Due to the potency of its venom, the black widow spider is perhaps the most feared spider in Colorado. It is reported to be 15 times stronger than that of a rattlesnake. Humans would be at far greater risk if its aggressiveness matched the potency of its venom. Black widow spiders usually only bite humans when their web is disturbed and are otherwise shy. Generally, black widow loves warmer climates, but they can be found nearly everywhere throughout the U.S. Since they prefer warmth, many people wonder what their behavior is in the winter. Today, we at Effective Pest Services would like to share the basics of black widow spiders, particularly how they handle surviving the winter months.
Where Do Black Widow Spiders Live?
For the most part, black widow spiders stay outdoors. In crevices or recesses within block walls, sprinkler valve boxes, rock piles, and undersides of patio furniture, black widows build irregular erratic looking webs where they live. Additional popular spots to find black widows includes outdoor sheds, garages, and playground equipment.
How Do You Know if You have a Black Widow Infestation?
The presence of webs in the home or on the property is one of the most obvious signs of a spider infestation. Messy and irregular webs located near ground level is usually constructed by black widows. Another sign that a spider infestation is underway is finding a silken sac, which holds eggs, in the doorway. Professional black widow spider extermination services may be necessary if you see any of these signs.
Do Black Widow Spiders Die Off in Winter?
In cold locations, such as Colorado, black widow spiders go into a state known as overwintering. Black widow spiders look for warmer locations to hunker down for the season as the weather gets cooler. She may find a suitable place where she can overwinter just like a hibernating bear once the black widow spider enters a storage shed, garage or home. To conserve energy, the spider’s metabolic rate slows. Because they are adapted to live through cold months in a low-energy state, winters do not harm black widow spiders. They become dormant after they tuck in their legs.
How to Prevent Black Widow Spiders?
When mating occurs through early summer, black widow spiders emerge in spring. During the spring and summer, young spiderlings continue to grow into adults and by mid to late summer, they mature. In the midst of late summer and fall, adult widows are most prevalent. Below are a few tips to prevent an infestation.
1) Seal possible entry points and keep your home free of clutter.
2) To keep spiders and other pests from entering your home, install screens and weather stripping.
3) In order to reduce the number of places for the spiders to hide, remove old boxes and other unwanted items from dark corners of outdoor sheds and garages, while wearing gloves.
4) Professional services. Make sure to have the experts provide maintenance spray sooner than later to prevent the pests from moving in to find a safe place to overwinter.
Spider Pest Inspections, Exclusion, Control, Removal & More in Wellington, Fort Collins, Timnath, Greeley, Longmont, Boulder, Johnstown, Berthoud, Estes Park & Loveland, CO | Northern Colorado
Whether you have an infestation or simply looking for preventative efforts, call Effective Pest Services and let us take care of your spider control needs.
