All spiders have fangs, and all spiders have venom. But not every spider has fangs that are able to pierce human skin. And not all spiders have a venom that is considered a medical risk for humans. Most spiders, if they bite, will only create a small, itchy, red bite wound. In the United States, we have two spiders that cause bite wounds that can be a concern. Can you guess which two spiders? That’s right: Black widow spiders and brown recluse spiders. Here’s what you need to know about them.
Dangerous Spiders Are Reclusive
While brown recluse spiders have “recluse” in their name, black widows are no less reclusive. Both of these spiders prefer to be in still, undisturbed locations. This is important to understand because bites can happen when you go into a storage room, attic space, basement, or crawl space.
Dangerous Spiders Don’t Hunt You
You can have thousands of brown recluse spiders in your home and not get one bite. These spiders do not go looking to bite humans. Bites happen by accident. Black widows have even less chance of biting you because they don’t prefer to live in your home. If you take proper precautions, you can significantly reduce the risk of being bitten.
Dangerous Spiders Don’t Always Cause Dangerous Wounds
You can be bitten by a brown recluse spider and only have a small, itchy wound with a tiny ulcer in the center. In fact, this is what most bites from this spider will look like. Unfortunately, there is the potential for a serious wound to develop as the necrosis can spread underneath the skin and create a ghastly wound. It is also possible for a brown recluse spider to bite you in a sensitive location, such as your eyelid. It is best to have these spiders quickly addressed when you see them in your home and to seek immediate medical attention if you are bitten.
Black widow spiders decide how much venom they will inject into a wound. This is called envenomation. Depending on the circumstances, a black widow spider may not choose to inject its venom and the wound may not lead to any symptoms beyond localized pain. But, due to the threat of serious, potentially life-threatening symptoms, it is best to prevent these spiders from getting into your home or living inside your home.
Dangerous Spider Bite Prevention
There are several things you can do to reduce the risk of a spider bite.
- Shake shoes and clothing before wearing.
- Never walk in your yard at night without footwear.
- Wear gloves when working in the yard.
- Wear long sleeves if you’ll be picking up brush in your yard.
- Turn your bedding down before sliding into bed.
- Use a flashlight when going into a dark storage area.
- Be cautious when opening boxes that have been taken from storage.
- Remove skirts from your beds and make sure blankets don’t touch the floor.
Dangerous Spider Control
There are a few factors that can increase your chances of an infestation. Addressing these can reduce the risk.
- Moisture — Reducing moisture around your exterior can reduce these spiders and decrease your chances of an infestation. Moisture is attractive to dangerous spiders because they know they can find bugs to eat in areas that are moist.
- Overgrowth — When there is lots of vegetation, there are lots of food options. These spiders know where to go to find food.
- Clutter — Both of these spiders will take advantage of clutter in your yard to hide in and wait for food. They are particularly fond of organic clutter, such as piles of wood, construction materials, and brush piles.
- Openings — If you have holes in your exterior, especially entry points that are near the ground, these spiders may take advantage of them. It is important that you do a detailed inspection and seal any holes in your exterior. Look closely around doors and windows, pipes, wire conduit, and other foundation wall penetrations.
Spider Management
There is no better way to control and manage the threat of dangerous spiders than to have ongoing pest control for your Longview home. This is where we can help. At Innovative Pest Control, we provide industry-leading pest control service for Longview home and business owners. For advice or assistance, reach out to us. We’re here to help.
Categories:
- Spider Control,
- Spider Infestations,
- Spider Prevention,
- Spiders in Longview
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