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Black widows are spiders found across the world and are one of the most venomous species in the United States. Even though black widow bites are rarely fatal and only happen when you provoke a spider, they can still cause a lot of pain and make you extremely sick. If you’re worried about a spider you found near your home, there are many ways to tell if you’re dealing with this dangerous species. We’ll start with some distinguishing physical features to look out for and move on to information about the spiders’ webs and where to find them.
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionHow can I get rid of black widow spiders naturally?Elmer Bensinger is a Pest Control Specialist with Eden Advanced Pest Technologies in Spokane, Washington. With over 20 years of experience, Elmer specializes in integrated pest management and products such as insecticides and rodenticides. He studied business at South Puget Sound Community College.If you can eliminate their food source, they won't stay there. Black widows usually make their webs down low, so to cut off their food source, you want to trim back vegetation and remove clutter.
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QuestionCan I use pesticides to get rid of black widows?Elmer Bensinger is a Pest Control Specialist with Eden Advanced Pest Technologies in Spokane, Washington. With over 20 years of experience, Elmer specializes in integrated pest management and products such as insecticides and rodenticides. He studied business at South Puget Sound Community College.Spraying pesticides around the outside of your house will help because it will reduce their food source and deter them from staying there. If you're seeing a ton of them, I would definitely get an expert out there to see what's going on though.
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Tips
- Black widows aren’t aggressive, so it’s not likely that you’ll be bitten by one unless you provoke it. [14] X Research sourceThanks
- Wear gloves and long-sleeved shirts when you’re working somewhere where a black widow may hide so you’re less likely to get bitten. [15] X Trustworthy Source US Occupational Safety and Health Administration U.S. government agency responsible for setting and enforcing workplace safety standards Go to sourceThanks
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Warnings
- Black widows are extremely venomous. If you get bitten by a black widow, seek medical help right away. [16] X Trustworthy Source MedlinePlus Collection of medical information sourced from the US National Library of Medicine Go to sourceThanks
- Black widow bites feel like a pinprick at first, but they can lead to swelling, pain, difficulty breathing, nausea, and sweating within 1 hour. [17] X Research sourceThanks
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References
- ↑ https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/black_widow_spider.pdf
- ↑ Elmer Bensinger. Pest Control Specialist. Expert Interview. 5 February 2021.
- ↑ https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/black_widow_spider.pdf
- ↑ http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74149.html
- ↑ http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74149.html
- ↑ https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/home/the-black-widow/
- ↑ https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/invasive-wildlife-control/black-widow-and-recluses/
- ↑ https://www.livescience.com/39919-black-widow-spiders.html
- ↑ https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/home/the-black-widow/
- ↑ http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74149.html
- ↑ https://idfg.idaho.gov/sites/default/files/we_octt17blackwidowspider_final.pdf
- ↑ http://ipm.ucanr.edu/PMG/PESTNOTES/pn74149.html
- ↑ https://www.aces.edu/blog/topics/home/the-black-widow/
- ↑ https://idfg.idaho.gov/sites/default/files/we_octt17blackwidowspider_final.pdf
- ↑ https://www.osha.gov/sites/default/files/publications/black_widow_spider.pdf
- ↑ https://medlineplus.gov/ency/article/002858.htm
- ↑ https://kidshealth.org/en/kids/black-widow.html
About This Article
Article Summary
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To identify a black widow, look for traits commonly found on black widows, like a bright red marking that resembles an hourglass on the spider’s round belly, which are found on female spiders. Additionally, female black widows will have shiny, hairless black bodies, and males are marked with brown and white. All black widows have long legs, and their hind legs are covered in bristles, which help them kill their prey. For more tips for spotting a black widow spider, including how to identify a black widow’s web, keep scrolling!
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Reader Success Stories
- "Thanks to this article, I was able to tell that the house that I have just moved into was infested with about 20 black widows. If I had listened to my friends, I'd probably be in the hospital or worse from getting bit. Thank you to all the people who posted all of this information. It probably saved my life." ..." more
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"Thanks to this article, I was able to tell that the house that I have just moved into was infested with about 20 black widows. If I had listened to my friends, I'd probably be in the hospital or worse from getting bit. Thank you to all the people who posted all of this information. It probably saved my life."
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"I like how when talking about the eyes and the mouth those were outlined, it's quite helpful when you're not not sure exactly sure what to look for. Very helpful overall. I was able to rule out what I had found as being a black widow. Thanks."
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"I know little about spiders, but living in the south, we see many. I learned from this article about identifying a spider, their webs, and whether or not they're poisonous."
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"I was searching for info on the color variations of the hour-glass. I was thinking that the males had the different colors but this article cleared that up for me."
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"Answered my question about a spider that looked similar to a black widow, but not the common variety. "
