Of course, everyone has heard all about the dangerous Black Widow Spider. To answer the question, yes, there is a brown widow spider.
What is a brown widow spider?
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.
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.
Where is it located?
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.
Population Explosion
According to an article in The Journal of Medical Entomology, “the brown widow spider’s California population explosion may result in the displacement of the more-familiar black widow. The brown widow was first discovered in Florida in 1935. It turned up in California in 2003, a startling range expansion that suggests the spider is thriving in the recent warm weather. Recent searches for black widow spiders turned up more brown widows than black widows, leading researchers to suspect that the black widow may be on the run”.
Poisonous Venom
While the bite of the brown widow won’t 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?
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.
Don’t risk a Brown or Black 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.
