It's common to be afraid of all spiders, but the harmful species - such as the Black Widow - are the ones you should really be afraid of. According to Do-It-Yourself Pest Control, Black Widow Spiders are considered poisonous, spiteful spiders in North America. Fortunately, Black Widows are not usually lethal, because they can only inject a small amount of venom into humans, but they can still be harmful.
Identifying this pest can be easy in most cases, especially if it's a female - her body is black and shiny, and usually has a bright-colored hourglass marking on her abdomen. As for the male, it's about half the size of the female, usually has yellow and red spots on his back, and is known to be harmless. Now that you know what to look for, it's time to learn proper Black Widow control and prevention.
Inspection
DoMyOwnPestControl recommends starting by giving your entire home a quick inspection to help you close in on the spaces where the Black Widows may be hiding. Once you've identified the space where they seem to be gathering, you'll know where to focus your immediate attention and efforts to eliminate them. Most common places to check include dark places, around boxes and in piles of clutter.
Removal
If you've found the spot in your home where the Black Widow spiders are living, a non-chemical way to remove them is by using a vacuum. This method of removal can get rid of the spiders, their webs and their egg sacks. After vacuuming the contents of the Black Widow up, remove the vacuum bag or contents of the filter immediately, seal it in a plastic bag, and discard in an outdoor garbage can.
Prevention
Now that you've gotten rid of the Black Widow spiders residing in your home, it's important to take measures to ensure they won't come back. Here are a few tips for Black Widow spider prevention:
Minimize the hiding spots - Pestkill suggested getting rid of as many Black Widow hiding spots as you can. This includes boxes piled up throughout your home, clutter in the basement, unnecessary outdoor items or garage contents and debris left in the yard.
Inspect constantly - Make sure you're always checking for webs, egg sacs and spiders throughout your home. The more often you check and clean up the space, the less chance you'll find Black Widows taking residency in your house.
Keep vacuuming - By now you know that vacuuming up the Black Widow and its contents is an effective way to get rid of them, but it's an excellent way to prevent them from coming back, too. Always make it a point to dust and vacuum under furniture, in corners of the room and windows throughout your home. This will help remove the clutter of dirt and debris, giving the Black Widow no place to hide.
Store firewood safely - The National Pest Management Association suggested storing firewood at least twenty feet from your home and about five inches off of the ground. Piles of firewood are a common place for Black Widows to hide and reside in. The closer the piles are to your home, the greater the chance of the spiders' finding their way into your house is. Therefore, keeping your firewood as far away from your home as possible is the smartest choice.
You probably already know that most people are repulsed by the simple sight of cockroaches. If you are personally dealing with a cockroach infestation, the feelings of disgust are probably even more intense. Unfortunately, the cold winter weather tends to be one of the reasons this pest ends up in your home in the first place, according to Any Pest. While you may know that you don't want to share your home with cockroaches this winter, there are a number of interesting facts about this pest that you've probably never heard.
Because of the high amount of traffic and the versatility of the facilities, pests are naturally attracted to long-term care institutions. Many nursing homes, rehabilitation centers and other care facilities include on-site kitchens and cafeterias as well as private rooms and common spaces. All of these places are susceptible to attracting pests because of the presence of food, water and viable habitats.
During the summer months, some people love to go camping with family and friends. Yet this fun trip can be ruined with a few unwanted visitors, most notably different types of bugs. Crawling spiders, hungry mosquitoes and buzzing flies can become annoying quickly. How can you avoid these pests when you're outdoors? Consider these tips to keep bugs out of your campsite.
Carpenter ants can chew through the strongest studs and stringers in a house as they hollow the wooden beams out for nesting. The resulting damage can weaken the home's structural support and require expensive repairs. Professional pest control workers can remove a colony of ants, but the best practice for homeowners is to learn the best ways to keep out an ant colony and prevent the problem before it begins.
As the weather cools, you'll probably see fewer pests than you did during the warmer months, but that doesn't mean they're all gone just yet. Some insects can actually come out in full force during the autumn, while others might seek refuge in your warm home. Here are some key tips to keep in mind as fall gets underway:
