What to do about white tails according to Canham Pest Management

And, luckily for the residents of Bathurst, the variations in temperature in our region mean that plenty of spiders tend to seek solace in the comfort of our homes for the cooler night hours.

This means that sightings of white-tailed spiders are on the rise.

But, according to Mick Canham, managing director of Canham Pest Management Services, the eight-legged creatures don't pose as much of a threat as we would think.

White-tailed spiders prey on black house spiders, and black house spiders prey on insects.

When our night lights are lit, the moths and insects come out to play, the black house spiders follow, and attract white tails. It's the circle of a spiders' life.

White tips are often thought to be flesh eaters, causing necrotic wounds and giant scars, but there is no conclusive evidence to prove these theories.

"There has been a lot of studies and research on it, and basically none of them, from actually studying the bites, none of them have actually come up with necrosis," Mr Canham said.

Still, everybody knows a Tom, Dick, or Harry that swears black and blue that they were bitten by a white tail, where the wound turned necrotic and left a gaping hole in their body.

So, there is good reason as to why people wouldn't want them in their homes.

This is where a pest management service, such as Canham's can come in handy.

"The best way to get rid of them is to have your house treated every year," Mr Canham said.

This can be done by either a professional, or by buying a standard bug bomb, and the best part is that the modern-day chemicals used in these bombs aren't what they used to be.

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They are all completely safe for humans, pets and plants.

"It's not like the old days when everything had to come out of the cupboards and that sort of thing, they're all very low in toxicity now," Mr Canham said.

"They will not hurt plants, if anything it does them good because it gets the bugs off them."

And, although you can do it yourself, Mr Canham said the most effective way is to call in the pros, as they know all the tips and tricks to get the job done properly.

"You're better off getting a professional, because we start at the top and we actually dust the roof void," he said.

"Because so many houses today have down lights, it's another entry point into your house. A lot of the times they will come through down exhaust fans, or cracks in the cornice."

By starting from the top, they can ensure that every inch of the inside of your home is covered, they can help to clean up any creepy crawlies, and even come back to do the outside.

Overall, Mr Canham said the best thing to do when dealing with a white-tailed spider is to leave it alone.

"But it's only when you play with them that you get bitten. As far as they're concerned, you're just another piece of furniture in your house that moves," he said.

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