If it was not bad enough that a black widow spider exists, enter its kin the brown widow spider? Yes, there is a brown widow spider too. Let’s look at both and see their similarities and differences.
Description
Like all spiders, the widow spiders have two main body parts, the cephalothorax and abdomen. The cephalothorax bears the head and legs. The abdomen is much larger than the cephalothorax. The spinnerets, or silk and web making appendages, are attached to the rear end of the abdomen. On widow spiders, the spinnerets look like a cluster of small cones.
Black Widow
Black widow females can be identified by a small red/orange-ish spot on their abdomen and males can be identified by their lighter color and a yellow or white marking on their ventrum. Black widow spiders are most recognized for the red hourglass shape under their abdomen. They have 8 legs and are 1-1/2 to 1-3/8 inches long with no antennae. The females are known to eat their male partner after mating.
Brown Widow
The brown widow spider, Latrodectus geometricus, is an arachnid closely related to the deadly black widow, Latrodectus macrons. And the brown widow is showing up in places where no one expects.
The brown widow is a medium to large spider with various shades of brown on its body hence the name. There is s general striped pattern on the dorsal (top) side, and brown mottling on the ventral side. It often has red markings on the ventral side, although this is a less reliable characteristic than the bright red hourglass mark typical of the black widow. Like all spiders, the brown widow has eight legs.
Ballooning
“One aspect that makes controlling widow spiders difficult is that they, like many spiders, exhibit a behavior called ballooning. When the spiderlings are very small, on warm days when there is an updraft, they climb to the top of a fence post or piece of vegetation, raise their abdomens into the air, and release a small filament of silk. When the updraft currents overtake the forces of gravity, the spiderling is carried into the air to another location. This may only be a few feet away, or it could be miles. Ballooning spiderlings have been captured at 10,000 feet from the ground and 200 miles offshore. Because spiderlings will be dropping down on your property continually, eliminating them will be a task that needs to be done repeatedly throughout the year”, reports the University of California Agriculture & Natural Resources Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program. Both the Black and Brown Widow Spiders have this phenomenon known as ballooning.
Widow Spider Bites
Black Widow
CBS News reported that “the bite of a female black widow is thought to be 15 times more potent than that of a rattlesnake. A bite can cause severe muscle pain and spasms, as well as abdominal cramps, for up to a week. More than 2,000 people report black widow bites yearly, but deaths are rare these days”.
A bite from a black widow can cause severe abdominal muscle spasms. A bite from a black widow can be distinguished from other insect bites by its two puncture marks in the skin. Antivenin is available, so bring the spider to the doctor if possible and let the doctor see her. The female black widow is very venomous, but the males aren’t. The poison glands of a male aren’t functional in its adult stage.
Brown Widow
A brown widow’s bite is usually less severe than a black widow bite as they tend to inject less venom. The venom from a brown widow is about twice as potent as venom from a black widow but they don’t make as much. One out of twenty bites cause death. Most die after severe pain and respiratory failure (children) or heart failure (adults).
While the bite of the brown widow might not kill you, it’s still in the Latrodectus genus, meaning its venom affects humans and other mammals. So, while the bite of the brown widow is somewhat less toxic than the black widow, both spiders are known to be poisonous. Like other stinging or poisonous insects, the brown widow is more of a nuisance than a life-or-death situation. Brown widows are also less aggressive and more likely to retreat and guard their eggs. But you still want to avoid it!
Where do you find them?
Black Widow
Black widow spiders like well-lit and dry places such as:
Outdoors: stones, firewood piles, boards building materials, trash piles, under porches, in crawlspaces, barns, outhouses and sheds.
Indoors: cluttered areas of garages, crawl spaces and basements.
Black widows are active in temperatures 70 degrees or higher. They can survive in lower temperatures with the right conditions. Black widow spiders spin irregular webs, which they build at night near ground level. Once complete, these spiders hang upside-down in their webs.
Brown Widow
Brown widows are commonly found around urban structures especially outside homes, in parks, under playground equipment, in plant nurseries and landscaping areas. If you have large outdoor toys that haven’t been used in a while, and you live in California or Florida, you’d be well advised to check them top to bottom for lurking brown widows. Simply spray-down your outdoor children’s toys with a hose and it will clear out all kinds of spiders and bugs, including brown widows and other spiders. If you have a large number of brown widow nests around your house, especially in high-traffic areas like yard furniture and kids’ toys, then you should take steps to control them. There’s always a chance that someone may put their hand into a dark corner and come away with a bite.
The brown widow’s range was previously limited to the southeastern United States, but in recent years it has been turning up in the western states as well. In these areas, it may be replacing the black widow as the predominant widow species. The reason this matters is that brown widows are more inclined to spin their webs in places humans congregate, especially under outdoor furniture and around barbecues.
Why do they bite?
Black Widow
A black widow is willing to strike if their eggs are in harm, if the spider has been startled, or if the spider feels threatened. Unfortunately, their reclusive behavior makes it’s hard to detect where a black widow is living in order to avoid them. While male black widow spiders rarely bite, females are known to be aggressive and bite in defense, especially after laying, and when guarding eggs.
Brown Widow
This spider is not aggressive and will retreat when disturbed, and most bites occur when it is accidentally pressed against the skin of a person.
Widow spider extermination
Unlike many pests which are unsightly or may cause damage to your home, widow spiders can cause bodily harm and possible death. If widow spiders have invaded your yard, outbuildings, or worse, your home, it is essential you destroy these insects right away. Drive-Bye Exterminators pest control company gives you complete black widow spider extermination and stops the threat to you and your family. Despite their name, widows active in Florida may appear in reddish colors as well as black.
Don’t risk a black or brown widow bite yourself; call an exterminator to deal with these dangerous pests. Call today to schedule an appointment with one of Florida’s best pest control companies.
Drive-Bye Exterminators offers home and commercial pest control services in Clearwater, Florida, and the surrounding areas. Family owned and operated for over 25 years, Drive-Bye Exterminators has state certified inspectors and exterminators provide roach, subterranean termite, dry wood termite, roaches, spider, ant and flea services to both commercial and residential clients. Whether a business owner needs help getting rid of a termite infestation, or a homeowner wants to rid their kitchen of ants, Drive-Bye Exterminators offers each client the same level of professionalism and excellence.
Request a FREE Pest Control or Termite Inspection today with the Professionals of Drive-Bye Exterminators. Contact Us Today at 727-787-2127.
