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BS: Black Widow Spiders
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Subject: BS: Black Widow Spiders From: Maryrrf Date: 15 Aug 10 - 04:14 PM I went out the other day to mow the grass and my lawn mower wouldn't start, so I turned it over to see what the problem was. There was a black widow spider underneath. I managed to start the mower and cut the grass, but today I started thinking about that spider, and went out to the shed and looked under a couple of boards. The shed is infested with black widows! That's where I keep all my garden tools and I'm really nervous now about going out there. What's the best way to get rid of them??? I don't mind most spiders, but black widows scare me. Do they die in the winter? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Black Widow Spiders From: gnu Date: 15 Aug 10 - 04:16 PM TNT? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Black Widow Spiders From: Wolfhound person Date: 15 Aug 10 - 04:28 PM http://doyourownpestcontrol.com/spiders.htm#SPIDERCONTROL was the first site that came up on Google. Paws (glad, on this occasion, to be in the UK) |
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Subject: RE: BS: Black Widow Spiders From: beeliner Date: 15 Aug 10 - 04:38 PM I don't mind most spiders, but black widows scare me. Do they die in the winter? I'm not sure, but you might, or earlier, if one bites you. I'd suggest a professional exterminator. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Black Widow Spiders From: VirginiaTam Date: 15 Aug 10 - 04:46 PM I would call a a pest control company to deal with it. Instructions Step 1 Familiarize yourself with the appearance of black widow spiders. Make sure you know exactly what a black widow spider looks like so that you will not confuse them with other species of spiders. I did find the following. We used to do step 6 keep yellow bulb in the outdoor lights. Step 2 Inspect your home for black widows. Check around your house for spiders at night. Black widow spiders are nocturnal and are most likely to be noticed when they are active. Step 3 Make sure that windows and doors do not have holes in them. Repair screens if they are in disrepair. Step 4 Caulk or find other ways to seal cracks and crevices around your home that are small enough for black widow spiders to crawl through. Step 5 Put door sweeps on the bottoms of doors that lead outside. Door sweeps can catch wandering black window spiders and shove them back outdoors where they belong. Step 6 Put yellow bulbs in outside light fixtures. Yellow bulbs deter the types of insects that black widow spiders like to eat. Step 7 Clean your home. Dust, vacuum and sweep regularly. Rearrange furniture. Reduce clutter. Piles of clothing and old boxes should be organized or eliminated completely. Remove and replace the vacuum's bag after cleaning by wrapping it in a tightly sealed plastic bag and discarding it in an outdoor trashcan away from your home. Step 8 Take care of your lawn and garden. Mow your grass before it reaches 3 inches. Keep ivy, vegetation and other plants away from your home's structure and foundation. Step 9 Wash the exterior of your home with a powerful spray from a garden hose. Pay special attention to windows and other areas where black widow spiders may spin their webs. Step 10 Move wood, rocks and garbage piles away from your home. Keep trash cans at a substantial distance away from your home. Step 11 Choose and use insecticides carefully. Consult a home and garden specialist at a hardware store or an exterminator for the best way to chemically remove black widow spiders. Read more: How to Prevent Black Widow Spider Home Infestation | eHow.com http://www.ehow.com/how_2103505_prevent-black-widow-spider-home.html#ixzz0wi35GsKr |
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Subject: RE: BS: Black Widow Spiders From: Ebbie Date: 15 Aug 10 - 04:54 PM In the link it says that the female black widow rarely leaves her web. The male is harmless so the female is the only one you have to worry about. Is it possible/likely that what you found is not the black widow? |
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Subject: RE: BS: Black Widow Spiders From: gnu Date: 15 Aug 10 - 04:55 PM Well, if a spider was big enough to stop a lawn mower from staring, I expect it would take TNT. I had an infestation of another type in my shed years ago. My immediate solution was to visit the auto service garage I frequent, borrow an exhaust hose and use my truck to "fumigate" the shed. Worked a treat. Gave the mechanic $20 and everyone was happy, 'cept fer the varmints. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Black Widow Spiders From: Stilly River Sage Date: 15 Aug 10 - 05:15 PM Don't Use That Toxic Crap in the first link!!!!! It isn't necessary. Those chemicals are worse for you than the spiders. Go to your local feed and seed store or garden center and buy some d-limonene (orange oil - not the TKO stuff, but real orange oil) and pour a couple of ounces per gallon in a sprayer and spray the area. And you can also use diatomaceous earth (the organic gardening variety, not the pool filter type). Dirt Doctor advice on black widow spider control. I have lots of wasps around here, so I don't have much of a spider problem. