# Black Widow Spider so close!



## Revernance (Aug 20, 2007)

I found a black widow spider just chilling near my door just outside near the patio. We didn't have spider repellent so we used Raid. It took 30 seconds of spraying just to _paralyze_ it.
:laser:
I've been doing some research on dangerous spiders. I don't want any loved ones to get bitten, so I'm about to purchase anti spider kits and the alike. :clap2:

Found this site. 
Does anyone have experience with this? Care to offer recommendations?
http://www.brown-recluse.com/traps.html


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## ombcat (Sep 23, 2004)

I use glue mouse traps works great. Take care and don't get bit
wilma


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## grim (Mar 13, 2008)

from what i know you should clean up all debris around your house and they will usually leave you alone clean your basement and if you tear apart a black widow web most of them will starve to death befor they can rebuild it they usually tend to live in fire wood and stuff like that it works better than spraying chemicals and its free


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## Endler Guy (Aug 19, 2007)

I didn't realize how many black widows there were around until I found out that they can be other colors than black. Some are brown and others can be grey. I'm not sure if they're the same species but they are indeed some type of "widow."

__________________
Raw Palaeo Diet


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## Tex Gal (Nov 1, 2007)

I watched this show about the brown recluse spider. This lady got bit went to E.R. was treated and in another week was bit again. This happened 3 times. Finally they went out to her house - pulled her headboard away from the wall and there were MANY brown recluse spiders living behind her headboard! Horrid!! She had been bitten 3 times! Pretty gross! Makes you afraid to go to sleep.


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## puttyman70 (Aug 7, 2007)

Not sure what part of the world you are in but black widows love to live in water meter boxes in the south. They eat the other bugs that set up shop in there. I'd say I find them in 25% of the water meter boxes I open. I usually show the property owner just to see them freak out, lol. Seriously though if you leave them alone they'll leave you alone.

On the other hand right now I have some kind of spider on my deck, about the size of a large marble, that when you shake his web he comes running out and shakes it some more. I know he's coming and I still jump back. I should look him up.


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## bs6749 (Dec 23, 2007)

Black widow males are drab colored (the brown and gray that you described) and are harmless to people. The females are black with a red hourglass section on the abdomen and are poisonous to humans. The males lack the hourglass. Just some general FYI.


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## lauraleellbp (Jan 31, 2008)

I've seen male Black Widows with the hourglass. I know they were males b/c they were brown and on a female's web with her. The males look "flattened" to me; the females are always much plumper.

I used to find and kill Black Widows on a regular basis when we lived near Gainesville. They like dark places, and I'd find them turning over the rocks bordering the garden surrounding the house.

Once a friend and I had spent the afternoon riding my horse. We were back at the barn and my friend was about to dismount when I saw a VERY large black widow crawling across my horse's haunch, with my friend still in the saddle! I immediately knocked it off and stomped on it, but I was really freaked out, terrified that she'd bitten my mare! My dad pointed out that if the spider had bitten my horse, we'd definitely have been bucked off. Turns out that the spider had built her web underneath the seat of the saddle; it was a miracle that none of us were bitten, especially when I was tacking up. There was also a really large egg sack in the web that I also made sure I completely destroyed. UGHHHHHHH


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## jaidexl (Jan 20, 2007)

I've seen at least 200 brown widows (southern cousin with colored pattern) since I've moved down to Ft. Myers, luckily they're not as dangerous as the blacks, but still very painfully I hear. 

I saw the black ones all over Brevard and central FL, used to keep one as a pet when I was a teenager. Very cool to watch her do her magic on crickets. :spider:

They try to hide far back in their web more than anything, it's when they're cornered with no where else to go that they bite. You have to be careful about putting your hands where you can't see, under things, behind things, you accidentally pin one down and your bit.

Laura, I can't confirm the males having an hourglass, but I do know they have a pattern that's very similar to the female brown widow all the way down to the coloration of the legs and "knees".


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## xspy (Mar 29, 2008)

I am happy they dont reside where I live. Although every once in a while the super markets will pull fruit off the shelfs if one has been spotted during transfer.


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## BryceM (Nov 6, 2005)

For every black widow that you see, there are probably 100 that you don't. The best advice is to leave them alone. Many people get in trouble when they try to kill or catch them. Be careful where you step and where you put your hands.

It is possible to die from a black widow bite but it's actually pretty rare. The actual danger to a healthy person is far less than most people assume. The bites are pretty nasty though. Don't go looking for trouble.


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## fshfanatic (Aug 7, 2008)

We get some Brown Recluse Spiders around here, but not very often.. These are more common.


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## simplefin (Dec 20, 2007)

omg, that totally reminds me of this one night when i was taking the trash out. i didnt have the porch light on. when i opened the screendoor, i felt something hit my hand. i quickly shook it off, and turned the light on. 
you would believe how big my eyes got when i saw a black widow scurrying away.
i was lucky i didnt get bit. but i swear, the rest of the night i thought i had spider webs all over me


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