Most spiders in Auburn are harmless, but the black widow is far from harmless. This arachnid has the ability to send a healthy adult to the hospital and can inspire fear in the bravest of people. Before you run and hide from this spider, learn more about it.
How Can You Identify A Black Widow?
A black widow is a black spider, but there are other black spiders in Auburn. The best way to identify this scary arachnid is to look for a red hourglass shape on its underside. However, you can’t identify every black widow this way. Only the females have the marking, and only the females are the ones that should concern you.
Male black widows are black and have no defining markings. They don’t have the same toxins as the females, so you don’t need to fear them. With that said, you probably don’t want them hanging around your property. If you have male black widows, you could have females somewhere close by.
You may be able to identify a black widow by its habits. At the same time, some spiders are content to remain in high traffic areas, black widows like seclusion. They tend to remain in places that don’t get disrupted. For instance, black widows could be in your basement, shed, or garage.
If you find a spider in your home and can’t identify it, don’t try to get too close. Black widows bite when they sense a threat. For your safety, remain at a distance and consult with a pest control professional. They can help you identify the spider and come up with a solution for your pest problem.
The Dangers Of Black Widow Bites
Although you might hear that black widows are highly aggressive, this isn’t the case. These spiders won’t go out of their way to bite you. In fact, black widows only tend to bite when they feel as if you are threatening them. Typically, this is when the females have an egg sac.
Usually, you would actually need to press up against a black widow to be bitten. If a black widow is hiding in your shoe, or you squish one on the wall as you reach for a light switch, you could experience a bite. So, while black widows aren’t aggressive, they can bite you when the circumstances are right.
If you are unlucky enough to be a victim of a black widow, you should seek help from a doctor. A female black widow has a venom full of neurotoxins. When she bites you, the spider injects you with a potentially deadly cocktail. You probably won’t feel pain at first but can expect pain about one to three hours after the bite.
Symptoms of a black widow bite include back pain, vomiting, and fever. If you have young children or older adults in your home, they are particularly vulnerable to the venom. Don’t take any risks, and make sure you call a doctor after a bite occurs.
Keeping Black Widows Away
One way to deter black widows is to keep firewood away from your home. But the true secret of black widow prevention is keeping other pests away. As with all Auburn pests, black widows need to eat. They feed on insects and will only build webs in places with ample insects.
If you don’t want insects and black widows in your home, you need ongoing pest prevention. Here at Prewett Pest Control, we’re more than capable of doing that. We have highly trained team members who have access to the best pest control tools. When you work with us, you can trust that we’ll get the job done. Call us now to learn more.