Do you remember the last time you noticed a spider in your house? Did you back off with a quick fearful breath, or did you get a bit closer, curious to see what it would do next?
Note that of all 35000 species of spiders worldwide, only about a dozen are known to be dangerous to humans. In the US, you need to watch out for only the three species: the female Black Widow, the female brown widow and the Brown Recluse.
In California, the Western Black Widow is one of the most dangerous spider species.
Black Widow spiders are found in every state except Alaska, but they are most prevalent in California where they bite an average of around 60 people a year.
This brings us to the question of whether you should kill a Black Widow if you see one in your house.
It is totally up to you but you must be aware that these spiders can pose a real threat to humans, thus, a bite from a Black Widow will require prompt medical treatment.
However, only the female Black Widow spider is dangerous. The male is just one-third as large as the female, and his fangs are typically too short to penetrate human skin.
Black Widows live alone, away from other spiders of the same species, so there is no danger of being bit by more than one of them at a time.
As these spiders like to crawl into shoes and clothes overnight, to avoid getting bitten, it’s important to shake out your shoes and clothing before you get dressed in the morning.
What Do Black Widow Spiders Look Like?
The female Black Widow spider looks shiny and is marked with a spot of two red triangles on the underside of the abdomen that more often than not form an hourglass shape.
These spiders are typically black but different colorations are also quite common. Some males and young ones can also have orange, white, or red markings on their backs. The average adult size is about one-half to one inch in length.
Where Do Black Widows Live In Houses And Yards?
Black Widow spiders tend to live in any place where they can be protected from light and weather.
Some of the places they inhabit include protected cavities, garages, barns, storage sheds, outdoor toilets, bird’s nests, log piles, animal burrows, under rocks and limbs, on the undersides of plants, cholla cacti, grape arbors, dumps, and heaps of stone.
Outdoor toilets are especially favorite places for them and a large percentage of the bites come from them.
What To Do If You Find A Black Widow Spider In Your House?
Black Widows, just like other spiders, prefer a tranquil, undisturbed existence. They are naturally shy, retiring, not aggressive towards people, and have no desire for human interaction. So there is no need to kill them and if you leave them alone, they will leave you alone, too.
However, if you are afraid of Black Widow spiders and want them out of your house immediately, there is nothing stopping you from killing them.
The best way to kill the spiders is with a broom, stick, shoe, or fly swatter. DDT can be used as an insecticide that will kill the spider if you spray it directly on it or onto its web. These arachnids stay very close to their webs, so spraying the area in general and not the web is not going to kill them at all.
Are Black Widow Bites Lethal?
These spiders are named like this because the females eat the males after mating, thus, leaving the female a widow. They are not named for producing widows in the human species due to their poisonous bites.
Even though the venom of a Black Widow spider is 15 times stronger than that of a rattlesnake, in fact, less than 5 percent of the people bitten by a Black Widow spider die. Deaths usually occur among young children, the elderly, and individuals with a heart or nervous condition, or an intoxicated person. A young, healthy adult will rarely die from the poison.
The bite of a Black Widow spider is so tiny that most people fail to feel it. Though, the after-effects of the bite are generally felt within 3 hours.
The pain can be either intermittent or continuous and goes all over your body, eventually settling in the abdomen and legs. Your abdomen then becomes very stiff and hard.
Symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, tremors, leg cramps, abdominal pain, excessive sweating, loss of muscle tone, and a spike in blood pressure. Some individuals can also experience difficulties breathing and speaking, or become unconscious.
The bitten spot is only slightly noticeable, exhibiting two small puncture wounds and mild swelling.
Remember that if you accidentally come into contact with Black Widows and get bitten, seek medical attention as soon as possible.
Black Widow Spider Control
Keep in mind that any attempt to remove Black Widows yourself can result in you getting bitten! If you need a professional exterminator to safely remove these and other general pests from your Southern California home, we can help!
Pest Patrol provides expert black widow spider removal services in San Diego County so that you can relax in your own home again knowing that your spider problem has been completely eradicated and you can rest assured that you and your family are safe.
One of our experienced exterminators will arrive and thoroughly inspect your house, rental property or HOA to find the source of the problem, including any nests and any attractive hiding spots for these spiders.
So contact Pest Patrol today to request a free estimate for black widow spider removal and control in your house. We guarantee results and you’ll soon discover why we are the best pest control company trusted by the residents of San Diego.