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Poisonous Critters in the Crawl Space by Erby the Central Kentucky Home Inspector

By
Home Inspector with B4 U Close Home Inspections&Radon Testing (www.b4uclose.com)

I've been fortunate that in all the crawl spaces in all the world (that I've been into) I hadn't yet found any of those nasty poisonous critters that tend to inhabit those dark nether regions of a house.

Until TODAY that is.  Inspecting a brand new (one year, never been occupied) home in a subdivisiion north of Georgetown, Kentucky

Fortunately I saw her before she saw me.

Black Widow Spider by Erby the Central Kentucky Home Inspector

 

Pretty as she was, there was still an audible "pop" as gloved hands sent her to Heaven.  Along with a short note in the buyer's report about treating the crawl space for spiders.

Worst I've ever ran into before (and still) was a snarling possum behind a piece of plywood in the dirt floored cellar of an older home during a Georgetown, KY Home Inspection.

Posted by

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Erby Crofutt
KY Lic# HI-2041
B4 U Close Home Inspections & Radon Testing
Georgetown, KY
www.b4uclose.com
502-570-4054
859-797-3873
877-513-8235

 

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Why should you hire Erby to inspect your home?  See what past clients have to say!!

Here's what a couple of B4 U Close clients say: (Clicki the line above to see others)

I think the current owners are a little angry about the thorough inspection you did. They didn't have one done and it cost them $18K.  I, my loan officer and my agent think a home inspection is well worth what I paid.

Nathan, Morehead, KY Inspection  (20101012B)

Thank You for the outstanding job you did on the inspection.  We bought and sold 9 houses and this was the only inspection that was ever done properly.  It was helpful and we will use it to do the repairs with a system, instead of the guess work we usually do.  Thanks again

Mike & Barbara, Stamping Ground, KY Inspection (20050603

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Comments (38)

Darleen McCullen
Raleigh, NC
Broker - Raleigh, NC Real Estate
That's scary. This is funny...long before I became a real estate agent, I thought about being a home inspector - but knew I didn't want to do crawl spaces. I told this to my home inspector - and his reply was, "Girl, you won't be in business very long if you only want to inspect slab homes." LOL. I decided to be a real estate agent instead...
Apr 15, 2008 02:14 PM
Vince Santos
StepByStep Home Services LC - Canton, MI
Southeast Michigan Home Inspector
Just looking at that photo makes me put my feet up on my chair. My worse inspection fear is being in a crawlspace and having a spider crawl down my back. Around here I think the only dangerous spider is a brown recluse. However Detroit is home to some dog sized rats that will take you down.
Apr 15, 2008 04:43 PM
Katherine Anderson
Coldwell Banker Hobin Realty, LLC - Hampton & Rye, NH, USA - Exeter, NH
Managing Broker
Wow.  That sure would scare me!  My brother is a a licensed pest control person in Ohio and he has told me some crazy crawlspace stories.  Once, he was in a crawl and noticed a horrible smell that seemed to be coming from a "package" that was all wrapped up in a blanket.  He told the homeowner, who in turn contacted the police.  Everyone thought it was a dead baby and my brother certainly didn't want to touch it.  Turned out to be a dead cat wrapped up in that blanket.  Why?  Who knows!  You just never know what you'll find!
Apr 16, 2008 02:51 AM
Julie Kippen
Vernal, UT
Sounds like it can be a dangerous job. Great picture. The red on her underside was a really bright red.
Apr 19, 2008 10:51 AM
Jim Ellis
Ellis Home Inspection Services - Pensacola, FL
Great picture Erby! I have seen only one of those spiders in the 10 years of crawling in, up and around homes. It too was in a new home but in the kitchen!
Apr 19, 2008 11:10 PM
Rick Harrington
Patch Independent Home Inspections, LLC - Columbus, OH
Specialist--Infrared Residential

We do have some fun eh?

Here is another ... just a good picture I thought.  Anyone know what kind this is?

Apr 20, 2008 01:56 AM
Erol Kartal
Schaumburg, IL

In Chicago it's just spiders and cats. I don't know if I could this in a rattlesnake or scorpion area.

Commercial Building Inspection Chicago

Apr 29, 2008 02:40 PM
Nathan Cook
BCR (Brazosland Classic Realty) - College Station, TX

Erby, Have seen those "beauties" before.  Good thing you got to her first. Of course here in Texas we have scorpions, too.

To answer Rick's question, why don't you Google "banana spider" and see if you can picture match the one you are seeing there. At least that is what we call them here.  It may be one of its' many common names. You see them most frequently in the underbrush.

http://www.surviveoutdoors.     com/reference/spiders/banana_spider.asp

Copy this link and remove the spacing between the dot and com to see another picture.

Intersting profession, Erby...guess you see it all.