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Black Widow Spiders From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 15 Aug 10 - 05:25 PM Years ago black widows became abundant in Santa Fe, the webs in garages, lumber piles, etc. I was about 12-13. We would collect them in jars (what, me worry? not at that age). A couple of years later, they were again very uncommon. Our manual arts teacher (anyone remember those days?) was sorting lumber and was bitten on the nose. He went to the doctor, but never developed more than a red lump; apparently his system was not particularly affected by them. He was large, over six feet tall. A Swede, he told us tales of the Grimm type, some very bloody, which we loved. The bite is serious for some people but not for others. Don't take chances. Although they are an arachnid, a good insect spray should be sufficient. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Black Widow Spiders From: pdq Date: 15 Aug 10 - 05:56 PM "...went out to the shed and looked under a couple of boards..." That suggests that part of the problem is the yard. It needs a serious cleanup. I recommend a 4 foot strip be completely cleared around all building and next to all periferal fences. This gives you an area that can be sprayed for weeds, insects, spiders and ticks on a regular basis. Rodents don't like to go through and open area either since it makes them easy targets for cats and other predators. Useful lumber is best placed on shelves a few feet above the shop floor, and firewood (outside) should be placed on a metal frame at least one foot above ground. Don't spend the extra money on special pesticides for spiders. Malathion Plus is a special mix with Sevin added to Malathion. Very low toxicity but gets ants, ticks, fleas...almost all pests. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Black Widow Spiders From: Richard Bridge Date: 15 Aug 10 - 05:59 PM All those things that kill insects will, in large enough doses, kill mammals. So be careful. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Black Widow Spiders From: gnu Date: 15 Aug 10 - 06:18 PM Yes, Richard. There are relatively safe insecticides, as cited previously. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Black Widow Spiders From: Maryrrf Date: 15 Aug 10 - 07:31 PM Thanks for the advice - I did google but would rather hear from people who have dealt with the problem. The shed really isn't that cluttered - but of course there are places where the spiders can hide. I can't really afford an exterminator right now - but may give that orange spray a try. In the meantime I'll be extremely careful when grabbing for a garden tool... |
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Subject: RE: BS: Black Widow Spiders From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 15 Aug 10 - 07:37 PM Most people do put their good lumber on racks above ground level, but spiders like high, dry, protected spots. Malathion plus is a good general insecticide-arachnicide, though. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Black Widow Spiders From: Dave Hanson Date: 15 Aug 10 - 07:38 PM Most insecticides don't work on spiders, spiders being arachnids, not insects. Dave H |
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Subject: RE: BS: Black Widow Spiders From: Melissa Date: 15 Aug 10 - 07:48 PM Maryrrf, When you spray, you'll probably want to treat around the outside of the shed first..so the spiders don't escape your treatment by running out into the yard. If you just want them to move out of the shed, noise/activity might discourage them from their nice new home. When I had one in my basement, I just left her alone (and checked occasionally to make sure she wasn't filling the basement with babies) and she either left or died. At camp, we left them alone unless they were really close to our walking areas. I think they're territorial so if you've got a lot in the shed, they might be working on eliminating each other. Good luck. They're pretty and also pretty creepy. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Black Widow Spiders From: olddude Date: 15 Aug 10 - 08:34 PM A black widow bite is serious and can be fatal to a child or adult that is especially sensitive ... Mary blast it with a high quality spray. Go to the local feed store they will give you some advise or even mix up some spray for you. This is one of those don't worry about the environment number .. just get rid of them. Too serious to mess around with |
