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Get rid of & prevent daddy long legs infestations with these tips
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Daddy long legs, or harvestmen, are spindly, 8-legged arachnids often mistaken for spiders. While these creatures are harmless to humans and often eat unwanted pests, having a daddy long leg infestation in your home can be an inconvenience. In this article, we’ll teach you everything you need to know about how to remove daddy long legs from your home and prevent future infestations. Plus, learn how to tell the difference between daddy long legs and cellar spiders.
Things You Should Know
- Deep clean and declutter your home to get rid of daddy long legs. They hide in dim, moist areas.
- Repair any cracks in windows, doors, and pipes to prevent daddy long legs from entering your home.
- If you have plants, remove dead leaves to eliminate daddy long legs’ food source.
Steps
Expert Q&A
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QuestionWhat else can I do to prevent daddy-long legs near our home?Chris Parker is the Founder of Parker Eco Pest Control, a sustainable pest control service in Seattle, Washington. Since 2016, Chris has been specializing in Integrated Pest Management and doesn’t use any chemicals for pest removal. He offers removal services for ants, rodents, fleas, spiders, wasps, and more. Chris is a certified Commercial Pesticide Applicator in Washington State and received his bachelor’s from the University of Washington.You can also create at least a one-foot perimeter around your home that is free of vegetation, shrubs, and storage items like firewood. Also, apply a basic insecticide treatment around the perimeter of your home to reduce both the long legs and the insects that they feed on. Another cool trick that I use is installing exterior porch lights with a lower visible frequency to attract fewer insects overall.
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Tips
- Since daddy long legs eat insects and other pests, they’re generally considered beneficial. Consider leaving them alone rather than getting rid of them, as they may prevent other infestations.Thanks
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Warnings
- If you have pets, be careful when using essential oils, as some (like peppermint) are toxic to cats and dogs. Always do some research before using them to make sure they’re safe. [13] X Research sourceThanks
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Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about pest control, check out our in-depth interview with Chris Parker .
References
- ↑ https://hgic.clemson.edu/factsheet/daddy-longlegs/
- ↑ https://www.michepestcontrol.com/pest-library/spiders/daddy-long-leg-spiders
- ↑ https://spiders.ucr.edu/daddy-long-legs
- ↑ https://spiders.ucr.edu/daddy-long-legs
- ↑ https://www.michepestcontrol.com/pest-library/spiders/daddy-long-leg-spiders
- ↑ https://extension.sdstate.edu/sites/default/files/2022-07/P-00246.pdf
- ↑ https://www.montana.edu/extension/flathead/documents/ag/spiders-insects/Idaho%20Hobo%20Spider%20bulletin.pdf
- ↑ https://extension.uga.edu/publications/detail.html?number=B1412&title=insect-and-arthropod-pests-of-southeastern-neighborhoods
- ↑ https://spiders.ucr.edu/daddy-long-legs
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