Black Widow Spiders: What You Need to Know

The female black widow is one of the most venomous spiders, identified by a tinted hourglass shape on its abdomen. The male back widow will have yellow, white, and red bands and spots all over their back. They have a jet black appearance and are 6mm to 13 mm long. The notorious spider has several species and is mainly found in the temperate regions of the world.

In your home, you can find them in low-lying webs in barbecue grills, wood piles, garages, and around swimming pools. They’re likely to bite people defensively, especially when their webs are disturbed.

 

Black Widow Infestation

Messy, irregular-shaped webs in your home are the first sign of black widow infestation. Commonly found under furniture or in corners of storage areas and basements, webs indicate spider activity, whether recent or old. Silken sacs also indicate their infestation in doorways, which carry their eggs. If you come across any of these signs, immediately hire extermination services.

 

Reducing The Chances of Infestation

To prevent black widow infestation in your home, declutter your garage and basement by keeping items away from the walls and off the floor. Remove piles of stones, firewood, and other debris as far from home as possible. Keep tall grasses mowed and trim all heavy vegetation as it can attract the black widow spider.

Look for holes and services around your home and seal them all. You can also use weather stripping around windows and doors or place screens over vents and other points of access.

 

Black Widow Bite

The venom of a black widow spider is 15 times more poisonous than a rattlesnake’s. Its bite in humans can lead to muscle aches, diaphragm paralysis, nausea, and breathing difficulties. In several cases, people who have been bitten report no serious harm. However, the bites can be fatal, especially among children and the elderly.

If you think a black widow spider has bitten you, remain calm and immediately seek medical attention. Remember that too much excitement and movement will speed up the flow of venom in your blood. Apply ice to the area, and don’t apply a tourniquet.

 

Black widow spider

 

Treating a spider infestation on your own can be difficult, so seek professional assistance at Kal Pest Solutions. Besides offering spider control services, we also specialize in termite control, mosquito control, fly control, roach extermination, and more. Visit our website to learn more about our pest control company in Benton Harbor.

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