Exploring the Realm of Joro Spiders: Insights for Tennessee Residents

Joro spider from Inman-Murphy | Cockroach Control in TN

Have you recently stumbled upon an unexpected guest on your property, perhaps a spider that appears unusually large? If you’ve witnessed a conspicuously large arachnid weaving its intricate web amidst your trees, rest assured, you’re not alone. An increasing number of residents in Mid-South TN have reported sightings of what is presumed to be the Joro Spider, an orb-weaver species gradually extending its domain across the eastern United States.

This blog is meticulously tailored to offer valuable insights into the presence of this captivating arachnid within your local environment and to determine whether any measures for spider extermination services are warranted.

What does Joro Spider look like?

Characterized by its substantial physique and vivid colors, the Joro Spider easily distinguishes itself from the more common spider species you may encounter. Notably, the contrast between males and females is striking, owing to sexual dimorphism, a biological phenomenon where both sexes of a species exhibit distinctive characteristics beyond their sexual organs.

Female Joro Spider:

  • Size: Impressive, with a body length ranging from approximately 0.75 to 1 inch and a leg span extending up to 4 inches.
  • Coloration: Marked by bright yellow and blue tones adorned with distinct red markings.
  • Web: Constructs expansive, intricate webs spanning up to 10 feet in diameter.

Male Joro Spider:

  • Size: Noticeably smaller when compared to females.
  • Coloration: Exhibits darker and less vibrant hues, with subdued colors.
  • Web: Does not engage in web-building activities like their female counterparts.

The Joro Spider’s web itself is a marvel—vast, golden, and exceptionally robust, resembling a glistening thread adept at capturing a diverse array of insects.

Where Can the Joro Spider be Found?

Initially presumed to require expansive natural habitats in tropical climates for optimal survival, the Joro Spider has defied expectations by showcasing a remarkable adaptability to diverse environments, including urban landscapes. Notable sightings near highways and within cities have underscored their impressive ability to thrive, prompting investigations into the potential scope of their range expansion.

Are Joro Spiders a Threat?

Despite their imposing appearance, Joro spiders typically pose minimal threat to humans. While equipped with fangs capable of biting, these arachnids tend to display timid behavior, opting to flee rather than confront.

Origins and Future Prospects for the Joro Spider:

Originating from East Asia, the Joro Spider is believed to have unintentionally infiltrated the U.S. via shipping containers, leading to their presence in various states, including Mid-South TN. As for the future of the Joro Spider in Mid-South TN, indications suggest their continued presence and proliferation. With their adaptability and successful breeding patterns, their population will likely expand, further integrating them into the local ecosystem.

Questions About Spiders or Other Pest Concerns?

While the appearance of the Joro Spider in Mid-South TN may initially raise concerns due to its size and unfamiliar appearance, it’s essential to acknowledge that they pose little threat. However, understanding and coexisting with new species can present challenges.

If you have inquiries about the Joro Spider or any other pest-related issues, do not hesitate to reach out to Inman-Murphy, Inc. for expert guidance, information, and specialized spider management services. Our team is well-prepared with the requisite knowledge and tools to address any pest-related situation, ensuring your home remains a safe and comfortable environment.

Spider Prevention: When Are They Most Active?

Spider crawling across floor | Inman-Murphy | Spider Control in TN

Spiders are one of the most prolific fear inducing pests the residents of mid-South TN deal with year-round. Depending on the species, they can be found in window sills, high up in corners, down low in cabinets, in basements, attics, crawl spaces, and spaces left undisturbed for long periods of time.  

Traditionally spiders are thought to be most active in homes in late summer, but this is only true for a few species like the Giant House Spider and the Orb Weaver. Truthfully, spiders are active throughout every season, with each season presenting its own challenges for homeowners. Most species are non-aggressive, harmless to humans, nocturnal, and enter homes in search of their prey. A few species native to mid-South TN are potentially dangerous, making spider pest control an important part of home maintenance.  

Summer  

Summer is not when most spiders are active, but they will find their way into the milder temperatures of your home in search of their food sources as summer brings with it higher pest activity. In summer you are more likely to encounter large balls of Daddy Longlegs along the shady sides of buildings, and this is also when Black Widows are busy laying their eggs. Keep doors closed and repair any damaged screens, or gaps in door frames to ward off summertime invasion.  

Fall  

Surprising to many, fall is the true season of highest spider activity. Springtime eggs have hatched, matured, and are now seeking out mates. Sac Spiders, which typically live in gardens, will find their way inside at this time seeking warmth. Wolf Spiders have been known to enter homes during this season, so we recommend keeping grass mowed and leaf piles disposed of quickly as these are their preferred hunting grounds.  

