Some spiders are found in cool/moist areas such as basements, and crawl spaces. Spiders require water to drink, but more importantly some insects are drawn to moist areas for water, reproduction, development, and/or a suitable place to live. These moist areas are primary sites for these spiders to catch their prey. Spiders are also found in warm/dry areas like subfloor air-vents, in upper corners of rooms or in attics. These spiders specialize in catching insects that are in dry areas, and the spiders obtain their water from eating the insects.
Different spiders have varying hunting techniques. Some spiders are web building, and capture their prey on webs. Other spiders hunt without webs, these spiders capture their prey by moving to a suitable area and then capturing insects by jumping, or grabbing them. Web building spiders are most often noticed by their webs and can be removed with a broom, vacuum or mop for temporary management.
Long term management can be achieved by sealing up cracks and crevices around the structure to prevent spiders from migrating in from outside. Spiders already present in the house may be removed or killed. Removal of spiders should also include their webs and egg sacs to prevent further infestations. The best way to remove spiders, webs, and egg sacs is with a vacuum or broom. More aggressive techniques may be needed to destroy spiders breeding in hard to reach areas. These techniques may include one or several of the following: dusting behind wall voids, dusting behind siding, dusting weep holes, spraying targeted areas with a residual chemical and spraying the exterior