Yellow Sac Spider Control: How To Get Rid of Yellow Sac Spiders

Yellow sac spiders have become an increasingly common insect invasion in homes and businesses. They can come in many sizes, but they normally range from 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch in length. They have no apparent marks on their bodies and are often light yellow or bright green.

As beneficial pests, yellow sac spiders are hunters who prey upon insects or larger threatening spiders. However, like other spider species, the yellow sac spider is not hesitant to bite people when disturbed. These pests spend much of their time hiding under vegetation or yard debris. They are most commonly found in the yard under areas that provide them with harborage. Homeowners often run into yellow sac spiders when gardening outdoors, moving around the yard debris in their home, and during the cooler seasons. If doors or windows, especially windows to basements, are left open, they might come inside.

If you have yellow sac spiders in your home, we can help. Pest control experts put together our DIY treatment guide to make it easy for you to eliminate yellow sac spiders yourself easily and affordably. Follow the step-by-step directions below carefully to be successful.

Identification

Before completing a treatment program, you must ensure the pest you are dealing with is a yellow sac spider and not some other insect. Misidentification can lead to using the wrong treatment products, which can waste time and money. Below are identifying traits so you know what yellow sac spiders look like for proper identification.

• The yellow sac spider is about 1/4 inch long in body length, including the legs, which are 1 inch.
• Coloration is usually yellow or lime green. Despite their name, they can appear pale or even brown.
• The cephalothorax is often a darker shade than the rest of the spider's body. There is often a dark stripe running down the middle of the abdomen, although this may not be so apparent in every spider, and the tips of the legs are often a darker shade than the rest of the leg.
• The yellow sac spider also has eight eyes in two rows of four.
• Commonly mistaken for brown recluse spiders since they are the same size as yellow sac spiders. Brown recluse spiders are identified by their violin-shaped marks on their cephalothorax.
• Yellow sac spiders are usually shipped in cargo on products such as grapes and other fruits and vegetables you may bring home from the supermarket.
• The yellow sac spider gets its name from how it builds its nest, which isn't a nest at all. The spider shoots out webbing, not in the traditional way, but by shaping their nest in a small tube-like structure that resembles a sac.

Use the image and description above to help you identify yellow sac spiders on your property. If you're having trouble with identification, contact us. We will assist you in correctly identifying the pest and offer you our best product recommendations for the target pest.

Inspection

After you have confirmed that you are dealing with the yellow sac spider, you can move on to inspection. During this phase, you must locate the areas where the yellow sac spider is active and frequent. This will help you determine where you should focus your insecticide treatment.

Where To Inspect

Begin your inspection outdoors. You will focus your search on the yard. Scan yard debris, logs, rocks, stones, woodpiles, leaf litter, gardens, and other possible harborage areas such as underneath debris. Inside the home, inspect the corners of your walls and ceilings.

You may want to prioritize searching rooms with high moisture and seldom visited or food-containing areas, as pests invade structures for these reasons. Also, check underneath and around any clutter or furniture, as these are common hiding places for spiders and other pests.

What To Look For

You are looking for the yellow sac spiders and their sacs. Yellow sac spider egg sacs look like a cluster of about 30 to 40 individual spherical eggs, loosely held together with a thin layer of silk. The sacs are usually found under leaves, yard debris, and other areas that offer protection.

The yellow sac spiders are usually about 1/4 of an inch long and will be pale yellow. If you have found any of these signs, take note of the areas; this is where you will apply the treatment.

Treatment

Once you have confirmed yellow sac spider activity, it is time to begin treatment. Remember to read all product labels, follow the accompanying instructions, and wear personal protective equipment (PPE) to stay safe.

To get rid of yellow sac spiders, we recommend treating them outdoors with Supreme IT Insecticide, treating them indoors with Supreme IT and Pyrid Aerosol, and setting up Solutions Pro Glue Boards for trapping.

Step 1: Preparation

Prepare your home for product application by removing yard debris from around your home.

Remove logs, rocks, stones, leaf litter, woodpiles, dead vegetation, and other areas where Yellow Sac Spiders could hide. Inspect your basement and attic in your home, and remove storage items, bins, and/or boxes to eliminate possible harborage areas. If you keep firewood, properly stack it as far away from your home.

Step 2: Outdoor Treatment with Supreme IT

Supreme IT is our top recommended insecticide concentrate for treating all insects, including the Yellow Sac Spider. Aside from its broad label and quick knockdown, Supreme also has an impressive residual effect, remaining effective for up to 90 days after application. Just a small amount diluted in water will go a long way.

First, apply the product as a perimeter treatment around your home.

Apply 0.33 fluid ounces to 1 whole fluid ounce of Supreme IT per 1 gallon of water per 1,000 sq. ft. 

Use the higher amount if you're dealing with a heavy pest infestation. We recommend making the application with a 1-gallon handheld pump sprayer since it makes mixing and applying the product quick and simple.

To mix your solution, first, fill your sprayer halfway with water. Add your measured amount of product to the sprayer. Then, add the remaining water up to the 1-gallon line. Close the sprayer and shake to ensure an even distribution. Pump the sprayer a few times to produce a low-pressure spray.

To apply your solution as a perimeter application, spray along your home's outer perimeter, 3 feet up the structure, and 3 feet out.

Step 3: Indoor Treatment with Supreme IT

Now, you are ready to apply treatment indoors. You will use three products: Supreme IT, Pyrid Aerosol, and Solutions Pro Glue Boards. Supreme IT will be used in attics and basements, while Pyrid will be used as a contact spray to kill any yellow sac spiders you can find quickly.

Read the label instructions for indoor treatment. Spray along baseboards, around windows, doorways, and other cracks and crevices where you have noticed Yellow Sac Spiders. Also, apply in attics, basements, and garages.

Pyrid Aerosol

Pyrid Aerosol is a ready-to-use botanical insecticide in a convenient aerosol spray. To apply, simply shake, aim, and spray the Pyrid as a contact spray to kill any yellow sac spiders you can find.

Solutions Pro Glue Boards

Solutions Pro Glue Boards come in increments of 12 and are effective for trapping any straggler yellow sac spiders indoors. Place the Solutions Pro Glue Boards in your attic, basement, and garage. This will both prevent and catch the remaining spiders that survived treatment.

Prevention

After treating your home for yellow sac spiders, prevent reinfestation by following the methods listed below.

• Seal and close any potential entry points into your home. Use caulk to seal and close off any slits, gaps, openings, cracks, or crevices both inside and outside your home.
• Repair torn screens or affix brush or rubber seals on doors and windows.
• If possible, eliminate clutter in the yard and indoors (in attics, basements, and garages), such as yard debris and unorganized storage items that could provide a harborage area for spiders.
• Use Supreme IT every 90 days around the perimeter of your property to discourage yellow sac spiders from coming close to your property.

Key Takeaways

What are Yellow Sac Spiders?

• Yellow sac spiders are a nuisance pest because of their sac-building and aggressive nature.

How to Get Rid of Yellow Sac Spiders

• We recommend treating yellow sac spiders with Supreme IT Insecticide to treat the outdoor perimeter. Indoors, we also recommend spraying Supreme IT, direct contact spraying visible spiders with Pyrid Aerosol, and laying out Solutions Pro Glue Board traps.

Preventing Yellow Sac Spider Reinfestation

• Once the infestation has been eliminated, enact preventative measures like sealing and closing off cracks and crevices and spray Supreme IT quarterly for year-long control.