duster
Method:
Fine silica dust insecticide injected into all crevices and wall cavities through electrical sockets and gaps underneath baseboards
Electrical items at risk of infestation, such as a power bars, or electronics in storage are treated with powder
Strengths:
Cuts up the spider abdomen
Coats the insides of the wall cavities to create a protective powder barrier around your home.
No spiders can spread to or from attached houses, adjacent apartments or condo units.
Essential lasting protection.
Fully approved by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, safe and non-toxic for humans and animals of all shapes and sizes.
Weakness
Only suitable for crack and crevice treatment.
Step 3: Spider Spray Treatment
Category:
Chemical + Residual
Equipment:
Precision surface sprayer
Method:
A fine mist of residual spray applied throughout infested area, including basements storage spaces, balconies, decks as well as the backs, sides and bottoms of beds and furniture throughout the home
Strengths:
Kills spiders on contact and remains active as a protective surface treatment to continue to kill spiders as they come out of hiding
Keeps your home and furniture protected for up to 6 months
Fully approved by Ontario Ministry of Environment, safe and non-toxic for humans and animals of all shapes and sizes
Weakness
If used improperly, may promote pesticide resistance
Beware of Discount Pest Control
These companies use low quality or low concentration surface sprays with only 10 to 14 days of protection.
The tip off is when they offer to do a “follow-up spray” two weeks after the first treatment. While this may seem extra thorough, spiders may have adequate prey to remain hidden for several weeks.
By this time the budget treatment will have long worn off and the new population of spiders will be free to re-infest your home. These budget services can breed pesticide resistance in the bugs in your home, making future treatments increasingly challenging.
What You Need to Know for an Effective Spider Treatment
If you suspect you have a spider infestation clear and complete information is the first step to getting rid of them. Here are a few facts, myths, and tips that will help you to make a well informed decision about what to do next.
How to Identify Spiders Near Toronto
The most common species of infesting spider in Ontario are the common house spider (Parasteatoda tepidariourum) and the barn funnel weaver (Tegenaria domestica); they are most active in late spring to summer.
What do spiders look like?
Spiders are part of the class of arachnids which have different anatomy than insects
8 legs
Simple eyes
No compound eyes
Two body sections: abdomen and cephalothorax
No antennae
No wings
Common House Spider
Most commonly dull brown, vary from off white to almost black
Dark stripes that meet at an angle
Mottled appearance which acts as camouflage
Eight eyes
Poor vision, can only see 7-10cm
Legs are light yellow
Females
6mm long
spherical abdomen
lighter than male
Males
up to 4.7 mm
elongated abdomen
Webs
tangle type
not as sticky as other spider species
type most often referred to as ‘cobwebs’
do not have the characteristic circular shape
may hang down beneath furniture or in basement and collect dust
Barn Funnel weaver
Dark orange to brown colour
Two black longitudinal stripes on cephalothorax
Herring bone pattern of stripes on the abdomen
Mottled brown and beige appearance acts as camouflage
Pale yellow setae hairs
Fairly flattened bodies
8 eyes, 6 point forward giving excellent vision for motion
Striped legs are fairly long
Very quick runnersFemales: 7.5-11mm
Males: 6-9mm
Foraging Behaviour
Common House Spider
Feed on small insects
flies, mosquitos, ants, wasps
Grasshoppers and butterflies, cockroaches
Most active from late spring through the summer
Build webs in areas where there is abundant prey such as balconies, basements, sheds, decks
Wait for prey in the middle or on an upper edge of web
May hide themselves underneath a leaf or piece of debris
Camouflage themselves with the substrate of their webs
Once an insect is caught in web spider covers it in more silk, injects neurotoxin to paralyze the prey then sucks the juices from the insect for nutrition
Barn Funnel Weaver
Feeds on small insects such as flies, mosquitos
Agile hunter
Fast movement
Excellent vision for small movements
Photosensitive, prefer to stay out of light
Moves in short bursts
Builds funnel shaped web
Spun over flat surface such as window sill, corner of a room, densely packed vegetation close to the home
Webs are funnel shape with a tubular retreat where the spider shelters itself
Webs can become quite large
Prey sticks to the surface of the web is quickly dragged inside web and consumed
Choose damp and dark areas within the home such as basements or cellars
Life Cycle and Reproduction
Common House Spider
1 yr lifespan
Female produces 17 egg sacs = approx 3760 eggs in lifetime
Egg sac
Brownish and teardrop form
Made of papery silk
6-9mm diameter
Laid in the web
Many egg sacs may be laid at the same time
Contains 100-400 eggs
Eggs hatch in 7-10 days
Hatchlings stay in web for several days
Male and female share same web
Many females build webs in similar area
Do not hibernate like other spiders
Barn Funnel Weaver
Long lifespan, Up to 7 years
Produce up to 9 egg sacs in life time
Egg sac
Lay one egg sac per year
White in colour
Lens-shaped
Laid close to or in the web
Contains approx 50 eggs
Laid in late autumn
Eggs hatch in early spring
Males wander within home or garden in search of a mate
Males reside in nest for several weeks mating several times with female
Male will die after mating, female consumes body of the male
How do I know if I have a spider infestation?
