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ailsagirl

(22,837 posts)
Tue Aug 4, 2015, 06:27 PM Aug 2015

Does anyone know about black widow spiders?

I just noticed a spider in my house that looks like a BW but it's tiny. When I googled more about BWs, I read that the body of a mature spider is about half an inch long-- mine is much, much smaller but it does have a bit of red on it. It stays hidden during the day and comes out at night.

I don't want to kill it-- I just want to cordially escort it out of my house.

Anyone?

46 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
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Does anyone know about black widow spiders? (Original Post) ailsagirl Aug 2015 OP
Are you looking to determine if it is really a black widow or are you looking for help PoliticAverse Aug 2015 #1
Good question ailsagirl Aug 2015 #2
The standard home method is... PoliticAverse Aug 2015 #3
That's exactly what I normally do ailsagirl Aug 2015 #11
Tell her to cooperate or you'll lay down the shoe. n/t PoliticAverse Aug 2015 #13
If you have a cat, you might want to just kill the spider ... eppur_se_muova Aug 2015 #22
Thanks for the links ailsagirl Aug 2015 #24
Probably not a black widow shanti Aug 2015 #35
Really? I didn't know... ailsagirl Aug 2015 #39
Is there a little human head on it ? BlueJazz Aug 2015 #4
No that's flies... PoliticAverse Aug 2015 #5
Well...I'm sure sharp tonight... BlueJazz Aug 2015 #6
Bwahahaha! One of my favorite lines to quote! WinkyDink Aug 2015 #8
SCHEDULING BLUEJAZZ FOR ASSKICKING Skittles Aug 2015 #14
Haiku 4 u LiberalElite Aug 2015 #7
I tried writing a haiku awhile back... ailsagirl Aug 2015 #40
Black widow baby? uriel1972 Aug 2015 #9
Their husbands are dead Generic Brad Aug 2015 #10
Yep!! ailsagirl Aug 2015 #12
I thought that is the brown recluse.... Grammy23 Aug 2015 #15
The brown recluse are more likely to make you lose part of your body PoliticAverse Aug 2015 #17
My brother found a scorpion in his sleeping bag ailsagirl Aug 2015 #42
Come out to my garage for a quick field study. Throd Aug 2015 #16
Please tell us where you live so we don't accidentally go there. n/t PoliticAverse Aug 2015 #18
It could be a False Black Widow juvenile herding cats Aug 2015 #19
The thing is... ailsagirl Aug 2015 #20
Was it smooth or hairy? herding cats Aug 2015 #21
I didn't see her/it up that close ailsagirl Aug 2015 #23
I'm good with a vacuum cleaner. roody Aug 2015 #37
It's too FAST ailsagirl Aug 2015 #38
Spider in house = AIIIIEEEEEE whap whap whapWHAP WHAPWHAP irisblue Aug 2015 #25
..... ailsagirl Aug 2015 #29
Don't mess with spiders. Particularly ones with a toxic venom. Fla Dem Aug 2015 #26
If it's a baby, be careful. a la izquierda Aug 2015 #27
I'm so sorry, a la izquierda ailsagirl Aug 2015 #28
Daddy Longlegs do not get WHAPWHAPWHAP. irisblue Aug 2015 #34
Exactly ailsagirl Aug 2015 #44
FYI a la izquierda ailsagirl Aug 2015 #32
Thank you kindly! Nt a la izquierda Aug 2015 #33
You betcha' ailsagirl Aug 2015 #45
Years ago, I worked on a ranch that was infested with black widows: they were everywhere struggle4progress Aug 2015 #30
Yikes!! ailsagirl Aug 2015 #31
Widows rarely come in the house. roody Aug 2015 #36
yup shanti Aug 2015 #46
Don't make it a pet. U4ikLefty Aug 2015 #41
Roger!! ailsagirl Aug 2015 #43

PoliticAverse

(26,366 posts)
1. Are you looking to determine if it is really a black widow or are you looking for help
Tue Aug 4, 2015, 06:32 PM
Aug 2015

on how to get it out of the house?

ailsagirl

(22,837 posts)
2. Good question
Tue Aug 4, 2015, 06:33 PM
Aug 2015

I'd just like to put it outside, whatever it is. To have a professional come in would be $160, which I certainly don't have!

PoliticAverse

(26,366 posts)
3. The standard home method is...
Tue Aug 4, 2015, 06:50 PM
Aug 2015

to get a large drinking glass or jar and while it is crawling on the floor put the glass or jar over it.
Once you trap it under the glass get some thin cardboard and slightly lift the edge of the glass or
jar and slip the cardboard under it (the cardboard should be thin enough so you don't have to lift
the glass or jar high enough that the spider can escape when you push the cardboard under it).
Now if the thin cardboard you used isn't very rigid you can use something rigid like corrugated
cardboard, rigid plastic a clipboard etc and slip that under the thin cardboard under the glass.
Then while holding the glass lift the rigid cardboard and carry the spider under glass outside.
Feel free to dress like it is 20 degrees below in winter clothing while doing this.

