The Black Widow spiders are arachnids that have long captured our imagination. The female black widow, which often features a red hourglass-shaped underbelly, has the tendency to eat their mates. This spider’s bite, according to the National Geographic, is the deadliest among all the spiders in North America as it’s venom is reported to be 15 times more powerful than a rattlesnake’s.
There are two species that are common to the United States. The southern black widow and the northern black widow. The former has a shiny, black, oblate spheroid- shaped abdomen. There is also a red hourglass mark on its underbelly. The latter, on the other hand, has a row of red spots down the middle of the upper surface of its abdomen.
Black widow spiders got their name due to the fact that they engage in sexual cannibalism, or the females devour the male after mating. It is no coincidence then, that the female lives up to 3 years, while the males live only for 1 to 2 months. Basically, the males are eaten after living for only 1 to 2 months
Habitat
Black widow spiders prefer dark corners or crevices, such as garages, outdoor toilets, barns, basements, trash, dense vegetation, and even inside your shoe.
They are nocturnal, and they bite humans only when disturbed. Unfortunately, those moments were most of the time not intentional as we are not even aware that they are hiding somewhere within our own territory. When you or a loved one is bitten by a black widow spider, seek immediate medical care.
Symptoms
Only the female bite or at least only their bites are dangerous to human health. The bite itself only fills like being pricked by a needle. After that, severe pain will spread throughout the body, followed by swelling, burning, and redness on the bite site.
Other symptoms include nausea, muscle pain, rash and itching, difficulty breathing, too much sweating, weakness, abdominal pain, hypertension, paralysis of the diaphragm and legs, and swollen eyelids.
A black widow spider’s bite can be fatal to children. Get him or her to the hospital at once for immediate medical attention.
First-Aid Treatment
To ease the pain of the spider's bite, try these first-aid treatments:
- Wash the area with mild soap and water.
- Use an ice pack or a cold washcloth and apply directly to the area. Remember not to apply ice directly to it.
- If possible, elevate the area that was bitten.
- You can use ibuprofen, naproxen, aspirin, or antibiotic cream or lotion.
- Capture the spider if possible and take it to the doctor. This way, the doctor will know that it was a black widow spider that bit you. If capturing it is not possible, take a picture of it. Last resort would be to eliminate it and capture it dead.
These things would need not to happen if certain steps are taken to prevent it. If you suspect a black widow spider is within your territory, then call in the experts. If you are in Lexington, Go- Forth Pest Control Company is the name to trust.
Go-Forth has been serving the residents of Lexington since 1959, using state-of-the-art equipment and a family-friendly and pet-friendly method of exterminating pests.
To set an appointment, contact us.