 

Jun 20, 2008 09:46 AM
Lynn911.com ~ Dallas Real Estate Agent Top Team
Dallas Houses for Rent Dallas Apartment Rentals Lynn911.com - Dallas, TX

I never thought about inspectors and some of the situations you place yourself in daily in crawl spaces.  I am assured some of stories are GREAT.  Have a wonderful weekend

Aug 23, 2008 02:21 AM
Jack Gilleland
Home Inspection and Investor Services, Clayton - Clayton, OH

I really, really hate spiders.  I'd rather have dealt with the possum.  Found one of her cousins under a well head just 2 days ago.  Had a white hour glass instead of red.  I don't know what the difference is but to me it's just another spider.

Aug 23, 2008 03:05 PM
Bob Cumiskey
A1 Connection Realty, Inc. - Sun City Center, FL
US Army Retired, Your Sun City Center, Florida ~ Realtor

Erby - Wow.  When we bought our house in Texas, there were two of these beauties between the windows and screens in the kitchen.  My wife freaked out.  We almost had to move out of the state. I did manage to dispose of them, and we did a thorough sweep of the house to her satisfaction, but it was a constant search from day one.  Stay safe.

Aug 24, 2008 02:45 AM
Phillip R. Smith Sr.
Home Sweet Home Inspections - Northport, AL

I run across a lot of them this year. Most of them have been in the water meter box.

Aug 25, 2008 03:34 AM
Not a real person
San Diego, CA

It's too bad that you "sent her to heaven." They are very beautiful and useful creatures. As my wise old grandmother said, "All God's creatures have a right to live."

Nov 29, 2008 06:19 AM
Erby Crofutt
B4 U Close Home Inspections&Radon Testing (www.b4uclose.com) - Lexington, KY
The Central Kentucky Home Inspector, Lexington KY

Tell the Grizzly Bears and Great Whites that you have a right to live in their territory!

Nov 29, 2008 07:05 AM
Jack Feldmann
Clayton Inspection Service, Inc. - Knoxville, TN

Erby,

Before I enter a crawlspace I usually use my little broom to clear the webs out of the way. I noticed that black widow webs seem to be much stronger than other spiders. When I feel the difference in the web, I go on high alert for the little critters. I have no trouble crushing them, and their little egg clusters.

I opened a crawlspace door earlier this year, and there was a huge black widow on the door, along with several hundred little babies. I used my wasp spray on them.

My opinion on letting them stay was changed after I found several black widows in the back of my truck. I must have got an egg cluster on my little broom, and brought it back to my truck - then they hatched. Spent an entire day cleaning out the back of my truck.

Nov 30, 2008 12:25 AM
Erby Crofutt
B4 U Close Home Inspections&Radon Testing (www.b4uclose.com) - Lexington, KY
The Central Kentucky Home Inspector, Lexington KY

Heh heh, what's that crawling up your leg, Jack.  Do you know?

Dec 15, 2008 02:30 AM
Suesan Jenifer Therriault
JTHIS-Professional Home Inspection Team - Blakeslee, PA
"Inspecting every purchase as if it were my own".

Crawlspaces are generally a breeding ground for all sorts nasty stuff. Despite knowing all this, we used to simply open the access and allow the crawlspace to vent. Never, not once did we worry about what we were wearing. In the summer we wore short sleeves, in the winder a jacket or a hoodie.

Till this past summer, then this all changed. My husband was biten by a Brown Recluse Spider. He was definietly one of the lucky ones and didn't suffer any of the serious skin and muscle damage that the poison from this spider can cause. There was discomfort and mild fever for close to a week, skin discoloration and peeling as well. He did eventually heal completely, but the entire process took over 3 months.

Bottom line is.... you can't be too careful. I would have never considered killing a spider in a crawlspace before. Now... it's every man for himself. If I can't identify it as harmless, it's a goner.

Dec 29, 2008 01:04 AM
Erby Crofutt
B4 U Close Home Inspections&Radon Testing (www.b4uclose.com) - Lexington, KY
The Central Kentucky Home Inspector, Lexington KY

Suesan:  I'm glad to hear your husband was one of the lucky ones in that he didn't get the serious damage most people get from it.  I feel the same as you, not harmless - it's a goner!

Be careful in there!

Dec 30, 2008 02:42 AM
Suesan Jenifer Therriault
JTHIS-Professional Home Inspection Team - Blakeslee, PA
"Inspecting every purchase as if it were my own".

Thanks Erby, We'll certainly be more careful from now on.

Sue

Dec 30, 2008 02:57 AM
Erby Crofutt
B4 U Close Home Inspections&Radon Testing (www.b4uclose.com) - Lexington, KY
The Central Kentucky Home Inspector, Lexington KY

You're welcome, Sue.  Have a Happy New Year!

Dec 30, 2008 10:05 PM