The black widow spider is best known for the hourglass marking it has on its abdomen and its black body. However, this spider is also known for its strong venom that can be potentially dangerous to sensitive individuals.
It is common for male and female spiders regardless of their species to look a bit different, and this is the same with black widow spiders. The female is about 1.5 inches long, covered with a black body with a globular abdomen, and a red hourglass marking on her underside while the male is just half the size of the female, lighter in color, and has a red or pink spots on his back.
How Does the Black Widow Survive?
The black widow spider uses their web for their eggs, and to ensnare their prey, but these webs are mostly used to capture prey. A hungry spider will most likely to build a “sheet-based” web that is made of horizontal sheet of silk backed-up by overhanging threads. Underneath the web, are the “gum-footed threads” that are made of vertical lines of silk that are sticky at the base. A passing prey will immediately be catapulted inside this messy web and will just helplessly struggle for its freedom although it is already hopeless.
These spiders are common in California and may even be found in homes. However, the black widow spider prefers to live outdoors, such as in ledges, rocks, debris, and plants. When these spiders emerge inside a home, their web may just be close by. Search for their webs in the garage, by the doors, near vents, and places in a home where clutter is common, such as the basement or the attic. But as said, these spiders prefer to live outdoors than indoors. This is because homes do not cater to a lot of different insects, and the black widow spider may not be able to get all the nutrients it needs to survive indoors.
When dusk comes and after they have made further improvements to their web, the black widow spider will emerge from their retreat and will wait for their prey to come on their web. They can easily feel the vibration of their prey that they use to ensnare them. Their silk is very strong and their prey does not have any chance to escape from the widow black widow’s trap.
Southern California and the Black Widow
Although this spider is common in the United States, this spider is at home in southern California. This winter, the black widow spider will be a guest resident in some homes as they search for a cool and dry place to stay in. Once the black widow spider enters a barn, a building, a storage shed, or a home, she may find a suitable place where she can overwinter just like a hibernating bear. It is common for these spiders to search and move into homes by autumn so that they can stay protected from winter.
Search for the Black Widow Spider this Winter
While these spiders may just enter homes to protect themselves from the coming winter, this is still not a reason why this spider should not be removed from a home. The black widow spider’s bite is known to be 15 times stronger than a rattlesnake. And a person bitten by this spider may suffer from muscle aches, nausea, and difficulty in breathing. Although those who were bitten by the black widow do not commonly suffer from any serious damage or death, it is still necessary to be cautious when handling or searching for this spider. The black widow spider can still be dangerous to small children and the elderly. Still, this spider is not as dangerous as most people think since they will just run away and hide when they see humans. But they can still bite, especially when they are threatened or when they are stepped on.
If you have an existing black widow problem at home, call us or visit our Southern California Spider Control page.