Many people suffer from arachnophobia, which is a paralyzing fear of spiders. Even those of us who experience panic attacks and anxiety at the mere thought of a spider are prone to fear, but should we really cower in the corner when a black widow spider is present?
Who is the Black Widow?
Despite their diminutive size, black widow spider bites pack a considerable punch. Ranging from 3 to 10mm in length, the black widow is small but dangerous. Identifiable by their dark coloration, red hourglass shaped abdominal markings, these spiders hunt their prey using a delicate web of gluey silk fibers. In this instance, the female of the species is definitely deadlier than the male and the name is derived from the female’s tendency to snack on her lover after matings. In addition to being dangerous to their own loved ones, they can also be dangerous to yours. With a venom packed with a potent neurotoxin known as latrotoxin, a bite from a female black widow can cause pain, cramps, and spasms.Why We Should Love the Black Widow
If you’ve got black widow spiders in your home, the chances are you’ll notice a significant reduction in the number of other pests. These little spiders eat an amazing quantity of harmful bugs, trapping everything from the disease-carrying flies and mosquitoes to grasshoppers. In addition to these daily benefits, it’s also believed the black widow’s venom could be used as the basis for a new pesticide that would be both environmentally friendly and safe to humans. It has also been suggested that the black widow spider’s powerful venom could be used to treat heart attack victims. The active ingredients inside the venom affect the blood vessels, allowing blood to flow more easily and combatting the effects of a heart attack.Precautions and Indoor Spider Control
If despite the benefits, you’re still unwilling to share your home with a black widow spider or if you have an infestation of these eight-legged invaders, contact the indoor spider control experts at Truly Nolen. Some useful tips about how to keep a handle on spider numbers in the home include:- Keep your home free of clutter by regularly tidying up piles of laundry, toys, storage boxes etc.
- Use the wand attachment on your vacuum cleaner to get into tricky nooks and crevices where spiders might be lurking.
- Don’t leave your pets’ feeding bowls out during the day and make sure any food containers are tightly sealed.
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