Why docks get so many spiders
If you have a dock on Chickamauga Lake, Nickajack Lake or the Tennessee River, you've probably seen it: one week it's clean, the next it's covered in webs. Dock and boathouse lights pull in swarms of midges, mayflies and other insects off the water at night. Spiders move in to feed on them and build webs on railings, rafters, lights, boat lifts and covers. The busiest time is late summer into fall.
How we treat docks and boathouses
- Clear existing webs and egg sacs from rafters, railings, lights and lifts
- Treat the rafters, railings and corners where spiders build and hide
- Come back on a regular schedule through the warm months so webs don't build back up
Spiders at the house?
Spiders around your home are covered by all of our service plans.
Cut down spiders between visits
- Switch dock lights to yellow "bug" bulbs, or turn them off when you're not using them
- Point lights at the dock instead of out over the water
- Sweep down new webs as soon as you see them
- Keep boat covers, life jackets and gear stored tight and off the floor
Questions about spider control
Are the treatments safe to use over the water?
We only use products labeled for use around docks and waterfront structures, and we apply them exactly as the label directs to protect the lake and the fish in it.