black widows EVERYWHERE

[XmasEve]

Okay, I've come a long way in terms of spiders. I'm okay with them now. Even black widows. We all just have to accept, respect, and live our lives, right?

But they are EVERYWHERE in this house we bought 3 months ago. We've had to do away with about a dozen. I usually live and let live, but these beauties have taken up residence in my kids' playhouse out back, on my clothesline, in the bushes along our entryway, just outside the back door, ON the front door, INSIDE the garage-- from the car's bumper to the garage door-- TWICE. And they are almost always toting egg sacs.

I've tried explaining that I understand they are just trying to raise a family, but so am I, and I have to protect my children. The last straw was yesterday. 3yo dc was playing balancing on the bricks that line our entryway when she called me over to see the big web. Yup. I told her she couldn't play there for now as that was a black widow's web. She got very sad and frustrated and asked why the black widows couldn't respect HER for once. My feelings exactly.

So I have to do something. What can I do? A pest control company is not my first choice. Do you think smudging would have much of an effect?

Thanks for your help.

[grahamsmom98]

As long as you let them live, lay eggs and offer them a safe environment, you'll have black widows. Kill the spiders and destroy their egg sacs and you will have less of a problem.

Sorry, but I do not have a live and let live policy when it comes to black widow spiders. Especially if they would show up in my house or anywhere that ds plays. I use a commercial spray insecticide on a regular basis inside and outside our home.

Be aware that bw will set-up housekeeping in your children's toys (toy truck left outside are a favorite around here). I have to spray ds's trucks (when he leaves them out) every couple of days during the Summer months.

The results from a bite of a black widow are incredibly painful and can be deadly for a child or elderly person. For me, my child's welfare outweighs the spider's welfare!

I can't understand telling a child they can't play somewhere because a spider is already there. An insect's needs come before a child's??

Sigh.

Try spraying areas they frequent with a silicone spray (as is used on garage door hinges, etc). It is difficult for spiders to set-up webs where silicone has been sprayed. It works well on non-porous surfaces, but I can't say it would work on bricks, wood, etc.

Here's some info you might want to keep handy if you are going to live with black widows and have children to educate:

http://msucares.com/pubs/publications/p2154.html

The bite of this spider, as with the brown recluse, often goes unnoticed. The chelicera are only about one millimeter in length, and they may have trouble breaking the skin at some points on the body. The amount of venom injected, the age of the victim, and the elapse time from the last bite until the present bite are some factors that determine the severity of symptoms experienced by the victim. Shortly after the bite (30 to 45 minutes), the skin around the puncture site might become red with a central white or blanched area. A close examination might reveal the two puncture points. The venom is neurotoxin (acts on the nervous system) and, as the envenomation process progresses, pain increases and a contraction or cramping might be noted in the thighs, lumbar region, abdomen, or chest area. This muscle cramping or rigidity is particularly severe in the abdominal muscles. Muscle cramps will make walking difficult in some patients, and a slurring of speech is often noted.

Black-widow-bite treatments might include the use of an antivenin given intramuscularly for 1 or 2 days, plus pain management using calcium gluconate. If two doses of calcium fail to relieve pain, morphine sulfate may be used. These treatments must be prescribed by a physician. Warm baths may help relieve muscle spasms.

The toxin of most species causes only local pain, redness and swelling. That of the more venomous black widow causes generalized muscular pains and spasms, and rigidity. Black widow bites For black widow spider bites, pain may be relieved with parenteral narcotics or muscle relaxants (e.g., methocarbamol - Robaxin, and diazepam - Valium). Calcium gluconate 10 percent given intravenously may relieve pain and muscular rigidity. Antivenin is rarely indicated, usually only for the very young or elderly patients who do not respond to initial measures. Specific antivenin (Antivenin Lactrodectus Mactans) is derived from horse serum. Black widow spider bite therapy requires only a single 2.5ml vial of Lactrodectus antivenin. Assessment of horse serum sensitivity is essential prior to antivenin use.

http://mercuryexposure.org/index.php?page_id=41

Antivenin (Lactrodectus Mactans) contains .01% thimerosal.

From the FDA:

Black Widow Spider antivenom [Antivenin (Lactrodectus mactans), licensed 1936, Merck]

This product is an equine antiserum. The reconstituted product contains 0.1 milligrams of mercury per milliliter, so that the maximum 2-vial dose would contain 0.25 milligrams of mercury. Black Widow Spider bites can be lethal, and the dose is limited to not more than two vials. It has been determined that removal of the product from the market by the FDA would not be in the best interests of public health.

[Conteuse]

We have the point of view that if someone is invited into the house, it's a friend. If they're (or it is) not invited into the house, then it's an intruder.

That being said, I'm all for letting venomous spiders live in the great outdoors. I'm not okay with letting them live and procreate inside my house where my child plays. Intruders are not friends; they were not invited in, and therefore they should be got rid of in whatever way you deem appropriate (whether it's killing them all or just moving them outside or whatever). If a person suddenly decided to move into your house and start raising their family there, especially when they posed a threat to the life of your child, would you allow it? Would you cite peace and respect, or would you kick them out? Would you allow them to dictate to you where your child can and cannot play?

If you'd kick them out, then why should a venomous spider get more consideration than a person? Kick 'em all out!


Random question: I'm new here, and I know this is an old thread. Does this board have any written or unwritten policy against reviving old threads? Thanks.

[aja-belly]

i'm reviving this thread because we are having the exact same problem. we have had an exterminator come out twice. they are clearing lots across the street, so i undertsanb that is driving them in horades to our yard, garage, patio. dh cleared the patio of them 2 days ago so ds would not be cooped up inside all day. i went out there with him just now and there is a giant one on his play tool bench.

seriously, what can we do to fix this problem?? should we just sty inside? it's sad to me that we have this great patio that ds has never gotten to play on.

[e123vg]

try buying some "spider balls" it's a fruit that is green and looks like a brain. i think they are called hedge balls, but they keep bugs and spiders away. they are seasonal so i don't know if you would be able to get any now but you might. we live by these things. good luck with the spiders

[jocelyndale]

Are the spider balls Osage Oranges, aka hedgeapples?

Those work fairly well to keep some arachnids, bugs, and mice at bay. I find them way too fragrant to use in the house, but I don't mind scattering them about the foundation (just pull up any seedlings).

I stop and gather them alongside the roadway (ditches and shoulder, not someone's yard), since the trees grow like mad around here, remnants of colonial hog fences.

[aja-belly]

Originally Posted by jocelyndale

Are the spider balls Osage Oranges, aka hedgeapples?

Those work fairly well to keep some arachnids, bugs, and mice at bay. I find them way too fragrant to use in the house, but I don't mind scattering them about the foundation (just pull up any seedlings).

I stop and gather them alongside the roadway (ditches and shoulder, not someone's yard), since the trees grow like mad around here, remnants of colonial hog fences.

i'm wondering if these are similar to horseapples. i have heard they repel insects.

off to look online....