It doesn't take much bad publicity to ruin someone's image. In the case of spiders, their image was ruined a long time ago by Halloween and horror movies. The truth is that not all spiders are dangerous. Many could only hurt a fly – literally. Only a couple of spiders are dangerous here in Buckeye, one of which is the black widow. To help you better understand these dangerous pests, here is everything you need to know.
Identifying Black Widow Spiders
Black widows are by no means the most common home-invading spider here in Buckeye, but they are a pest that should always be on your radar due to their threat level. You can identify a female black widow spider by its black color, large abdomen, and the red hourglass on its underside.
Black widows are most active when the weather is around 70 degrees or higher but can survive at much lower temperatures due to an antifreeze-like chemical inside their bodies.
Around homes, black widows will weave irregularly shaped webs in dark, secluded areas, usually in the corners of rooms. Outdoors, they will stick to protected locations such as beneath porches, inside firewood piles, under stones, and inside hollow tree stumps. Be especially cautious of black widows inside garages, barns, outhouses, sheds, meter boxes, barrels, and brick veneer as these are all areas they like to hide.
Problems Black Widows Cause
Black widows are not aggressive pests. They will not go out of their way to attack you while you're sleeping or wandering around your home. The only time a black widow will bite is when they feel directly threatened or trapped. You are most likely to be bitten right after a black widow lays her eggs, especially if she feels you are getting too close or threatening her babies.
Symptoms of a black widow bite include increased blood pressure, sweating, nausea, fever, and immediate pain centralized around the bite location. The pain caused by a black widow often lasts for several hours and peaks within one to three hours. Although rare, bites from these spiders can be fatal. If you have any health conditions, a black widow bite might affect you more severely than it will others. Children and the elderly are also at higher risk of fatality. To understand your risk, consult with a doctor.
Prevention Tips
Black widow spiders invade homes to hunt for other insects and spiders. The fewer pests your home has, the less likely you'll be to have problems with this dangerous arachnid.
Use these simple prevention tips to limit your exposure to black widows around your Buckeye home:
Invest in quality lawn care services.
Trim back tree branches and shrubbery at least 5 feet from your home's exterior.
Use a caulking gun to fill in holes, gaps, and cracks in your home's exterior foundation.
Make sure your window and door screens, weatherstripping, and door sweeps are in good working condition.
Address moisture issues around your home by fixing leaks, repairing broken gutters, and using a dehumidifier.
Keep your home clean.
Use a broom to clear out spider webs as you find them.
When it comes to preventing dangerous spiders, you shouldn't settle for anything but the best. At Triton Pest & Weed Control, LLC, we offer advanced solutions for black widows and the pests they hunt. Our pest technicians are highly trained, equipped with industry-leading tools, and ready to get your home the treatment it deserves. We are known as one the tope pest control providers in Buckeye with a reputation of top customer service, and 100% effective Pest Control treatments. Call us today or reach out through our website to discuss your options for services and schedule an appointment for your Buckeye property. Learn more about our home pest control and commercial pest control offerings.