You’ve heard of the formidable black widow before, with their sleek, black bodies and haunting red hourglass marking. And you know that when you spot these spiders in your home or on your commercial property that you can’t call professional pest control services soon enough.
Black widows aren’t your average spider. Their bite, which at first can feel like a small prick, may cause serious health complications including muscle contractions, shortness of breath, and nausea. Black widow venom is more poisonous than rattlesnake venom, making black widow bites extremely dangerous to small children and elderly adults. If you suspect that you or someone else has been bitten by a black widow, seek immediate medical attention.
You’ll find black widows stringing their irregular webs in dark, dry corners such as crawl spaces, closets, basements, or garages. Male black widows and young black widow females do not carry the same dangerous venom as adult females do and won’t pose a threat to humans.
Black widow control is important especially during the months leading up to winter. This is when the black widow population will begin seeking shelter from the cold, following bug and insect prey into your home. Without proper spider control in place, you could quickly have a black widow infestation.
Keeping yards clean and free of clutter or pests is a great way to start managing black widows. But for total black widow control, call H2 Pest Control for the products, equipment, and professional expertise you need to reduce and repel all black widows. Our pest control includes:
Prevent black widows from harming you and your loved ones with one-time or quarterly pest control treatments from H2 Pest Control. Don’t wait to contact us for your black widow control treatment in Lehi, Eagle Mountain, and all of Utah County!
Black Widows have one of the most fearsome reputations in the spider world. They are also found in yards and outdoor spaces throughout the US so you might have a higher chance of encountering one than you think.
There are a few different species of Black Widow spider around, but in Utah you’ll probably see the Western Black Widow. Here’s how to identify one:
Having any sort of spider infestation is not ideal but if your home or yard is infested with Black Widow spiders, it’s probably time to call on a professional pest control company like H2. Here are some signs that you may have a Black Widow infestation on your hands:
We all know the story that female Black Widows kill their partners after mating but is this really true? And how dangerous is a Black Widow bite to humans? Apparently, while female Black Widows have been observed killing males in laboratory conditions, in the wild it doesn’t really happen all that often. Males have got wise to the potential dangers of mating so generally choose female Black Widows who have recently eaten to ensure they don’t automatically become their next meal.
Only female Black Widows have venom that can affect humans but as it’s a type of neurotoxin, it can be potentially life-threatening. Around 2,000 Black Widow bites are reported per year in the US but not all of these require medical attention. While approximately 6 fatalities per year are attributed to spider bites, it’s not clear how many of these the Black Widow is responsible for.
In the unlikely event that you are bitten by a Black Widow, rest assured that the small amount of venom they can release is not usually enough to affect a healthy adult. There are exceptions though, and small pets, young children and the elderly are at more risk for serious harm. Here are some of the signs and symptoms you may experience from a Black Widow bite:
If you have any of these symptoms and think you’ve been bitten by a Black Widow, seek professional medical help.
Black Widows may be attracted inside your home if you have other insect or pest issues on your property. Dealing with other infestations will reduce the likelihood of a Black Widow moving in. They also prefer to build webs in quiet, dark, secluded spots so reducing clutter inside and outside your home will give them fewer places to hide.
If natural remedies aren’t working or you don’t want to deal with Black Widow spiders yourself, call a professional pest removal company like H2 Pest Control.
