Spiders
Black Widow – Latrodectus mactans
Appearance
Black Widow range in size to about 3/4-inch. They have large, round, shiny black abdomens with two red touching triangles, forming an hourglass, on the belly.
Behavior
Perhaps the most widely recognized and feared of the order Araneae, the Black Widow has gained its reputation because of its bright red hourglass and its painful bite. Black Widows are not aggressive but will give full attention to anything that disturbs their web. Females will lay large egg sacks in secluded places such as stacked pots or baskets, firewood piles, rodent burrows, water meters, stacked boards, under bricks, and in corners. The new hatchlings climb to the highest point and release a long strand of silk until the wind sends the spider air-born, a technique called ballooning. After ballooning many spiders will find their way to residential structure. A Black Widow’s bite is immediately painful. The pain at the site of the bite increases during the first half hour, and two small red marks from the fangs appear. After the first half-hour dizziness, shortness of breath, abdominal and back pain set in. The bites are rarely fatal to a healthy adult, but children, elderly, and ill people are much more susceptible.
Habitat
Black Widows form thick, dense, irregular webs in areas sheltered from the elements. For home owners they are most often found near front doors nesting in cracks, in the garage nesting around boxes, and nesting underneath objects around the house. They prefer isolated and sheltered areas where other insects are likely to pass. Shoes left outside have also been a notorious nesting place for Black Widows.
Control Advice
Control any clutter especially in the garage. By moving boxes 6 inches away from walls will decrease the likelihood of Black Widow nests. Shake out any shoes left outside. If a nest is found carefully approach the nest, and do not disturb it. A vacuum can be used to get rid of the spider, but often does not take care of hatchlings. Because of its dangerous nature control is best left to a professional such as Precise.
Brown Recluse – Loxosceles reclusa
Appearance
They have a dusky-tan or brown color and will range in size up to about 5/8 inch in length, and about one and a half inches in diameter. Their distinguishing mark is the dark fiddle-shaped marking on the head. The broad base of the fiddle begins at the eyes and the narrow fiddle neck ends just above the attachment of the abdomen. They also have six tightly clustered eyes, and two large fangs.
Behavior
These spiders do not seek out people to bite, but are relatively aggressive especially if they feel threatened. Recluses forage for food, in addition to weaving webs, and are relatively active. Most activity occurs during the night, and is often not noticed by homeowners. People are usually bit while putting on a shoe, crawling into bed, or putting on clothes. Recluse like hiding in such places temporarily because they offer a cool and dark environment. Bites are sharp but not initially painful and may not be initially noticed. A blister is then raised, broken, and surrounded by a red welt. The depressed center of its raised, red circle (about the size of a dime to a quarter) turns dark within days. The dead tissue sloughs off and the wound expands leaving an open ulcerating sore. Tissue necrosis can occur and scarring can be severe. If bitten by a brown recluse seek medical attention.
Habitat
Recluses avoid parts of rooms where human activity is prevalent. The recluse nest often in attics, garages, and wall voids, and then move into living areas. Corners in unoccupied rooms and practically any corner throughout the home offers a Brown Recluse harborage.
Control Advice
Put stored clothes and shoes in plastic casings. Move beds away from walls in any unoccupied rooms, and shake out bedding before getting into bed. Any object, such as bed skirts, or bed spreads, that contact the floor give Brown Recluse easy access into beds. Brown Recluse move quickly, and are often difficult to control. Contact a professional such as Precise in order to control Brown Recluse, especially if they are seen during the day.
Wolf Spider
Appearance
Wolf spiders come in a variety of sizes and are mostly brown, but some are black. They will be up to 1 1/2 inches long and leg spans up to 3 inches. The most distinguishing characteristic is their hairy bodies.
Behavior
Like their name implies Wolf spiders are predatory, and seek out their prey. They will hunt during both the day and the night. Wolf spiders carry their egg sacks on their abdomen attached to their spinnerets. Their bite is painful but not serious.
Habitat
Wolf spiders are most often found outdoors around the home in landscaped areas, grass, mulch, and around bushes. They usually stay on the ground in search of prey. They will generally breed outdoors and do not set up nests as often inside of homes. They will often enter homes under doors and through cracks.
Control Advice
Because there is not usually an infestation problem removal of the invader by vacuum is generally sufficient. Because they are primarily outside setting up a perimeter around the home will help to decrease penetration into the house. These spiders most often enter through the garage so make sure garage doors have a tight seal.