Spiders are a common and beneficial insect that lives in cracks and crevices around the home and garden
Signs of an infestation include, an abundance of live adults, webs or egg sacs around your home or garden
If you see a single spider it does not mean that you have full scale infestation
It is common for spiders to build overlapping webs in beneficial feeding areas
If you begin seeing large groups of spiders more frequently it may be time to consider a professional pest control program
Spiders area active year-round, seeking shelter inside homes during colder months
Where do I look for a spider infestation?
Spiders build their webs on the inside or outside of human structures, including homes, garages, apartments, balconies and decks
Search out undisturbed or elevated areas with plenty of insects to feed on
Under furniture, between stones, corners of rooms, eaves
Adjoining edges a room or building
Undisturbed and dark
How did spiders get into my home near Toronto?
It is common for spiders to build overlapping webs in beneficial feeding areas
May enter homes around doors and window with insecure weather stripping
May travel into home on foodstuffs,
Are spiders we find near Toronto dangerous?
Constant proximity to humans, makes them accustomed to our behaviour
Not aggressive
Will avoid contact with humans
Will abandon its nest if disturbed excessively
Spiders feed on a variety of insects, including cockroaches, flies, gnats and other invasive pest species
Many people are happy to have spiders active in their home, because they reduce the number of other insects
Only bite humans in self-defence
House spider bites can cause pain, itchiness and swelling
Barn funnel weaver bites are largely painless painless
The venom of most Ontario spiders is not life-threatening to humans
Spiders do not spread pathogens, bacteria or parasites through their bite
How do I prevent a spider infestation?
Since spiders are such a common animal in the GTA, being proactive is the key to ensuring an spider-free home and garden.
Give us a call today for more information or to schedule same-day spider removal in seconds.
Addison’s spider service includes a comprehensive spider inspection and prevention plan:
a 360º perimeter inspection of the interior and exterior of your home and garden
identification of potentially vulnerable access points
exclusion of the any entry points with spray foam and steel wool
pheromone baited professional sticky traps to monitor spider activity
Can I prevent a spider infestation on my own?
Inspect the home, basement and garage to uncover nests and webs
Use a vacuum cleaner to eliminate live adults, their webs and egg sacs
Seal all screens, eaves, weather stripping, dryer and exhaust vents
Check underneath furniture, on balconies, and on decks to find areas where spiders are congregating and feeding on abundant prey
Eliminate any attractive nesting site that gives access to homes
Many commercially available traps available to monitor and reduce numbers of spider in the home and garden
How can Addison help eliminate a spider infestation?
Our goal: remove an infestation as quickly as possible and keep your home pest free for good
How we accomplish our goal: Combine three pest-control techniques applied on a single appointment on a single day
All of our treatments use the highest quality and safest insecticides with a long residual value to keep you protected for months
Guarantee the effectiveness of the treatment to eradicate the infestation completely
No pest control method is perfect
With three-part treatment, each method compensates for the shortcomings of the other
Yields quick and dependable results to eliminate spiders
Every treatment accompanied by preventative and monitoring measures
Ongoing protection against future infestations
Prevention includes:
Thorough inspection
Entry point sealing
Identifying and eliminating feeding sources
Sticky traps and other monitoring techniques.
Do spiders bite humans?
Spiders can bite humans when they are threatened
They inject a venom which can cause painful itchy welts
The venom of most Ontario spiders is not life threatening to humans
Spiders do not spread pathogens, bacteria or parasites through their bite