I found a youtube video that illustrates the basic procedure:



-

ailsagirl

(22,837 posts)
11. That's exactly what I normally do
Tue Aug 4, 2015, 09:36 PM
Aug 2015

...but when I tried it on this little rascal, she shot behind my night-stand (her daytime hangout) before I knew it. So she's VERY fast on her (numerous) feet. My carpet is dark so she can pretty comfortably camouflage herself at night.

Perhaps she's a juvenile but I can't seem to find any substantive info on them.

Thanks

eppur_se_muova

(36,227 posts)
22. If you have a cat, you might want to just kill the spider ...
Wed Aug 5, 2015, 02:09 AM
Aug 2015
Toxicology[edit]
Main article: Latrodectism
See also: Spider bite
Although the reputation of these spiders is notorious and their venom does affect humans, only mature females pose a serious threat to people; their chelicerae—the hollow, needle-like mouthparts that inject venom—are, at approximately 1 mm., or .04 in., long enough to inject venom into humans, unlike those of the much smaller males. The actual amount injected, even by a mature female, is variable. When this small amount of venom travels throughout the body, it acts explosively on nerve endings, causing the very unpleasant symptoms of latrodectism. Deaths in healthy adults from Latrodectus bites are exceedingly rare, with no deaths despite two thousand bites yearly.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latrodectus_mactans#Toxicology


Latrodectism is the illness caused by the bite of Latrodectus spiders (the black widow spider and related species). Pain, muscle rigidity, vomiting, and sweating are the hallmarks of latrodectism. Contrary to popular conception, latrodectism is very rarely fatal to people. Domestic cats have been known to die with convulsion and paralysis.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Latrodectism

ailsagirl

(22,837 posts)
39. Really? I didn't know...
Fri Aug 7, 2015, 12:19 AM
Aug 2015

This little guy (gal?) breaks the sound barrier when sensing someone/something nearby!!

LiberalElite

(14,691 posts)
7. Haiku 4 u
Tue Aug 4, 2015, 07:44 PM
Aug 2015

Don’t worry, spiders
Kobayashi Issa (tr. Robert Hass, from The Essential Haiku)

Don’t worry, spiders,
I keep house
casually.


(Not casting aspersions on your housekeeping - I try not to kill needlessly too.)

ailsagirl

(22,837 posts)
12. Yep!!
Tue Aug 4, 2015, 09:37 PM
Aug 2015

They're creepy in that 1) they're the most dangerous/poisonous spider in the country and 2) they hide when it's light and just come out when it's dark.

Grammy23

(5,807 posts)
15. I thought that is the brown recluse....
Tue Aug 4, 2015, 10:09 PM
Aug 2015

And it likes to hide out in shoes, gloves, or dark places. But I am no expert. Google black widow images and see if you can find a picture that helps you determine if it is a black widow.

PoliticAverse

(26,366 posts)
17. The brown recluse are more likely to make you lose part of your body
Tue Aug 4, 2015, 11:20 PM
Aug 2015

(what ever you do don't do an Internet search for brown recluse bite), they also
have a reputation for being more aggressive than black widows.


herding cats

(19,549 posts)
19. It could be a False Black Widow juvenile
Wed Aug 5, 2015, 12:22 AM
Aug 2015

They're black like their mother's when young unlike juvenile Black Widow spiders who are more of mottled brown color like the adult males.

They're bad news, too. They're actually more likely to infest your home and are the source of more bites to humans because of that. Their venom isn't as bad as a Black Widow (which BTW is 15 times more potent than a rattlesnake's venom!) but it's till bad enough to make you sick.

I am a catch and release person for most spiders, but if I were you I'd kill this one to be on the safe side. I kill all suspected Black Widow, Brown Widow and False Black Widow spiders near my home though. They're bad news and they reproduce like mad.

ailsagirl

(22,837 posts)
20. The thing is...
Wed Aug 5, 2015, 12:52 AM
Aug 2015

that it has that red dot on it and I don't believe the False Black Widow does.

Now I can't even find it! I haven't seen it for four days now and I don't know what happened.
Maybe it died? It certainly wasn't catching anything that I could see-- maybe it starved.

I read that BWs live from one to three years, BTW.

It is a creepy feeling going to bed at night knowing it's so close...



herding cats

(19,549 posts)
21. Was it smooth or hairy?
Wed Aug 5, 2015, 01:19 AM
Aug 2015

Was it's legs much longer than the rest of the spider? Did you find a web? If so, what was it like?

Black Widow spiders don't roam about away from their web. It might have been a jumping spider of some sort. Some do have a small red dot on their backside.

ailsagirl

(22,837 posts)
23. I didn't see her/it up that close
Wed Aug 5, 2015, 03:34 AM
Aug 2015

Last edited Fri Aug 7, 2015, 12:17 AM - Edit history (1)

...but I believe it wasn't hairy. But it wasn't shiny black (that BWs are) either. It seemed more like a dark brown. Its web is just outside the corner of my night stand and she goes into the back of my night stand when she's startled-- or when it's daylight.

The web I can't actually see but when she's hanging out on it, she looks as though she's suspended in air.
It is not your typical web in that it seems very disorganized (as are BWs' webs).

