Why Your Lake House Has So Many Spiders & What To Do

Living on Lake Ray Hubbard offers beautiful sunsets and great fishing, but it comes with a "Lake Tax": Spiders. If you live in The Shores, Chandler’s Landing, or anywhere near the water, you know the drill. You clean your boat dock on Friday, and by Saturday morning, it’s covered in webs again.

At Rockwall Pest Control, we’ve spent 25 years battling the "Lake Ray Hubbard Ecosystem." Here is your official guide to what is crawling on your dock, why they are there, and how to keep them off your boat.

Unlike the spiders inside your attic (like Brown Recluses), the spiders on your dock are usually there for one reason: The Buffet.

The Architect: Long-Jawed Orb Weaver

• What they look like: Long, skinny bodies with long legs. They often sit in the center of a circular web.
• Where you see them: Eaves, boat lifts, and railing.
• The Annoyance: They are the "mess makers." They build massive webs overnight to catch flying insects. In extreme cases on Texas lakes, they can build "communal webs" that cover entire trees or docks.
• Danger Level: Low. They are not aggressive and rarely bite. They are just gross to walk through.

The Hunter: Wolf Spider

• What they look like: Large, hairy, and brown. They look scary (like mini tarantulas).
• Where you see them: Running across your dock or patio floor. If you shine a flashlight on your grass at night, the green sparkles you see are their eyes reflecting back at you.
• The Annoyance: They don't build webs; they hunt on foot. They are fast and startle people.
• Danger Level: Low/Medium. A bite hurts (like a bee sting), but they usually run away unless cornered.

The Giant: Fishing Spider (Dock Spider)

• What they look like: Massive. They can be 3-4 inches wide. They are often confused with Wolf Spiders but are found strictly near water.
• The "Cool" Factor: They can literally run on top of the water to catch minnows and tadpoles.
• Danger Level: Low. Despite their size, they want nothing to do with humans.

If you have a spider problem, you actually have a Midge problem.

Midges are those clouds of "blind mosquitoes" that swarm Lake Ray Hubbard in the spring and summer. They are attracted to the lights on your boat dock.

• The Cycle: Your dock lights turn on 
• ➡️Millions of midges swarm the light 
• ➡️Spiders move in for an all-you-can-eat buffet.

Paul’s Pro Tip:

"You can spray for spiders all day, but if you don't change your lighting, they will come back tomorrow. Switch your exterior dock bulbs to Yellow LED ‘Bug Lights’ or install motion sensors so the lights aren't on all night. If the food source (the midges) goes away, the spiders will move to your neighbor's dock."
 

A spider-infested boat is a misery. Here is the 3-step protocol we use for our Rockwall clients:

1. The "Sweeping" Rule: You must physically remove the webs and egg sacs. If you just spray them, the old webs remain and collect dust/bugs, making your dock look dirty. Use a Webster (the duster on a long pole) once a week during peak season.
2. Essential Oils: Spiders "taste" with their feet. They hate strong scents. Peppermint oil or citrus-based sprays applied to your boat cover can act as a natural deterrent between professional treatments.
3. The Mist System: For high-end docks, the only "set it and forget it" solution is an automated misting system (pyrethrum-based) that runs for 30 seconds at dusk and dawn.

Living on the lake means you will never be 100% spider-free—that’s nature. But you shouldn't have to dodge webs to get to your boat.

Call Rockwall Pest Control if:

• You see Black Widows or Brown Recluses (identifiable by the red hourglass or fiddle shape). These are dangerous and require professional removal.
• The webs are returning faster than you can clean them.
• You need a "clean out" before a big holiday weekend or party.

Serving Rockwall, Heath, and the Lake Ray Hubbard community since 2001.

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