Spiders are a creepy, tiny, and incredibly diverse group of arachnids. You may dislike them, but they have lived on earth for far longer than humans and are incredibly well adapted for survival. In fact, each sense is so finely tuned for survival in secrecy that you’re probably surrounded by dozens of your eight-legged foes right now. So, before you call spider pest control in Guelph, consider how they see the world around them.

What Are Spider Senses Like?

Despite what you may believe after watching the last Spiderman, it isn’t easy for arachnologists — people who study arachnids — to imagine what life might be like as a spider. Because the evolutionary lineage of humans and spiders has been separate since before living creatures first walked on land, it’s safe to say that the experience of being a person is extremely different from being an arachnid. 

Spiders have separate senses for taste, smell, sight, and hearing — or more accurately, sensing vibrations. Because there are so many species in their Linnean order, known as Aranea, some species perceive certain stimuli more acutely than others. Jumping spiders, for example, have an excellent sense of vision that makes them highly efficient at stalking and capturing prey. 

How Do Spiders See?

Part of what makes arachnids so creepy and alien is that they typically have two sets of four eyes. This might lead you to speculate whether their vision could rival or even surpass that of humans. Rest assured, this isn’t the case. Most spiders can see little more than low-resolution changes in the light levels around them. 

The reason spiders have eight eyes is simple: their eyes can’t move as ours can. It was advantageous, therefore, to develop as wide a field of view as possible. Whenever this range isn’t enough, arachnids need to move their entire bodies around. Some species, however, can move internal structures that help to gather light so their prey remains visible regardless of external lighting conditions. Though different from independent rotation, this feature roughly mirrors the way many mammals use vision for hunting.

While species like jumping or wolf spiders tend to have far better vision than other species, their eyesight is still significantly less acute than our own. Like humans, however, jumping species can judge distance incredibly well and jump up to 20 times the length of their body to reach prey. Though it’s difficult to say with current research, it seems that certain arachnid eyes can see in colour to some degree.

Spider Removal

It can be both terrifying and annoying to walk into a neglected basement or porch only to receive a faceful of webs and other material. Though you may think you can remove your problem on your own, you are unlikely to locate all of the eggs, webs, and entryways in your indoor space. This is why you should call indoor spider control as soon as you realize you have an infestation.

For obvious reasons, outdoor spider control is more difficult than indoor. Critters easily find their way from other places into the ideal habitats, so outdoor control usually involves locating likely denning locations to alter them so they are less appealing. Often, woodpiles, archways, and other areas with cracks and crevices are irresistible to wandering arachnids.

If you want to remove unwanted guests from inside or outside your home, your best bet is to clear all the debris you can and seal off entry points. This, however, takes practice and experience. As it is unwise and even unsafe to attempt removal on your own, you should contact an experienced professional. At Truly Nolen, we have years of expert pest removal behind us. Call or email today.