Do we really want to get rid of spiders be it at home or in the office?
I do know that the majority of people have a natural fear of spiders which date back ages ago. After all, they do look scary and are reputed to have venom which they release after biting something or someone; but once I tell you more about spiders, maybe you would see in a new light.
Spiders are very peaceful creatures. It has been said that we are all within 3 feet of a spider, whether we are at home or in the office. It is a testament to their tranquil state that we do not notice that they are there in our homes without us noticing them. Yet despite this, they bring terror to millions of households whenever they do show up. This type of fear is called arachnophobia.
The Arachnophobia
Arachnophobia means having an overwhelming, irrational, and almost debilitating fear of spiders. It can also include the fear of other arachnids such as scorpions. Taken to the extreme, it can affect a person’s quality of life. This can be treated by simple exposure to spiders, whether by pictures or by presenting an actual spider to the person with arachnophobia. It does not follow that people who do not like spiders have arachnophobia; a person with this kind of phobia will go the extra mile to make sure that he or she will not be near a spider nor seeing one anywhere. It is estimated that around 3 percent to 6 percent of the population all over the world have arachnophobia.
It remains a mystery as to what the exact reasons are for having arachnophobia. It could be due to evolutionary selection: the presence of poisonous spiders may have led to the evolution of a fear of spiders. Spiders are too small to become threats in the animal kingdom but are venomous enough to assert their role in the ecosystem. This is why the presence of spiders usually triggers fear in the hearts and minds of many people.
Arachnophobia may also just be simply passed on from one person to another. An imbalance in the brain chemicals may also trigger arachnophobia, or a traumatic experience involving spiders that have made its mark on a person’s entire life.
Is There Really Anything To Fear When It Comes To Spiders?
Spiders are generally peaceful creatures and would rather be left alone. Their webs are their nests, and they stay there silently. They attack their prey, but they do not do much else because they never attack humans.
It is true that spiders have bitten humans in the past, but they do so whenever they feel threatened. More than anything, they are beneficial to the ecosystem, as they feed on the real pests that bother us all.
Spiders feed on mosquitoes, roaches, and many other pests. What would happen to us then, without these very helpful spiders? To give you a brief glimpse, mosquitoes are insects that transmit several deadly diseases, most notably dengue fever and malaria.
As it is right now, millions of people are killed from diseases transmitted by mosquitoes. What more if we do not have spiders to feed on them?
Unfortunately, there are a couple of spiders that can become harmful to humans. These are the poisonous spiders that can be found in the United States. These are the black widow spiders and the brown recluse spiders.
Overview Of The Poisonous Spiders Found In The United States
In order for us to know when to avoid spiders and what types of spiders we can tolerate, we should know how to identify them. Read on to learn more about the spiders.
Black Widow Spiders
The Black Widow spiders are among the most well-known arachnids around. Popular culture has romanticized them. The name alone seems like a perfect brand. The female black widow features a red hourglass-shaped underbelly which makes it pretty to look at. It is known to have a tendency to eat its male counterparts after mating. This type of spider’s bite is the deadliest among all the spiders in North America. The venom of a black widow is said to be 15 times more powerful than a rattlesnake’s.
There are two species of black widow spiders that are common in the United States. The northern black widow and the southern black widow. The former has a row of red spots down the middle of the upper surface of its abdomen. The latter has a shiny, black, oblate spheroid- shaped abdomen. There is also a red hourglass mark on its underbelly.
Black widow spiders engage in sexual cannibalism, or the females devour the male after mating, hence their name. It is no surprise then, that the female lives up to 3 years, while the males live only for 1 to 2 months. These poor males are eaten after living for only 1 to 2 months. The sacrifices the males go through are not for naught as they become food for the young ones too as soon as they hatch.
Black widow spiders thrive in dark corners or crevices, such as garages, outdoor toilets, barns, basements, trash, dense vegetation, and even the shoes in your shoe rack.
They are nocturnal, going out to feed at night. They bite humans only when disturbed, but sometimes we cannot avoid encountering black widows especially if they get to enter our houses. Most of the time we are not aware that they are hiding somewhere within our own territory. When you or a loved one is bitten by a black widow spider, seek immediate medical care. Only the female's bite or at least only their bites are dangerous to human health.
The bite feels like you are being pricked by a needle, which would be followed by severe pain that would spread throughout the body. Other symptoms include swelling, burning, redness on the bite site, nausea, muscle pain, rash and itching, difficulty breathing, too much sweating, weakness, abdominal pain, hypertension, paralysis of the diaphragm and legs, and swollen eyelids.
A black widow spider’s bite can be fatal to children and the elderly, more than it can a full-grown adult. Get him or her to the hospital at once for immediate medical attention. As much as possible, catch the same spider and bring it with you to the doctor. This would allow him to make an informed decision as to the treatment the patient would need.
Brown Recluse Spiders
The brown recluse spider is the only other venomous spider in North America and the most common of the brown spiders. It is known for its violin-shaped marking in its body. They have 6 eyes arranged in 3 pairs, instead of the usual 8.
The brown recluse spider and the black widow spiders usually have the same behaviors and habits. The brown recluse are by nature shy creatures. Similar to the black widow, they hide in dark places. They are nocturnal, or forage for food only at night. The brown recluse spiders also need to mate only once in a year to be able to produce 150 eggs in a year.
If you are bitten by a brown recluse spider, seek immediate medical care. Most of the time, brown recluse bites are not fatal, but some develop severe symptoms. People who are bitten by the brown recluse often have small red marks on the skin. but usually heals quickly.
A person bitten by a brown recluse spider would show symptoms like fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, and sweating. When bitter, seek immediate medical care. Again, as much as possible, bring the spider that bit you along with you to the hospital. This will allow the doctor to make an informed decision about the type of treatment to give you. Before proceeding to the hospital, wash the bite area with soap and water and then put a cold compress on the bitten area for about ten minutes.
Spiders are harmless, but we do understand the anxiety that the presence of these two poisonous spiders could bring just with their presence alone. For immediate help, call the licensed exterminators in my area near Greensboro, NC, Go-Forth Home Services.
Why Go-Forth Home Services?
At Go-Forth Home Services, we bring in a new and fresh approach to the pest control industry, using family-friendly and pet-friendly methods of extermination that caters to your specific needs. Our expert experience in exterminating pests like cockroaches, wasps, weevils, mosquitoes, mice, flies, termites, ants, and spiders can really make you say goodbye to these pests in your home. You may check us on Facebook or Google us to see what our satisfied customers have to say about us. Go-Forth Home Services has earned the trust of residents and businesses in North Carolina for more than 50 years. For more information, or to set an appointment, just dial (877) 274-1475. Our friendly operators are standing by.