How to Get Rid of Black Widows By Identifying and Eliminating Infestations

Discovering a spider in your house is scary. Realizing it might be poisonous is extra terrifying. Learning how to get rid of black widows after identifying them will give you more peace of mind. Once you develop both skills, you can keep your property free of arachnid predators.

Tips to Identify a Black Widow

Female black widow spiders have at least one red mark on their backs. They can also have multiple red dots in a vertical column or one hourglass-shaped symbol. Otherwise, they’re all black and have eight legs. 

Males are smaller, so people often miss them. They have red and white markings on either side of their abdomen. Younger black widows are also harder to spot because they’re orange and white.

If you ever have any questions, use your phone camera to zoom in on the spider from a safe distance. Once you get a clear picture of its abdomen in good lighting, you can look up black widow photos at all stages of their development to confirm whether it’s the poisonous species or not.

What Does an Infestation Look Like?

Although you might have nightmares about discovering your tool shed full of Halloween-worthy spiderwebs, a black widow infestation is much harder to spot. You’re already looking for mud tubes and trails to spot insects around your property, but watch for thin webbing in small areas as well.

Black widows prefer secluded spaces like garages and basements. They also enjoy a good crawlspace. You may find spiderwebs no bigger than your hand with white or cream colored egg sacs. The sacs don’t have markings, so you’ll need to look for an actual spider nearby. If there’s no black widow where you discover the web, check back later to see if one comes home after you’ve left the area.

The infamous spiders like their privacy so much that they also hide in tiny spaces. If you have drainage spout trays around the outside of your house, flip them over with caution. Black widows hide in the hollow spaces underneath, which can surprise people as they do landscaping work.

How to Get Rid of Black Widows

If you’re positive that a black widow is living in or around your house, you don’t have to panic. There are plenty of ways to get rid of them safely.

Call a Pest Control Team

You should always consider calling a pest control team when you find a poisonous spider infestation. They know how to permanently get rid of black widows with tools like commercial-grade insecticide. They also have safety equipment necessary to protect themselves from bites if you have more than one spider to deal with.

Don’t Touch the Spiders or Webs

You might feel tempted to brush webbing away if there’s no egg sac attached to it, but don’t touch anything a black widow calls home. They mostly bite when your hand gets close to them or touches their web. They’re also aggressive around their egg sacs. If you want to smash the spider, use something long and heavy instead of a gloved hand or shoe. 

Use a Vacuum With a Bag

Vacuums also come in handy when there’s a black widow on the scene. Choose a vacuum with a bag inside. Otherwise, the black widow might get out when you empty the container into your kitchen trash can.

Turn your vacuum on and capture the spider, web and any egg sacs you can see. Dispose of the bag immediately by placing it inside an airtight Ziploc bag. You’ll reduce the risk of them getting out, and they won’t harm any garbage workers during pickup or landfill work.

Spray Strong Natural Scents

You can also learn how to get rid of black widows naturally by stocking up on plant resources. 

Peppermint is among the many herbs that repel spiders by scent, so plant some around your property. Watch as it expands because mint can become a hard-to-manage invasive species if left unchecked.

You can also spray plant-based essential oils around the areas where you found any spiders. Black widows don’t like the strong scent of things like peppermint, so they may stay away if you manage to keep the aroma present long-term.

When and Where They’re Most Common

The northern black widow spider lives in the eastern U.S. and as far west as Kansas. They thrive throughout the East Coast in hidden areas around residential and commercial properties. Whether you need to learn how to get rid of black widows in the garage or elsewhere, you’re not alone. Many people have dealt with them before and come out unscathed.

Once you get rid of your black widow visitors, try maintaining a better cleaning routine or spraying for bugs regularly. If they can’t find secluded places to hide, like forgotten trash or unused belongings, they may look for housing elsewhere.

What to Do If a Black Widow Bites You

If a black widow bites you, you’ll have two red puncture marks. They’re tiny and easy to miss, but the side effects are not. Black widow venom causes multiple intensifying symptoms, like:

• Pain around the bite
• Progressive muscle cramping
• Bodywide pain
• Trouble breathing
• Vomiting
• Headache
• Fever and excessive sweating

The good news is that if you get bitten by a black widow, you can go to the emergency room. The venom isn’t potent enough to kill you in a matter of minutes. An emergency room physician will provide an IV of latrodectus antivenom, which will protect your nervous system and dismantle the poison.

Make Your Home Spider-Free

Living around places where venomous spiders exist shouldn’t make you feel scared. Once you learn how to get rid of black widows and recognize any infestations, you’ll know how to take care of yourself and your loved ones with confidence.

FAQs

In what states are black widow spiders found?

Black widow spiders live in numerous states along the East Coast, and as far west as Kansas. If you live in places like New York, Florida, Tennessee or Texas, you may find a black widow spider in your yard one day.

Should you go to the ER for a black widow bite?

Yes, you should go to the ER for a black widow bite. While the venom isn’t strong enough to kill you immediately, it causes excruciating side effects. Emergency rooms have the necessary black widow antivenom to ease your symptoms and help you recover.

What kills black widows instantly?

You can kill black widows instantly with spider-focused insecticides. You can also crush them, but ensure that you smush black widows with something other than your extremities. If they were to accidentally bite you in the process of crushing them, you would need to visit an emergency room.