When you hear “black widow spider,” does it scare you a little bit? It probably does. Spiders have grown a reputation through popular culture and mythology for being one of earth’s most frightening creatures. With their slick, shiny black bodies and eight spindly legs, female black widow spiders live up to the hype, despite measuring only 1 ½ inch long. They will also have the iconic red hourglass stamped on their side. Male black widow spiders are actually brown and gray in coloring and are speckled with red, but do not have the hourglass marking.
Habits Of Black Widow Spiders
Black widow spiders tend to seek dry, dark locations to spin their webs. Outdoors, they live underneath stones and decks, and inside hollow tree stumps and firewood piles. They do also like places such as sheds, hen houses, barrels, garages, basements, and crawl spaces. Give them anywhere that’s cluttered and they’re even happier. If you have the presence of black widow spiders in or around your home, it also means that you most likely have a pest infestation of at least one other kind, as spiders are on the hunt for pests like cockroaches, crickets, mosquitoes, and flies.
Black widow spiders have actually created a very impressive method of construction, frustrating as it can be. They use a silk-like substance to weave very intricate webs, typically near drain pipes or under logs. The female hangs upside down to await her prey and when she does, she injects her victim with venom, which leaves them paralyzed.
Though their bites are said to be 15 times more venomous than that of a rattlesnake’s, black widow spiders only bite when they feel that their web has been threatened. That said, if you are bitten by a black widow spider in Opelika, you should seek medical attention immediately, as they can cause severe pain and nausea in bite victims.
Preventing Spiders In Your Home
Black widow spiders love all of the things that your Opelika home can offer them. Here are a few ways that you can prevent them from moving into your home:
- Firewood storage. Black widow spiders love wood, so be sure to store any piles at least 20 feet away from any structures (i.e. sheds, garages, your home) and at least five inches off of the ground.
- Cracks and crevices. Spiders will take advantage of any vulnerability in your home’s structure and crawl right through, as will the pests that they prey on. So be cognizant of any worn weather stripping, holes in screen windows, gaps around doors, and cracks in your home’s foundation and walls.
- Excess moisture. Most of the pests that invade your home, and that black widow spiders feast on, come in search of moisture. It is not only a water source for them but it is also something they utilize to lay their eggs, which spiders also nibble on. Keep an eye out for poor drainage, leaky faucets, still water around your property, or an issue with your irrigation.
- Cleanliness. Every pest from wasps to flies love garbage, so making sure that it’s stored properly and that food or dirty dishes aren’t left out, both inside and outside, is imperative to keeping these nasty pests from congregating around your property.
- Invest in pest control. The most surefire way to keep spiders out of your home is to invest in an ongoing pest control plan for your home. Our treatments not only focus on eliminating spiders and knocking down spider webs, but also focus on getting rid of the insects that attract spiders to our homes.
If you suspect an active black widow spider infestation in your home or place of business, the safest, most effective way to get rid of it is to get in touch with professionals from Prewett Pest Control. We offer effective pest control services in Opelika and the surrounding areas. Contact us to schedule your treatment today!