In some areas of the country, these are the largest of the common spiders – and they’re hard to miss! While their bodies are light-colored and small – only about ¼ to 3/8 inches long – their eight legs are the long and willowy showstoppers.
Cellar spiders do not pose a threat to humans, even though they can be common in homes. Urban legend often says that their venom is of the most deadly of spiders, but their weak bite keeps them from injecting venom into humans. While it’s true that they cannot successfully bite, their venom is pretty weak, too. let me say that we reccomend any pest control be done by a qualified company in the pest control business. You can find a pest control company here
These spiders and their webs are usually found in dark and damp places, such as cellars, basements, and crawl spaces. In these areas, hang their webs wherever they can – in corners, on eaves, in windows, ceilings, in closets, cabinets, and drain traps.
In spite of their startling appearance, cellar spiders do pose a benefit to humans: they prey on other spiders, keeping their populations under control. So if you can’t tolerate the presence of cellar spiders in your home, take the measures described below to get rid of spiders and daddy long legs altogether.

Getting Rid of Cellar Spiders/Daddy Long Legs and Other Spiders

The first step in controlling spiders (and many other pests) is to seal up places where they can get into your house. Seal cracks on the outside of the house, especially around doors, windows, and where utility lines enter the house. Pay special attention to any cracks or gaps in the foundation. Make sure screens are present on windows and are in good repair. If there are gaps underneath doors, install weatherstripping or sweep strips. Fill any gaps around water pipes under sinks. Use yellow light bulbs for exterior lighting. Use a dehumidifier in basements, cellars, and crawl spaces, or take measures to improve ventilation.
Once you’ve sealed off spider entry points, it’s time to clear out their hiding places within your home. In many houses, storage and clutter are inevitable. Unfortunately, stacks of boxes or debris can serve as spider hiding places, so pull boxes away from the wall. Leave one foot clearance between stacks of boxes. Pull beds one foot from walls, and furniture at least a few inches out. This makes ongoing cleaning and vacuuming easier, which is crucial to controlling spiders and insects. Vacuum under and behind furniture, and along baseboards regularly.
Outside, clean up debris piles and wood piles (gloves are recommended). Clean up any debris present under decks or outdoor staircases. Spiders can hide in and under disused lawn furniture, so clean these areas up as well.

Chemical Control of long legged Spiders

Now that entry points are sealed off, and hiding places inside and outside your home are eliminated, you can effectively use aerosol bombs or powders on resident spiders.
Sprays can kill visible spiders, and can help immediately reduce numbers in cases of severe infestations. For long-term control, use insecticidal dusts or boric acid (after you’ve made modifications to your house to minimize their presence, of course; chemicals won’t be as effective if you don’t prevent the spiders from entering in the first place).
Indoor aerosol bombs or foggers will be a lot more effective if you’ve done the work to clean up spider hiding places first. They probably won’t provide residual control for any spiders coming in later, though; seal up cracks and openings as described above, if you haven’t already.
It’s crucial that you use a product that’s labeled for use on spiders, and is labeled for indoor use; follow label instructions and do not use more product than recommended. If your first round of fogging doesn’t work, look again for hiding places outside and inside your home, or call in the pros.
Boric acid works, but a bit more slowly. The upside is that it isn’t toxic to humans. Spiders pick it up on their bodies as they go about their business, then ingest it when they groom themselves. If you’re building a house or adding a room, have the wall voids treated with boric acid.
If you spray outside: Reading the small print on the label might not be fun, but it is extremely important. Use only pesticides labeled to be effective against spiders and for use outside; spray around any crack or opening. Do not overspray. Don’t spray the firewood pile, unless you plan on throwing it all away afterwards. It is not safe to burn firewood after you’ve doused it with pesticides.
If getting the insecticidal powder in the walls and behind the baseboards of your home seems overwhelming, save yourself the headaches and call in the pros. Professional pest control operators or exterminators will tackle the job for you, saving you a lot of work and worry. Look for ones with experience with spider problems in your area.
To find more infomation on spider control and find out more about several different varites of spiders, click the spider control link..