To some people, the title of this article may seem uncalled for, gruesome even. For all the good things that spiders can do for the ecology, why would anyone want to kill these friendly neighborhood spiders? Aside from that, they are pretty harmless.
Yes, it is true that most spiders are harmless, and in fact even helpful to the environment. Spiders are known predators of such pests as mosquitoes, ants, cockroaches, and even mice. They just keep to themselves and never disturb anyone. In fact, it has been said that whenever we are at home, we are always just within three feet from a spider. There just seem to exist this peaceful harmony between us homeowners and the spiders, as long as they do not bug us, we do not bother them and allow them to live with us.
However, there are some instances wherein spiders are not and should not be welcomed in our homes. We are talking here about venomous spiders.
Are There Venomous Spiders In The United States?
The answer to this question is a big YES. There are venomous spiders in the United States, and they sometimes find their way into thousands of American homes. They do not make themselves conspicuous to humans. They just simply hide in the dark areas of the house where they would be undisturbed. There are two species of venomous spiders here in America: The black widow spider and the brown recluse spider.
Black Widow Spiders
The black widow spider is the more common type of venomous spider in the United States, and definitely, the most venomous spider not only here in America, but all throughout North America. It is reported that black widow venom is 15 times more powerful than that of a rattlesnake’s, and only the females bite, and when they bite, it causes extreme pain due to its power. A black widow spider’s bite, though as painful as it is, is not fatal to adult humans. For children and the elderly, however, it can be fatal.
A female black widow has a shiny black body with a red hourglass marking on their abdomen. They are about 1.5 inches long. The red hourglass markings serve as a warning to other predators that they are toxic, which effectively shoos them away. The male black widow, on the other hand, is about half the size of the females lighter in color. They have pink or red spots on their backs. The female black widow has this nasty habit of killing and eating their male counterparts after mating, hence the name black widow. It is said that the males make this ultimate sacrifice so that their offsprings will have enough source of food eventually. For their lifespan, the female black widows can live up to three years. The males can live up to a year.
Black widows use their webs to capture their prey. Their diet includes arachnids and other insects. They feed on mosquitoes, flies, ants, termites, and roaches. Black widow spiders only eat liquefied prey. How do they do this? Well, once these insects are captured in the web, the black widow would then approach the poor guy to cover it with silk. It then bites into it to release an enzyme that would liquefy their prey.
Black widow spiders are generally peaceful too and just keep to themselves. However, if they feel threatened, or surprised, they will bite. That makes them really dangerous to be around our homes. If you accidentally run into a black widow spider, and it bites you, wash the bite area with soap and water, then apply a cold compress. After that, go to your doctor at once. If possible, catch the same spider that bit you, whether dead or alive. Show it to your healthcare provider so that proper treatment will be administered.
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 has a violin-shaped marking on their bodies. What sets them apart from all the other spiders is their 6 eyes, instead of the usual 8. These eyes are arranged in three pairs.
The brown recluse spider, like the black widow spiders, is generally peaceful and also keeps to itself. Brown recluse spiders are shy and avoid any confrontation, hence its name. And like the black widow spiders, they hide in dark places. They are creatures of the night; they forage for food only at night and rest during the day. The brown recluse also needs to mate only once a year to be able to produce 150 eggs in a year.
A brown recluse spider bites only when they feel threatened or surprised. If a brown recluse bites you, seek immediate medical care. This would also be extremely painful, but brown recluse bites are not fatal. Some people though, develop severe symptoms. People who are bitten by brown recluse spiders often have small red marks on the skin, but heals immediately.
Symptoms of a brown recluse bite include fever, chills, nausea, vomiting, and sweating. When bitten, see your doctor immediately. Wash the bite area with soap and water and then put a cold compress on the bitten area before going to the hospital as a first aid treatment. Let it stay there for about ten minutes. If you can, bring the spider that bit you along to the hospital. This way the doctor will know that you were bitten by a brown recluse spider and will know the type of treatment to give you.
DIY Solutions To Get Rid Of These Poisonous Spiders
If these spiders invade our homes, we obviously cannot let them stay there for long. They are too dangerous to ignore. If you have kids and pets, you would not want to use dangerous pesticides. You might be thinking, why not just call the best pest control management in North Carolina? That is a great option, but if you like doing things yourself and get personal satisfaction from it, then read below some natural ways you can eliminate spiders.
- You may use borax to eliminate the insects that the spiders feed on. Borax is a natural mineral that can be used to kill insects, like ants, roaches, and termites. Cutting off the food source of the spiders would make them look elsewhere for food, and leave your home. Make sure to wear mask and gloves when handling borax.
- If you have apple cider at home, then that’s great! Mix one cup of apple cider, one cup pepper, one teaspoon of oil, and one teaspoon of liquid soap. Put it inside a spray bottle, then spray on areas where you see spiders. Spray again after a few days.
- Use essential oils and add them to water. In an empty 16 oz glass spray bottle, pour 7 drops of the essential oil. Then add warm water until about an inch from the top. Add a few drops of dishwashing liquid then shake thoroughly. The purpose of adding dish soap is to break the molecules of both water and oil since they do not mix. Doing this will mix both together. Spray this on areas where you have seen spiders before. Spray it also on possible entry points of the spiders. Use neem, lavender, peppermint, citrus, or tea tree essential oils.
- Use ammonia. Mix one part ammonia and one part water in a spray bottle. Spray this around possible entry points for the spiders. Spray this every week.
- You can also use the lowly vinegar. Mix one part vinegar to two parts water in a spray bottle. Again, spray these on all possible entry points for spiders, including windows and doors. Spray this every week.
- Use diatomaceous earth. Even though this is not a spray, it works just as effectively and you can do it by yourself. Put this on entry points, or on places you often see spiders. Diatomaceous earth looks like small shards of broken glass. When the spider crawls on it, it would be picked up by their legs and lower body. This would slowly dehydrate them and kill them.
These are very simple and easy to do. However, it's always safe to speak with the professionals, you may want to call on the services of the best pest control management in North Carolina, Go-Forth Home Services.
Why Go-Forth Home Services?
Go-Forth Home Services is a family-owned business made up of expert professionals with excellent experience in exterminating pests like spiders, ants, termites, mosquitoes, cockroaches, flies, and many other pests. They use only the latest and most advanced equipment in the business. They also employ family-friendly and pet-friendly methods, so you know you and your family are safe. Go-Forth Home Services has earned the trust of residents and business establishments in North Carolina for more than 50 years. Contact us today.