Spider Control in Bakersfield
The spider that matters around Bakersfield homes is the western black widow; most of the rest are a nuisance, not a danger. Control that lasts is mostly physical work like removing webs and sealing gaps, because sprays alone do not keep spiders away.
We only refer companies licensed by the California Structural Pest Control Board.
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The UC Statewide IPM Program says plainly that insecticides "will not provide long-term control" of spiders and should not generally be used against them outdoors. I would not pay for a monthly spray program aimed at spiders alone. I would pay for an inspection, a thorough web and egg sac cleanout, and help sealing the places they get in, especially if you have widows near where kids play.
The spiders you are likely seeing
Western black widow
The adult female is shiny black, about 1/2 inch long, with a red or orange hourglass on the underside of a round abdomen. UC IPM notes the hourglass varies and is occasionally missing. Juveniles and males look nothing like her: they are tan or olive with white stripes. Widows build a tough, messy, sticky cobweb in dark, dry, undisturbed spots. They hang upside down in it. Around homes that means holes and crevices or clutter. Block and rock walls and woodpiles are common spots. So are garages near doors and vents. Our black widow guide covers identification and bites in detail. It also covers safe removal.
Brown widow
Brown widows are mottled tan and brown with gray, and their egg sacs are covered in spiky silk points. UC IPM reported in 2016 that brown widows were established from Santa Barbara to the San Bernardino area and south, and that established populations had not been found in the Central Valley. If you find spiky egg sacs in Bakersfield, that is worth a photo and a second opinion.
Cellar spiders
These are the long, thin-legged spiders in ceiling corners and garages. UC IPM says their fangs are usually too short to pierce human skin, and their main harm is messy cobwebs. The marbled cellar spider, introduced in the 1970s, has largely replaced the older longbodied cellar spider.
Wolf spiders
Wolf spiders hunt on the ground and do not build webs. They are brown to tan with long hairy legs, and their eyes reflect green when you shine a flashlight on them at night. UC IPM says adult males often wander indoors looking for females, and wolf spiders can move into new developments after losing outdoor habitat. That fits newer neighborhoods like Rosedale, where the median home in 93314 was built in 2006 (our Census data).
Brown recluse
UC IPM states the brown recluse "does not occur in California." Individual spiders are occasionally brought in with furniture or firewood. Vehicles bring some in too. There are no breeding populations in the state. Related native recluse species live in the southeastern California deserts, not the San Joaquin Valley. A brown spider in a Bakersfield garage is very unlikely to be a recluse.
If you are not sure what you have, a clear photo settles it faster than a description.
What actually controls spiders
UC IPM tells homeowners to focus on "removing webs and hiding places." In practice:
- Sweep or vacuum webs and egg sacs regularly, along with the spiders themselves. Cover windows and room corners as well as storage areas and spots you rarely touch. UC IPM says vacuuming works because spiders' soft bodies usually do not survive the trip through the hose.
- Cut clutter indoors and out. Keep woodpiles stacked away from the house, keep the foundation free of trash and leaf litter, and store garage items in taped boxes off the floor and away from walls.
- Seal cracks in the foundation and gaps around windows and doors, and keep screens in good repair.
- Move or redirect outdoor lights. Lights draw insects, and insects draw spiders, so UC IPM suggests keeping fixtures off the house and away from doors and windows where possible.
- Check after dark. Widows are nocturnal, so a flashlight walk around the garage door and block wall finds them when they are out on the web. Check the patio furniture too.
- Wear gloves when cleaning out the garage or shed. UC IPM says people are most often bitten while cleaning out or picking up items in the dark, undisturbed places widows like.
Sticky traps are a nonchemical option for indoor wanderers like wolf spiders, as long as pets and children cannot reach them.
What spraying can and cannot do
Spraying without cleanup is temporary, per UC IPM. Widows re-infest treated areas, and spiderlings travel by "ballooning" on silk threads over long distances, so new spiders arrive from outside your yard. UC IPM also found that most spider products are water-based and that water-based products did not affect the contents of brown widow egg sacs, which is one more reason to physically remove egg sacs instead of counting on a spray.
Some tools are limited to professionals. UC IPM notes that sorptive dusts for spiders are restricted to professional applicators. If a company recommends a treatment, ask what product it is, where it goes, and what the label says about keeping kids and pets away until it dries. Read the label yourself if you apply anything.
If you already pay for general pest service for ants or roaches, ask whether web and egg sac removal around eaves and the garage is included. Spiders follow the insects they eat, so fewer bugs around the house means fewer spiders. See general pest control and one-time vs quarterly service for how those plans work.
When a licensed pro is worth it
- You keep finding black widows near doors or play equipment, even after cleanup. Patio furniture and the block wall count too.
- Someone in the house is at higher risk from a bite. UC IPM says small children and older adults are more likely to have serious effects, as are people with health problems.
- You need a long-untouched garage or shed cleaned out and would rather not reach into it yourself. A crawlspace is the same.
- The fix is exclusion work you cannot easily do, such as gaps at the foundation and vents. Eaves and garage door seals are the other usual spots.
We only refer companies licensed by the California Structural Pest Control Board. You can check any company's license yourself in a few minutes, and our cost guide covers what to expect to pay.
If widows keep coming back, ask for a free inspection and a quote before any treatment.
Questions homeowners ask
Are there brown recluse spiders in Bakersfield?
UC IPM says the brown recluse does not occur in California and there are no breeding populations in the state. Single spiders occasionally arrive in furniture or firewood, but a brown spider in a Bakersfield home is very unlikely to be a recluse.
Does spraying get rid of spiders?
Not for long. UC IPM says insecticides will not provide long-term spider control and should not generally be used against spiders outdoors. Removing webs and egg sacs does more. So does clearing clutter and sealing gaps.
Where do black widows hide around a house?
In dark, dry, undisturbed places. Around a house that means garages near doors and vents. It also means woodpiles and block and rock walls. Look in clutter and under patio furniture too. They rarely survive inside the living areas of a home.
Are the long-legged spiders in my house dangerous?
Those are usually cellar spiders. UC IPM says their fangs are usually too short to pierce human skin, and the main problem is messy cobwebs.
Why do I see more spiders near my porch light?
Outdoor lights attract insects, and spiders set up where the food is. Moving fixtures away from doors and windows, or turning them off when not needed, reduces both.