Black Widow Spiders can be a scary and dangerous pest around your home.  This being said, if you know what to look for and how to react if you encounter one, you can possibly avoid the severe negative ramifications.

What They Look Like

The Black Widow Spider is about 1 1/2 inches long with its legs extended or about the size of a quarter. It has the trademark red or yellow hourglass mark is on its underside with a black body.  Black Widow Spiders like dark, moist habitats.  They are often found in boxes, woodpiles, basements, rock walls, garages, utility meters and other places like these.

The web is very sticky and resembles a cobweb.The Black Widow bite mark may be hard to distinguish from other marks. Symptoms of a bite may include nausea, vomiting, profuse sweating, and headache while severe symptoms include cramping, muscle stiffness, and muscle spasms.

Medical Issues

The pain can be intense and the neurotoxin can cause difficulty breathing.  Medical attention should be gotten immediately if you feel a bite has occurred as bites from these spiders can quickly become life threatening especially in the elderly and children.

Around The Home

If you have an issue with black widows around your home you should seek a licensed pest management professional.  We can safely get rid of the problem and set you up on a maintenance program that will minimize the chance they will come back.

Prevention Tips

Remove clutter from attics and garages. Wear gloves when working with a wood pile or when working in your basement or attic and when going through boxes.  If you hang sheets or clothes out to dry be sure to be careful taking them off the line and inspect them thoroughly before bringing them in the house.