Winter  

Spiders do not hibernate, and some even produce a glycol compound that acts like antifreeze to help them survive winter. Eggs laid at this time require warmth, so you’ll notice more activity around pipes, under sinks, and extra webbing as they insulate their egg sacs. Southern House Spiders are more apt to grow in numbers during winter, so be sure to dust and clean high spaces, and repair cracks or holes along walls, to discourage infestation. Huntsman Spiders will also find their way inside, as they cannot survive the falling temperatures of winter outdoors. 

Spring  

Spring brings with it more spider visibility, as this is when most spider species lay their eggs, and when fall/winter sacs begin to hatch. Hobo Spider eggs are hatching, and Brown Recluse activity is in full swing. Be sure to inspect windows, screens, cracks/gaps in foundation, and gaps/space between doors and doorframes to keep these typically non-aggressive but potentially dangerous pests out.  

Spider Pest Control You Can Count On 

Spiders have the potential to be a nuisance year-round. Most are harmless, but some have quite painful and potentially deadly bites, making regular spider pest control an important part of home maintenance. The highly trained team of professionals at Inman-Murphy have over 25 years of experience keeping the residents of mid-south TN pest free and are ready to help. Don’t hesitate to give us a call today and get started with a free quote! 

Babies on Back: Identifying the Wolf Spider

Wolf spider on white background

Imagine this: you’re walking to the kitchen to get a late-night snack when you find a spider in the middle of the floor. It’s not one of those benign Daddy Long Legs – it’s big and dark and roughly the length of a Twinkie. Your brain goes into autopilot, and you run to grab your nearest and heaviest shoe. It’s worked for other bugs, hasn’t it? That’s what you keep telling yourself as you approach the spider and slam your boot over it. That should be the end, but you’re suddenly horrified to find a rippling wave of tiny spiders rushing out from underneath your shoe. There are hundreds of them, all moving frantically in different directions and gradually taking over your kitchen.

Yes, this is a horror story just in time for Halloween. It’s also a very real possibility if you cross paths with a wolf spider and react without thinking. If you take a moment to stop and look over the bug that has invaded your home, you can avoid casting yourself in a one-person scary movie. Inman-Murphy can help residents of the Memphis metro area make sure the only creepy spiders in their home are Halloween decorations.

Identifying the Wolf Spider

Wolf spiders are often mistaken for other, more dangerous spiders, mainly the black widow and brown recluse. They all have two body parts (the cephalothorax and abdomen) and large, fang-like chelicerae. What separates them in many cases is the size – brown recluses are about the size of a quarter, while wolf spiders can be three, sometimes even four inches depending on the region they’re found in. Wolf spiders are also one of the only members of its species that don’t live on a web. Instead, they run to catch their prey with a staggering gait of two feet a second. That’s how they manage to catch and eat larger insects and other, smaller spiders.

The most distinctive quality of the wolf spider, though, would have to be how the female carries her young. There is no web to store her eggs, so instead, she moves about the environment with her egg sac on her abdomen. Once they hatch the babies stay in their makeshift carriage, so at nearly any point in time the mother wolf spider has hundreds of spiderlings hanging on her wherever she goes. So if some unsuspecting passer-by gets a fright and disturbs or tries to squish the mother, the babies will scatter in all directions. Not a fun sight for anyone, so what can you do to keep from ending up in that person’s unfortunate, spider-covered shoes?

DIY Spider Control Strategies

Spiders are inevitable living around Tennessee, but there are things you can do to control the access these eight-legged nuisances have to your home. Some of these tips are things that are good to do anyway, like sweeping and vacuuming on a regular basis and keeping closets and other undisturbed places free of clutter. Because all spiders – wolf spiders included – like little nooks where they can sit and wait for their next meal. In that same vein, we also advise moving any firewood or other piles of debris away from the exterior of your house, as well as trimming low-hanging branches or anything else that a spider can use as direct access to your home.

These are all easy precautions to take, but if you do all that and still find yourself running a “Mommy and Me” for wolf spiders and their many, many children, Inman-Murphy can help!

Spider Control with Inman-Murphy

Halloween is a great time to go out and get scared, but when you get home you want a place you can consider safe and free of any giant spiders. Home remedies can be useful in spider prevention, but there comes a time when you need professional help. Inman-Murphy has expertise in long-term spider control. A happy ending for your no-longer horror movie. To get a free quote, contact us today!

A Healthy Pest-Free Environment for Your Business

Rat in a commercial kitchen in the Memphis Metro Area - Inman-Murphy, Inc.

As a business owner or manager, you know more than anyone the importance and difficulties of maintaining a clean, pristine commercial space. Customers don’t think twice about their expectations of a sanitized and organized place to walk into, no matter what industry your business is in. For many types of businesses, especially those dealing with food or storage, it can be quite difficult to monitor your property and defend your customers and staff from pests with no hiccups. That’s where our team at Inman-Murphy, Inc. comes in. We are here to offer our commercial pest control services and teach you how to prevent pests in your business in the Memphis Metro area on your own. Read on to learn!