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Subject: RE: BS: Black Widow Spiders From: ichMael Date: 15 Aug 10 - 08:36 PM I use Cypermethrin and Deltamethrin (think I spelled them right) for spiders and scorpions. I see a lot of black widows in the brushy areas on my property (cactus and mesquite), but very few in the areas I've cleared for outbuildings. Cut down brush around inhabited areas. That's the most effective thing you can do. Get rid of rubbish (fallen wood and such) near dwellings. Wear gloves when handing wood. My stock tank is usually dry, otherwise I'd try to get a colony of mud daubers started. The dauber's preferred diet is spiders (crack open a dirt nest and look at all the spider carcasses inside). I think it's the organ pipe dauber that has a preferred diet of black widows. If you have a steady water source the wasps can draw from, you might want to try to establish some daubers in the shed. Daubers aren't aggressive. Don't know anyone who's ever been stung by one. They can sound aggressive (buzzing their wings furiously on top of their nest), but that's just their way of circulating air to dry the mud after they daub it. Check your boots in the morning and your bedclothes at night and you should be all right. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Black Widow Spiders From: Stilly River Sage Date: 16 Aug 10 - 01:41 AM This is one of those don't worry about the environment number .. just get rid of them. Too serious to mess around with That attitude is antiquated, and frankly, just nuts. You do need to worry about the environment, but you also want an effective treatment. I suggested one that is both effective and aimed specifically at the pests it is aimed at, not the rest of the world living around it. Including pets and people. You need to get over that old tired idea that "organic" is somehow "ineffective." This isn't the case at all. Read on: Texas Organic Research Center (TORC) The mission of TORC is to provide research and information to homeowners, farmers, ranchers and other decision makers with the goal of helping stop the broad scale use of toxic chemical pesticides and fertilizers which are currently being sold and used in the futile attempt to grow crops and control insect pests and diseases. SRS |
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Subject: RE: BS: Black Widow Spiders From: Gurney Date: 16 Aug 10 - 02:01 AM I'd just set off a flea-bomb in the shed. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Black Widow Spiders From: GUEST,.gargoyle Date: 16 Aug 10 - 08:02 AM They are likeable critters and can grow quite large....three inch legs.
We had one that lived in the banjo clock for several years. The nest areas are easy to spot because of the black and red droppings (scat)on a clean surface.
During WWII a home industry included raising black-widow-spiders for their web threads. They were used in Nordon bombsights...because the fibers held up under did not change under the adverse contraction and expansion of extream temperature change.
Sincerely,
My spider bites usually come from putting on clothing (pants, shirt, overalls) that have been on the floor. My brother's brown-recluse bite abcessed and then sealed up....it was palpable several years later in his calf muscle. I said, "lets massage that thing out of there" and began to knead the calcified feeling cyst. The necrified flesh that flushed out made him deathly ill for three days. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Black Widow Spiders From: maeve Date: 16 Aug 10 - 08:37 AM Helpful link here: "Widow spiders are typically not affected by general pesticide applications (baseboard sprays) because they avoid the treated areas. Individual widow spiders can be killed by direct application (to the spider itself) with a labeled pesticide but they may not die immediately and you risk an intoxicated spider running around loose in the house. By far, the non-chemical methods of prevention and removal are your best bet. If necessary, silica dusts or microencapsulated pesticide formulations may be used in attics and crawlspaces and on window frames to prevent spider reinfestation. In rare situations where widow spiders are numerous indoors, you should seek the services of a professional pest control company." ___________________________________ I hope this is helpful. m |
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Subject: RE: BS: Black Widow Spiders From: Q (Frank Staplin) Date: 16 Aug 10 - 01:56 PM The Western Black Widow has been found as far north as Grande Prairie in Alberta. The Canadian website "Talk about wildlife" says bites were once more common then they are now. "When outhouses were the norm for hardy rural folk, Black Widows sometimes found that the ledge under the outhouse seat was an ideal spot for a web." |
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Subject: RE: BS: Black Widow Spiders From: open mike Date: 16 Aug 10 - 02:37 PM I have been seeing more black widows than usual this year. I find the best way to get rid of them is to stomp on them! also Victor and Safer products have some non-toxic sprays with menthol and citrus oil that work well on other pests.. Victor Pest and Safer Pest Control Products, 1-800-800-1819 http://www.victorpest.com/store/sister-products/for-the-home/5730 you know you have found one when you find their web..they are like cable...strong and resilient...and quite random...no orb-spinners here! I can see using them for cross hairs, and stuff... here are some other products listed for spider control http://www.victorpest.com/search?page=1&search=spiders |
