Black Widow Spiders

What do black widow spiders look like?

Black widow spiders have three general stages of development: egg, spiderling, and adult. Spiderlings and adults, as well as females and males, look quite a bit different.

• What does a female black widow spider look like?
  You may identify a female black widow by her black, shiny coloration, bulbous abdomen, and red hourglass mark on the underside of the abdomen. Females are typically ⅜ of an inch in length.
  

• What does a male black widow spider look like?
  A male black widow is generally a third the size of a female, measuring about ⅛ of an inch in length. Not only are male black widow spiders smaller, but they do not have the same coloration, shape, or red hourglass mark. Males are brown or gray with red, orange, or yellow spots and stripes on the back.
  

• What does a black widow spiderling look like?
  Black widow spiderlings (also called juvenile spiders) have several growth stages but always have the same orange and white coloration with one or two reddish marks under the abdomen. Depending on the species, they look like adult male spiders in many ways. We recommend searching for images of juvenile black widows to understand the color variation.

Do black widow spiders build webs?

Yes. Female black widow spiders create tangled webs out of strong fibers. They use their webs to catch prey. You'll find these webs built in protected areas, such as:

• In stacked wood and wood debris
• In brush piles
• Underneath decks
• Inside crawl spaces
• In garages, storage lockers, or sheds
• In secluded spaces within homes
  

Look for these webs near the ground or floor. Widow spiders tend to eat crawling bugs because they offer a more substantial meal.

What do black widow spiders eat?

Black widow spiders eat insects and pretty much anything trapped in their webbing. Although it’s not common, they are also capable of eating mice.

There is a difference between the eating habits of females and males. The male black widow spider is often an opportunistic feeder. While it can build its web and catch food, it is far more likely to get a bite to eat from the web of a female spider because it is strongly motivated to find females to mate with them. The male black widow is not wired to eat and survive. When it climbs onto a female's web and grabs a bite to eat, it can become a meal for the female. One of the many foods spiders eat is other spiders.

Are black widow spiders venomous?

Female black widows are venomous spiders, meaning they can deliver venom strong enough to threaten human health and safety. The males and spiderlings are not known to bite humans.

What happens if you get bitten by a black widow?

The venom of a black widow spider is potent, but it may not inject venom into the wound, or it may only inject a small amount. When no venom is injected, this is called a dry bite. A dry bite is described as feeling like a pinprick and does not come with medical symptoms. When venom is injected, there is intense localized pain and many symptoms. Here is a list of black widow spider bite symptoms:

• Spreading pain
• Muscle cramps and spasms
• Tingling in the affected areas
• Headache
• Abdominal cramps
• Nausea and vomiting
• Anxiety
• Increased heart rate
• Excessive sweating
• Difficulty breathing
• Elevated blood pressure
  

Seek medical attention if a black widow spider bites you.

What are black widow spiders attracted to?

These spiders go where food is available and are drawn to habitats and attractants that lure their food onto your property. Here are a few common things that attract black widow spiders:

• Dense vegetation
• Wood debris
• Dark, secluded, dirty spaces
• Dark holes
• Humid or damp habitats
  

Removing their ideal habitats can help to reduce the chances of having a black widow infestation. You may also reduce the number of insects around your home by keeping exterior lights off, reducing flowering weeds, and performing other general pest maintenance.

How do black widows get inside?

A black widow will enter a home through any available opening, typically holes or gaps near the ground. To see where they may be getting in, inspect where utilities enter your home, exterior doors and windows, vents, and sole plates.

How do I get rid of black widow spiders?

If you’ve discovered black widow spiders, other arachnids, or insects in your home, contact Marathon Pest Control for assistance. Our locally owned and operated pest control company offers home pest control services for The Woodlands and surrounding areas!

How can I prevent a black widow spider problem?

The best way to prevent any potential pest problem is to have routine pest maintenance applied to the exterior of your home. A licensed pest management professional will analyze your property and use control and management methods to reduce the number of spiders and the food sources (other pests) that attract them.