Common Business Pests in Millington TN

In our 25 years of serving the Memphis Metro area, we’ve noticed patterns in the types of pests that businesses commonly face. In order to get rid of these pests, you have to be aware of the conditions that attract them and work diligently to maintain a preventative business space. Here the most common pests that infest commercial spaces, some of which you might already be dealing with:

  • Rodents: Rats and mice capitalize on food waste and hiding spots afforded by storage spaces to sustain themselves in restaurants, grocery stores, and warehouses. It’s important to clean up spills promptly and store food properly to keep them away.
  • Spiders: Spiders take advantage of the arid corners of larger business spaces that don’t see much traffic from anything besides insects. It’s important to declutter and clean often, paying attention to places that customers don’t see, too.
  • Roaches: Roaches are often found in the dark and damp places, such as under sinks or cabinets, taking advantage of plumbing leaks for a source of moisture. Routinely monitoring your property for leaks will help you to avoid cockroach infestations.

How Commercial Exterminators Can Help

Having worked with plenty of business owners in the area before, we are well aware of how busy your schedules are. If you try to conduct your own pest control, you can end up spreading yourself too thin and end up falling short of the effort it takes to both conduct effective business and keep the people around you safe from the dangers associated with pest infestations.

Professional Pest Control for Businesses

For a guaranteed-effective pest control partnership, reach out to our exterminators at Inman-Murphy, Inc. Our commercial pest control experts have served all kinds of businesses and developed the expertise necessary to conduct exhaustive pest control using responsible products. Get in contact with us today for a free quote or to learn more about what we do!

How to Get Rid of Spiders in Your Home

A daddy longlegs walking on a quartz countrttop

Most spiders are completely harmless, but no one wants them to invade their home. While we like them in our gardens, we’d like to keep them outside where they belong! Unfortunately, spiders are prone to make their way indoors, especially when there’s plenty of prey, warmth, and water to be found inside. The key to getting rid of spiders is to prevent them in the first place.

The experts at Inman-Murphy, Inc. are here with the best tips to not only get rid of spiders but keep them away for good. Read on to learn more!

5 Best Spider Control Tips

1. Keep Your Home Clean and Tidy

There are few things spiders love more than a dirty home. Dust, clutter, and messes encourage spiders to take up residence. This is why you often find spiders in your garage, attic, or basement. You can keep spiders out by limiting their exposure to these messy environments in the first place. This is best done by regularly dusting, vacuuming, and generally reducing the clutter in your home. Don’t give spiders any excuse to stay and get comfortable!

2. Remove Spider Webs

While you’re cleaning, remove all spider webs in corners high and low including beneath sofas or other furniture with a duster or vacuum. Watch for spider eggs lurking nearby and get rid of them immediately. Before emptying out your vacuum bag indoors, take it outside and dispose of it carefully to avoid further spreading any spiders or their eggs.

3. Secure the Perimeter of Your Home

Walk around the outside of your home and look for piles of leaves, grass clippings, or woodpiles. Trim large bushes or shrubs to keep them from touching your home or windows. Plants and bushes create great havens for spiders. By making your yard less hospitable to spiders, you can ensure they are less likely to eventually make their way into your home. 

4. Seal Up Cracks

As you examine the perimeter of your home, look for cracks near windowsills or doors where spiders could sneak inside. Seal cracks with caulk to keep spiders out in your garden. Not only will this keep spiders from crawling indoors—but it will also work to prevent other insects. Because spiders feed on smaller insects, you can reduce their primary food source by keeping all types of insects out of your property.

5. DIY Prevention: Essential Oils & Vinegar

Did you know spiders hate citrus and mint? Rub citrus peels in areas spiders frequent throughout your home, such as windowsills, baseboards, and ceiling corners. Another method is filling a spray bottle with water and a few drops of concentrated peppermint essential oils. Spray this around your home to keep spiders out with the added bonus of making your room smell great.

If you don’t have peppermint oil, vinegar does the same trick. White vinegar has a million and one uses around your house. Repelling spiders is just one of them. Fill a spray bottle with water and vinegar and spray the cracks and crevices throughout your home. These DIY methods won’t be effective in getting rid of an active spider infestation but can assist in repelling the pests in the first place.

How to Get Rid of Spiders For Good

These solutions may help with average spider issues, but spider infestations may not be solved by natural home remedies alone. If you’re experiencing high numbers of spiders in your home, you may have a spider infestation. You can trust the professionals at Inman-Murphy to handle your spider problem so you can sleep better at night. Contact us today to get started!