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Subject: RE: BS: Black Widow Spiders From: olddude Date: 16 Aug 10 - 02:49 PM Well I know one thing spider bites are not fun at all .. Since I have spent so much time in the woods and into everything you can think of... I too got nailed once by a brown recluse when I was in my 20's ... Made me pretty sick for a few days. some people are more sensitive than others ... even that wasn't as bad as the scorpion sting .. with those guys it is the small ones that cause the issues ... that I don't want to do again either. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Black Widow Spiders From: Rapparee Date: 16 Aug 10 - 03:14 PM Information about hobo and other spiders can be found here. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Black Widow Spiders From: gnu Date: 16 Aug 10 - 03:22 PM Even small friendly (non-poisonous) spiders can be a problem. About 20 years ago, in late fall, I awoke to a painful wrist. Not far above the palm was the unmistakable pair of holes. A day later, time to see the doc because the redness, heat and burning was spreading. Cellulitis. Some AB's and all was fine. But, every time after that, when I got a cut, hornet sting, whatever, I had issues with cellulitis infection. So, even a minor injury that bleeds must be taken care of immediately. I irrigate, blot and put isopropyl alcohol to it and bandage it. As soon as the bleeding has been stopped, I apply polysporin cream and a fresh bandage. Usually, within a day, I leave it open to the air. Now, I was chastised by a buddy of mine for being a wimp. I ignored him and took the advice of my doc after having to visit him a second time after a hornet sting which became infected after I had to work under my truck in tha back woods in the mud. My doc drew a line about a half inch outside the visible infection with a pen and said, "If it gets near the line, go to the emerge." I asked why and he asked me, "Ever hear of necrotizing fasciitis ?" I answered yes but asked if it could really happen. He said, "Don't go to the emerge and find out." I watched that wound for days. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Black Widow Spiders From: ichMael Date: 16 Aug 10 - 10:27 PM A couple of weeks ago I had to get rid of some skunks. A female dropped a litter last spring under an outbuilding, and we've been waiting for them to go away, and they did, all but three. Just wouldn't leave. Tried everything. So I had to crawl under the building with a .410 and... Wasn't pleasant. Point is, I wasn't going under the building until I could do all I could to clear out the black widows. And that meant spraying with Cypermethrin, not scattering orange juice and fossil dust. So, the week before, I sprayed the areas where I'd be crawling. As I crawled I watched for white egg sacs. The black widow female is most dangerous when she's tending the sac. Won't eat for the two or three weeks it takes to hatch out, and she gets hungry, mean and aggressive. Otherwise they usually flee. I half expected to get stung by a scorpion as I was crawling, but I only picked up a couple of dozen fire ant bites. Almost rolled over on a velvet ant, and that's an experience I never want to have. They say those are painful stings. |
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Subject: RE: BS: Black Widow Spiders From: olddude Date: 16 Aug 10 - 11:00 PM Velvet Ant, No you do not want that either ... LOL ... been there done that also ... come to think of it, there isn't too much that hasn't nailed me one time or the other ... That critter is actually a wasp that will give you a welt that will swell up and throb for 2 straight weeks .. no kidding ... We don't have them here in the Eastern states. But I spent time running around the desert in the past for sure |
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Subject: ADD: Black Widows in the Privy (Heather Jones) From: Joe Offer Date: 15 Jul 17 - 03:39 AM Back in 2000, Good Old John in Brisbane posted lyrics for a number of songs. But since they're all in one list, I'm afraid they might get lost. Somebody sang "Black Widows in the Privy" at our song circle this evening, so I had to go to Mudcat to see if we had the lyrics. We did, but I think they'd be better off in a thread about Black Widow Spiders. I've lived in California since 1973, and I'm still not used to the thought of living in the constant company of black widow spiders. So far, though, I'm still alive. John's post (click) BLACK WIDOWS IN THE PRIVY (Heather Jones) Everyone knows someone we'd be better off without, But best not mention names, for we know not who's about. But why commit a murder, and risk the fires of hell, When black widows in the privy can do it just as well. Now, poison's good, and daggers, and arrows in the back, And if you're really desperate, you can try a front attack. But are they really worthy of the risk of being caught When black widows in the privy need not be bribed or bought? So, if there's one of whom wish most simply to be rid, Just wait 'til dark, then point the way to where the widows hid, And say to them, "I think you'll find that this one is the best," And black widows in the privy will gladly do the rest. Black Widows in the Privy Lyrics and Music by Heather Jones From the tape Horse Tamer's Daughter Centaur Publications PO Box 424 El Cerrito, CA 94530 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e5jv9RfcOqY |
