Did you know that there are over 58 species of spiders living with us in Florida? In this Spiders in Florida Series, we take a look at the most dangerous venomous domestic house spiders:
- Brown Recluse Spider (Loxosceles reclusa)
- Brown Widow Spider (Latrodectus geometricus)
- Northern Black Widow Spider (Latrodectus variolus)
- Red Widow Spider (Latrodectus bishop)
- Southern Black Widow Spider (Latrodectus genus)
In this series, we already covered the Most Common Domestic House Spiders in Florida.
Most Common Domestic House Spiders
- American House Spider (Parasteatoda tepidariorum)
- Daddy Long Legs (Opiliones order)
- Domestic House Spider (Tegenaria domestica)
- Jumping Spiders (Salticidae family)
- Southern House Spider (Kukulcania hibernalis),
- Yellow Sac Spiders (Cheiracanthium genus)
Here is some information about Widow Spiders in the Tampa Bay area:
Widow Spiders
There are four species of widow spider that you might find in Florida, three of them native and one of them introduced.
- Southern black widow (Latrodectus mactan)
- Northern black widow (Latrodectus various)
- Red widow (Latrodectus bishopi)
- Brown widow (Latrodectus geometricus).
Southern Black Widow
Read below to learn more information about the Southern Black Widow.
Common Names
Black Widow Spider, Black Widow, Widow Spider, Shoe Button Spider, Hourglass Spider, Cobweb Spider, Comb-footed Spider, Tangle-web Spider, Gumfoot-web Spider, Button Spider
Primary Colors
Black, brown, white, red and orange
Location and Range
The Latrodectus mactans or Southern Black Widow has been sighted in the United States.
Latrodectus mactans has also been sighted in the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia.
The Southern Black Widow is a venomous spider found throughout the southeastern United States. They receive their name from the belief that they would kill and consume their mate following copulation. Contrary to popular belief, female does not always eat her mate; it depends on the circumstances. This spider has been primarily sighted during July.
Appearance
The Underside of this spider’s abdomen has a bright red or orange hourglass-shaped marking (two connected triangles). Rarely, the markings can be faded, indistinct, or absent. The top side of the abdomen can have white stripes and red or orange spots on the black background; especially in immature specimens. Adult males are tiny in comparison to adult females.
We have different maintenance programs for unwanted pests like termites, roaches, ants, bed bugs, silverfish, fleas, spiders, and more. We offer same day, one-time, monthly, quarterly, and yearly extermination service programs which are all very useful pest control programs.
If you suspect a roach problem, contact a local experienced pest control company for inspection immediately before they spread diseases?
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.
