Black Widow | Violin Spider
Control Measures | Prevention

Black Widow identification: About 1/2 inch in length and jet black in color, the most famous marking on the spider is the red hour glass shape marking on the underside of the female. Young black widows are orange and white, becoming more black with each molt (shedding of skin). The male, which is rarely seen has four pairs of red marks along the sides of the abdomen.
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Life cycle: Approximately 300 to 400 eggs are laid in silken sacs. Four to nine sacs maybe produced by a single female during the course of a summer. The eggs hatch in about 8 to 10 days, and spiderlings will emerge after about 2 to 4 weeks. Females can live nearly 3 years.

Health & property concerns: The venomous bite of the Black Widow spider, causes muscular spasms and breathing difficulty among humans and could be fatal.

Violin Spider identification: Also known as the Brown Recluse spider, are about 1/4 to 1/2 inch long, soft-bodied, yellowish-tan to dark brown, and have long grayish to dark brown delicate legs covered with short, dark hairs. The leg span is about the size of a half dollar. Distinguishing characteristics are the presence of three pairs of eyes arranged in a semicircle on the forepart of the head and a violin-shaped, dark marking immediately behind the semicircle of eyes with the neck of the violin pointing towards the bulbous abdomen. The eight legs and violin marking appear on the flattened-like cephalothorax (combined area of the head and thorax). Both the male and female brown recluse spiders are similar in appearance and equally toxic. The immature stages closely resemble the adults except for size and a slightly lighter color.

Black Widow

Violin Spider or Brown Recluse

Life Cycle and Habits: These spiders spin small, loose, white to off-white webs with irregular strands. The female lays eggs from May through August in off-white silken sacs about 1/3-inch in diameter. Sacs containing 40 or more eggs are found hung in the web, over winter in sheltered, dark areas and are guarded by the female until her death. Each female may lay as many as 300 eggs during her lifetime. Spiderlings emerge in 24 to 36 days leaving the egg case with slow development (10 to 12 months), and are influenced by weather conditions and food availability. Spiders can survive long periods of time without food or water and may live as long as two years. It is most active at night when it comes out in search of food consisting of cockroaches and other small insects. During the day, time is spent in quiet, undisturbed places such as bathrooms, bedrooms, closets, basements and cellars. The spiders sometimes take shelter under furniture, appliances and carpets, behind baseboards and door facings, or in corners and crevices. Some have been found in stored clothing, old shoes, on the undersides of tables and chairs, as well as in folded bedding and undisturbed towels stored for long periods of time. Outdoors, the spider may be found in sheltered corners among debris, in wood piles, under loose bark and stones, in old barns, storage sheds and garages. These spiders are very adaptable, and may be active in temperatures ranging from 45 to 110 F.

Health and Safety Precautions: The severity of a person's reaction to a bite depends on the amount of venom injected and individual sensitivity to it. Bite symptoms may be immediate, delayed or none at all. Some may not be aware of the bite for 2 to 8 hours, whereas others feel a stinging sensation usually followed by intense pain if there is a severe reaction. A small white blister usually rises at the bite site surrounded by a large congested and swollen area. Within 24 to 36 hours, a systemic reaction may occur, characterized by restlessness, fever, chills, nausea, weakness and joint pain. The affected area enlarges, becomes inflamed and the tissue is hard to the touch. The spider's venom contains an enzyme that destroys cell membranes in the wound area with affected tissue gradually sloughing away, exposing underlying tissues. Within 24 hours, the bite site can erupt into a "volcano lesion" (a hole in the flesh due to damaged, gangrenous tissue). The open wound may range from the size of an adult's thumbnail to the span of a hand. The sunken, ulcerated sore may heal in 6 to 8 weeks. Full recovery may take several months and scarring may remain. Plastic surgery and skin grafts are sometimes required.

First Aid: If bitten, remain calm, and if possible collect the spider for positive identification. Get medical attention immediately (contact your physician, hospital and/or Poison Information Center). Apply antiseptic solution to prevent infection and ice packs directly to the bite area to relieve local swelling and pain. The physician will usually administer high doses of cortisone-type hormones to combat hemolysis and other systemic complications. A report suggests that treatment with dapsone (a drug used mainly for leprosy) may reduce the degree of tissue damage. An effective antivenom is not generally available.

Control Measures: The brown recluse spider is not aggressive and normally bites only when crushed, handled or disturbed. It is aptly named since it is a reclusive creature seeking and preferring seclusion.
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Prevention: Shake out clothing and shoes before dressing, and inspect bedding and towels before using. People are most often bitten when putting on clothes that have hung undisturbed or shoes seldom worn, into which a spider has moved. Do not walk barefoot or handle firewood without gloves. Remove trash, old boxes, piles of lumber, old clothing and other unwanted items. Eliminate cluttered areas in basements, closets, attics and other outbuildings. Dust and vacuum thoroughly, and more frequently around windows, corners in rooms, under furniture, in storage areas and normally undisturbed places to eliminate spiders, webs and egg sacs. Use a dust mop, broom and dust pan, if needed. Install screens on doors and windows to prevent entry. Seal or caulk cracks and crevices where spiders can enter the house, and wash off the outside of the house and roof eves.
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We highly recommend a monthly or bi-monthly program to keep spiders under control.

Call Hot Shots Pest Control for a FREE ESTIMATE! (805) 966-3075

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