Natural Solutions to Things That Bug You (19 page)

They prefer to hide in daytime hours and when inside a building, clutter is very attractive to this spider for hiding. They have also been commonly found hiding in shoes, clothing, and boxes. 

Most bites occur when the spider is accidentally trapped against the skin and are normally not very aggressive. It is best to wear gloves and use a soapy spray directly on the spiders to kill them.

                                                                                                                                                            Recluse bite

This spider is excellent at hiding and the most effective form of inspection and detection is done with the use of glue board traps..

Fun Fact:

This spider is also known as the Fiddle-back Spider or violin spider because of the violin-shaped marking on its back.

BLACK HOUSE SPIDER

    The black house spider is also known as the window spider and appears dark and strong. The body of the black house spider is shiny black, while its legs and sides range from black to dark brown. Their abdomens are dark gray in color and their backs exhibit a series of white V-shapes. The females are commonly twice as large as males.

Black house spiders are known to weave lace webs and are frequently mistaken for funnel webs. They also make complex tunnels with more than one portal with the tunnels leading to a hollow, silken retreat for the black house spider. The web of the black house spider will appear gray and tangled as a result of constant repair.

They spin their webs in dry, dark locations and can be found in cracks in walls, rusting iron and the angles of windows, as well as many other sheltered crevices within a house.

Black house spiders may also inhabit the bark of unhealthy trees and use the sap from these injured trees to attract prey. They prey upon a variety of flies, butterflies, beetles and bees.

Even though their bite is not lethal, humans may experience negative side effects from their bite. Vomiting, muscular pain, weakness, nausea, sweating and shortness of breath may occur if the bite is severe. The bite itself is painful and usually swells. However, black house spiders hardly ever attack humans and if they do, only bite only when threatened. 

BLACK WIDOW (poisonous)

    Spray with a strong soapy solution. Spray all cracks and areas where they are located. It is best to spray the areas once a month. Black widows will only bite you if you provoke them. They prefer to run away rather than confront you in any way. Their bite is very painful and medical treatment may need to be initiated immediately.

Their outer covering is very shiny black with a red hourglass on the underneath side of their abdomen making them easy to identify. After mating, the female kills the male and eats him for dinner.

BROWN HOUSE SPIDER

    The brown house spider; is also known as cupboard spiders and reside in numerous locations throughout the world. They may be found in dark, moist areas within a house and prefer basements, crawl spaces and garages. They may also be found outside, beneath rocks and piles of wood.

Brown house spiders are less aggressive than other spider species and their bites are not as dangerous as those of their close relatives. The worst you may experience is some swelling around the bite area with symptoms dissipating within hours.

The male brown house spiders reach up to about ¼ inch, while females may grow to exceed almost ½ inch.

The males are more slender and females more corpulent. Brown house spiders are also known to have long legs and small bodies and may be found in many shades of brown or black.

Some specimens are even tinged red or purple while others exhibit sporadic, white markings all over their bodies. Brown house spider webs are woven with fine silk strands that are entangled with no specific pattern and designed to trap prey. They most commonly prey on insects and sometimes consume other spiders, as well. 

BROWN RECLUSE (poisonous)

    
    Usually found in wooded area, attics or woodpiles. They are a yellowish/tan to dark brown spider and have a light-colored, violin-shaped mark on its head and body. It is a small spider with long slender legs and has six eyes. It may be found in old piles of paper, woodpiles, back of closets and even clothing that has not been worn for a long time. It is best to wear gloves when working in these areas. A soapy spray will get rid of them. Their bite requires immediate medical attention since its poison causes destruction of tissue and the area is very slow to heal.

COMMON HOUSE SPIDER

    The common house spider is widely distributed throughout most of the world. It is very common in barns and houses and constructs webs in the corners of walls, floor joists, and windows. The common house spider may also be found outside under rocks and boards, as well as beneath bridges and similar structures. In homes, it is most often encountered in damp areas such as basements and around water heaters.