What you Need To Know About Black Widow Spiders
Black widow spiders are well known for their red markings and feared for their venom, yet they really have a tendency to avoid people, and their bites seldom result in death. Although these spiders may make people uncomfortable, their managed presence can really benefit the home and its surroundings. discover out more about black widow spider identification, what to do if you discover one, and how to stop infestations in your house.
Black Widow Spiders: What Are They?
Latrodectus is the scientific name for this species of spider, which is more often known as the black widow. Arachnids may all be recognized by their eight legs and absence of antennae. The thorax is located in the front of their bodies, and the abdomen is located in the back.
What Do Black Widow Spiders Look Like?
Even though they are not normally visible from the outside, black widow spiders are usually rather simple to spot. An mature female black widow is about 1.5 inches long, with a shiny, black body and a rounded belly. Her abdomen typically has marks in the shape of an hourglass that are typically red but can also be orange, yellow, or even white.
Black widow spiders are actually highly colorful as youngsters, but as the female spider ages, the colors all fade to black save for the red markings, which eventually take on the shape of an hourglass. (One of our Hawx team members has observed red-spotted Black Widow Spiders in their place.)
Black widow males lack the hourglass pattern, are smaller, gray or brown in color, and have red or pink spots instead. The male spider is relatively solitary and is not frequently observed by people.
Where Do Black Widow Spiders Live?
Although some are found in the northern states as well, black widow spiders are primarily found in the south and west of the United States. They flourish in urban or suburban environments, meadows, deserts, and woodlands. Black widow spiders prefer to be close to human habitations because at night, the lights of the home draw insects that serve as their prey.
These spiders can be found in dark, quiet places, but they can also slither into places you wouldn’t expect, like a pair of abandoned gardening gloves. Black widows are most frequently encountered near your home in situations like:
Bundles of wood
leaves or brush heaps
shed or garage corners
between stray rocks or stones
crawl spaces and basements that are rarely disturbed
Behind flowerpots
gloves for gardening inside
Throughout boots or shoes
Around and between outdoor trash cans
What Foods Consume Black Widow Spiders?
In an environment where they have access to food, a black widow spider can live for one to three years. To capture their prey, these creatures create webs. The webs don’t resemble the orb spiders’ symmetrical webs. In contrast, the webs appear twisted and disorganized.
The web is a trap for prey, which can be any of the following:
Grasshoppers, Flies
Beetles
Caterpillars
Cockroaches
small snakes, lizards, or vertebrates
The prey is stunned by a black widow spider bite before being injected with poison to render it paralyzed. The insect is then carried off by the spider to be eaten.
Despite the black widow spider’s well-known reputation for mating, consuming, or even killing her partner, this doesn’t always happen. In reality, it takes place in only 2% of black widow spider mating situations. The guy typically bolts off right away after mating. However, as soon as they hatch, newborn spiders have the ability to consume their siblings.
What Signs Point to a Black Widow’s Web?
Many other spiders’ clean geometric forms are not visible in a black widow’s web. Typically, the bugs create tangled, asymmetrical webs. Due to the unusual shape of the webbing, you could initially believe that you are viewing a web that has been partially damaged or destroyed.
The web’s location can also offer hints. Typically, black widows like to construct their webs near to the ground.
What Attracts The Black Widow?
Black widows frequent areas with food sources. Black widows are therefore more prone to settle in homes and flats where there are infestations of flies, ants, gnats, fleas, and other pests.
If black widows discover dim, concealed spaces within, they are more inclined to stay. They prefer the warmer areas of a house.
Why are There So Many Black Widows Around My House?
If there are a lot of black widow spiders in your home, there are probably lots of hidden dark spaces where other pests can hide. Furniture and gardening equipment can be considered clutter. If you leave wood piles unsecured or have leaves and grass clippings in your yard, spiders are more likely to come to your property. Black widows may also be drawn to decaying stumps left over from tree removal.
Are Black Widows Dangerous?
Although black widow spiders are not often aggressive toward people, they may bite if they feel threatened, such as if someone unintentionally enters their territory and disturbs them.
Black widow spider venom has been determined to be 15 times more potent than rattlesnake venom, gram for gram (fortunately, the amount that would enter your system is far lower than that from a rattlesnake bite). Although black widow bites seldom result in fatalities, they can nevertheless have effects on people.
There are probably additional black widow spiders around if you locate one on your property. Black widow spiders move quickly, especially if they perceive a threat. Although you can attempt vacuuming the spider up or using an insecticide spray, hiring a reputable pest control firm is the safest course of action.
Fill any gaps near the foundation of your home where they might enter with foam or caulk. Maintain a clean environment and remove any food that may attract insects from the kitchen and other locations. As there won’t be any prey inside, this will also keep black widow spiders out.
Other advice for avoiding black widows is as follows:
reducing clutter and hiding areas for spiders
Away from the house, away from the firewood
examining garden debris or indoor plants in pots before taking them inside
What to Do About Black Widow Eggs?
Don’t attempt to remove black widow eggs by yourself if you come across any. The best course of action for dealing with eggs is to get in touch with a pest control business right away.
Licensed pest control specialists can safely treat spider eggs before they hatch using products and tools. Some of these remedies might also aid in the local black widow adult population’s eradication.
How To Get Rid of Black Widows
In order to prevent black widow spiders from unintentionally harming people, it is best to contact a reputable pest control company like Truly Green Pest Control because these arachnids can bite and become aggressive when threatened. Regular chores and inspections performed by a professional spider control agency help to control a black widow spider infestation and safeguard your property from future infestations.
