Spider Identification & Treatment
Spiders are predatory arachnids that have eight legs and two body regions. Many people are afraid of spiders, although not all spiders bite or cause harm to humans. The two spiders below, the Brown Recluse and the Black Widow, are of significant importance in human environments because their bites can cause serious or even fatal reactions in humans.
Brown Recluse Spiders
Male and female Brown Recluse Spiders can be a variety of shades of brown and have a dark brown, fiddle-shaped marking on their backs. They are a medium sized spider ranging from the size of a quarter to a 50 cent piece. These spiders will hide in closets, boxes, clothing piles, shoes, under beds and other places on the ground. Brown Recluse Spiders are typically found indoors. However, they can also be found outdoors in well hidden and protected areas.
Black Widow Spiders
The female Black Widow is easily identified by her black color and red hourglass design on her abdomen (underside). On the other hand, the male Black Widow Spider is smaller and is often light brown. However, males aren’t too much cause for concern as they do not produce toxic venom.
Female Black Widows produce webs that are thick and disorganized. You will find them in secluded areas in garages, cellars, crawl spaces, sheds, outbuildings and other undisturbed areas in and around the home. They can also be found in and around wood piles, organic debris and within enclosed, protected areas like an electrical box or unused planter.
A variety of other spider species are common in this area of the country and can invade homes but do not reproduce to cause an infestation. These include Cellar Spiders, Garden or Golden Orb Spiders, Grass Spiders and Wolf Spiders.