What To Do About Black Widow Spiders On Your Gilbert, AZ Property

Out of all the spiders in Gilbert, AZ the black widow spider is one of the most dangerous. Naturally, no property owner wants to encounter this arachnid. Find out what you should do if you come across a black widow and how you can keep them away.

Do You Have Black Widow Spiders?

First, you should know whether or not you actually have black widow spiders on your property. It's not uncommon for people to confuse black widows with other spiders in Gilbert, AZ. It's essential to know how to identify a black widow or to contact a pest control professional for help.

There's one defining mark on a black widow spider that should give them away - the red hourglass. If you're looking at the underside of a spider's abdomen and you see a bright red hourglass, you can be sure you're seeing a female black widow. However, males don't have the red marking. 

Adult black widows are often black or brownish-black, but young spiders usually are orange and white. They darken as they get older, eventually reaching between three and ten millimeters long. As a general rule, the females are larger than the males. 

Where To Find Black Widow Spiders

At times, people have black widow spiders on their property and don't even realize it. This is because black widows prefer solitude and tend to live in basements and garages. If you don't go into those areas of your home or leave the rooms unlit, you are unlikely to notice the spiders.

More often than not, the webs of these spiders are close to the ground. Their webs tend to be irregular and quite messy. Whether you see a spider or the web, you should consider calling a professional for spider removal.

How Can You Eliminate Black Widow Spiders From Your Property

A black widow spider isn't something you should deal with on your own. Although black widows are reluctant to bite, they will bite when they feel intimidated. If you try to brush away a web and accidentally disturb a spider, you could end up with a painful bite.

Black widow spider bites require medical attention. After a bite, people often experience fever, high blood pressure, and vomiting. It doesn't take long for the pain to set in and it can last for as long as three days. These bites rarely result in fatalities but this is possible. Because of these hazards, you shouldn't try to remove black widows from your property alone. Your best bet is spider prevention, which involves doing the following:

• Seal The Entrances: You may be successful at keeping black widows outside if you can seal up your property. Using caulk, eliminate cracks and crevices from your home. If you have gaps around your windows or doors, find a way to seal them up. 

• Keep Firewood Far From Your Building: When black widows aren't hiding inside your building, they could be hiding in a stack of firewood. To keep these arachnids far from your buildings, don't store firewood nearby. Place stacks as far from your building as possible.

• Keep Clutter To A Minimum: If you have a cluttered garage or basement, black widows will have plenty of hiding spots. They will also have enough food to keep them thriving for months. When a property has clutter, other pests abound. 

• Eliminate Other Pests: To keep black widows away, you need to keep out their food. Accomplishing such a feat means storing your trash in sealed containers, cleaning regularly, and relying on a pest control professional.

Call For Professional Help

Whether you have an active infestation or you want to keep your Gilbert, AZ home safe from black widow spiders, you can count on us at Green Home Pest Control. Our highly trained staff uses state-of-the-art methods and techniques to keep arachnids and other pests away. We use eco-friendly products that are safe for children and pets. Call us today at Green Home Pest Control to request your free estimate or use our online form to get started.