I ought to call the university and find an expert, because exterminators, of course, just want to come over
and start spraying poison everywhere.

Thanks, everyone, for your feedback!!

ailsagirl

(22,837 posts)
38. It's too FAST
Fri Aug 7, 2015, 12:16 AM
Aug 2015

It would sense my approach and zip behind my night stand before I could get near enough.
There are some "humane bug vacuums" I see on the internet, but they're rather expensive
and reviews are mixed. It's always a gamble buying online.

Needless to say, I don't like fast spiders. Give me a Daddy Long Legs any day!

irisblue

(32,828 posts)
25. Spider in house = AIIIIEEEEEE whap whap whapWHAP WHAPWHAP
Wed Aug 5, 2015, 09:45 AM
Aug 2015

outside, no, in my bedroom,..WHAP to the 10th power.

Fla Dem

(23,347 posts)
26. Don't mess with spiders. Particularly ones with a toxic venom.
Thu Aug 6, 2015, 02:07 PM
Aug 2015

If they reproduce, you will have many more to deal with. I generally do not like to kill any creature, but spiders are an exception.

a la izquierda

(11,784 posts)
27. If it's a baby, be careful.
Thu Aug 6, 2015, 04:18 PM
Aug 2015

I'm not sure if this is true, and I don't want to google it because I can't even LOOK at pictures, let alone the real thing, but apparently babies are more poisonous because they can't control their venom.
I don't like spiders. I used to have very bad arachnophobia. It was somewhat cured by nighttime mountain biking, because when you wear a helmet light, you realize spiders are EVERYWHERE. You then realize they want nothing do you with you. You also learn how not to crash, because they're all over the ground.
When I lived in Oklahoma, gigantic orb weaver spiders made beautiful webs in the trees at night. I gradually got better with spiders. But a brown recluse killed my beloved 15 year old dog that I'd had more than half my life, so I do NOT mess with poisonous spiders in the house. Luckily, they're not super common here in West Virginia. We do get an occasional poisonous spider from time to time, but mostly wolf spiders, which are aggressive, but harmless.

Spiders just get deposited outside, unless they're questionable. Then, it's spidey heaven for them, unfortunately. I have a 5 pound chihuahua and two bigger dogs, and I'm no longer taking chances.

ailsagirl

(22,837 posts)
28. I'm so sorry, a la izquierda
Thu Aug 6, 2015, 05:27 PM
Aug 2015

That's really sad that you lost your dog to a spider. It's never happened to me but I can definitely sympathize. Thank you for the other information-- I didn't realize that babies had stronger venom. As it is, I'm staggered that something so relatively small can pack such a deadly punch.

I also didn't realize that spiders are all over at night (particularly in the summer, I'm assuming). I think they stay fairly stationary during the day but after sunset... look out! How many times I've walked in my garden first thing in the morning to discover half the plants are draped with webs. I try to avoid destroying them but it's not always easy.

As for my situation, I haven't seen the spider for about five nights now-- I wonder what happened. I might have inadvertently scared it off but now I don't know WHERE it is. If it's dead, OK, but if it merely relocated... that's scary because it would be anywhere.

Usually all I ever have at home are the Daddy Long Legs-- nice, benign spiders. I always put them outdoors.

Thanks again

irisblue

(32,828 posts)
34. Daddy Longlegs do not get WHAPWHAPWHAP.
Thu Aug 6, 2015, 09:40 PM
Aug 2015

they get a glass jar, cardboard and an all expenses paid long long vacation trip to the flowerbed on the fabulous north side of my backyard.

struggle4progress

(118,032 posts)
30. Years ago, I worked on a ranch that was infested with black widows: they were everywhere
Thu Aug 6, 2015, 06:36 PM
Aug 2015

It was hard to mistake them: they were glossy black with an obvious bright red hourglass on the underbelly



We could easily have bug-sprayed them into oblivion, but we were mostly anti-toxic-chemical live-and-let-live hippies so we let them be

I'd pay attention to them when I was sitting on the crapper, if a dozen of them were hanging out in their somewhat erratic webs under the sink a few inches from my knees -- and I'd pay a lot more attention if I had to work on a bathroom pipe under those circumstances -- but they really weren't aggressive, and as I never bothered them they never took much interested in me either


ailsagirl

(22,837 posts)
31. Yikes!!
Thu Aug 6, 2015, 08:33 PM
Aug 2015

That photo is frightening!! And so is your tale-- I am amazed that you were in the midst of an infestation and glad you weren't bitten and that you didn't resort to mass murder of the widows. But that's still one hair-raising tale, even if they weren't aggressive.


After reading all the responses to this thread, I have concluded that what I have (had?) is a BW, albeit a small one. Your mention of "erratic webs" really cinches it. Now all I need to do is find out where in my house she moved!!

roody

(10,849 posts)
36. Widows rarely come in the house.
Thu Aug 6, 2015, 11:52 PM
Aug 2015

My yard and under house has plenty of them. I kill them if I can. They like dark places. Nooks and crannies.

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