# Spider Control for New Homes — Spider Squad Ontario

## Why New Builds Have Spider Problems

New home buyers often expect a fresh start — no pest history, clean construction, modern seals. In practice, new builds frequently have more spider activity in the first two seasons than comparable resale homes of the same age, for structural reasons.

**Ground disturbance:** Construction excavates and disturbs extensive soil area. Ground-dwelling species — wolf spiders, funnel web spiders, ground beetles that spiders prey on — are displaced during construction and repopulate the disturbed soil around the foundation during and after completion.

**No established barrier:** An existing home in an established neighbourhood may have decades of weatherstripping wear and gap accumulation, but it also has landscaping that's matured away from the building, established drainage, and in many cases prior pest treatment history. A new build has none of this. Every gap at the foundation is fresh construction tolerance.

**Landscaping timing:** New builds typically receive sod and initial landscaping after occupancy, sometimes months after. During this window, the foundation perimeter is bare soil or gravel — ideal ground-contact harbouring for spiders and insects.

**Mulch at the foundation:** When landscaping is installed, fresh mulch placed directly against the foundation is a primary harbouring site. Depth and moisture create an ideal environment for insects — which then attract spiders.

**Adjacent construction:** Subdivision construction means the lot next door, across the street, or behind the property may still be under active build. Heavy equipment movement, grading, and ground disturbance continues to displace ground-dwelling populations toward established structures.

## First-Season Timing

**Optimal first treatment:** Within 30–60 days of move-in. Earlier is better — treating before landscaping is installed avoids the additional disruption of post-landscaping spider movement.

**Spring move-ins:** March–May occupancies should book treatment by June at the latest, ideally late April or May, before peak population activity.

**Summer/fall move-ins:** Book within 2–4 weeks of move-in. Fall move-ins (September–October) should prioritize treatment immediately — fall is peak spider activity and new builds in fall are particularly high-pressure.

**Winter move-ins:** Exterior perimeter treatment is less effective in winter (cold temperatures reduce residual duration). Plan for a spring treatment as the first application.

## What Gets Treated

The standard new home exterior perimeter treatment covers:

- Full foundation perimeter at the building-to-ground contact zone
- Window frames and sills (all floors for accessibility)
- Door frames and thresholds (all exterior doors)
- Garage exterior (door frame, threshold, foundation perimeter)
- Soffits and eaves accessible from ground level

For new builds with unfinished basements, interior spot treatment is recommended as an add-on — unfinished basement space in a new build is high-pressure harbouring territory for wolf spiders and cellar spiders.

## Builder Program Option

Some builders offer Spider Squad treatment as part of the builder warranty package or optional upgrade. If your builder includes this, the treatment is coordinated at or before occupancy date. If not, Spider Squad can be booked directly by the buyer.

For builders interested in incorporating Spider Squad as a standard offering: contact 905-935-7498 or darian@spidersquad.ca.

## What to Do Before Treatment

For a new build exterior treatment: nothing is required. The exterior is accessible and typically clear. If requesting interior basement treatment, remove any boxes or materials stored against the foundation walls and ensure the technician can access all perimeter zones.

## Ongoing Annual Program

After the first-season treatment, an annual program (or spring + fall program) maintains the barrier year-over-year. By year two, the landscaping is established, ground disturbance has settled, and the spider pressure from adjacent construction has reduced — maintenance treatments are typically lower intensity than the first-season treatment.

To book: 905-935-7498 or spidersquad.ca.