Bed bugs are small, nocturnal insects that feed on human and animal blood. These reddish-brown pests, about the size of an apple seed, hide in various household items. Many wonder if common household spiders, known predators of other insects, might offer a natural solution.
Spiders and Bed Bugs A Natural Predation
Some spider species, such as wolf spiders, jumping spiders, running crab spiders, and yellow sac spiders, can opportunistically prey on bed bugs. These generalist predators eat whatever small insects they encounter. Bed bugs, being relatively small, soft-bodied, and slow-moving, can become a meal for these arachnids.
However, such predation is not a primary food source for most spiders. Encounters between spiders and bed bugs are relatively rare due to the bed bugs’ secretive habits. While a spider might consume one or two bed bugs it stumbles upon, this does not represent a sustained or widespread predatory relationship. Spiders simply take advantage of an available food source rather than actively seeking out infestations.
Why Spiders Aren’t a Solution
Despite the occasional predation, spiders do not offer an effective method for bed bug control. The primary reason is the bed bug’s behavior; they are expert hiders, often concealing themselves in cracks, crevices, mattress seams, and behind baseboards. These locations make it exceptionally difficult for spiders to find them. Bed bugs are also largely nocturnal and reclusive, emerging mainly at night to feed.
Most household spiders are opportunistic hunters with limited ranges, and do not typically inhabit the deep, hidden harborage areas where bed bugs reside. Even if they did, the reproduction rate of bed bugs far outpaces any predatory efforts by spiders. A single female bed bug can lay hundreds of eggs in her lifetime, leading to infestations of hundreds to thousands of individuals. This scale is impossible for a few spiders to manage.
Real Solutions for Bed Bugs
Addressing bed bug infestations requires comprehensive and targeted strategies. Professional pest control is widely recommended as the most effective approach for complete bed bug eradication. These experts employ various methods to reach hidden bed bug populations.
Heat treatment is highly effective, as bed bugs and their eggs perish when exposed to high temperatures. Adult bed bugs and nymphs die at 113°F (45°C) if sustained for 90 minutes, while eggs require 118°F (48°C) for the same duration. Professionals often raise room temperatures to between 125°F and 145°F (51-63°C) for several hours to ensure heat penetration into all hiding spots. For infested items, hot laundering and steam cleaning surfaces like mattresses and furniture can also kill bed bugs on contact.
Thorough vacuuming of infested areas can reduce bed bug numbers, though it does not eliminate an infestation. Immediately dispose of vacuum bag contents in a sealed outdoor container after use. Mattress and box spring encasements are specialized covers that trap existing bed bugs, preventing them from feeding and eventually leading to their starvation. These encasements must remain on for an extended period, often 18 months or more, as bed bugs can survive without feeding for a long time.
Diatomaceous earth, a fine powder from fossilized algae, dehydrates bed bugs on contact. This method is slow (9-15 days or 2-4 weeks for results) and does not kill bed bug eggs. It should be used cautiously as a supplement, not as a standalone solution. Vigilant inspection and early detection are also important, as smaller infestations are generally easier to manage. Attempting to eliminate bed bugs with many do-it-yourself methods often proves insufficient and can inadvertently spread the infestation further.