Gardening Questions: black widow spiders, should i kill them?

Replies: 60 Views: 779

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youngman
Beverly Hills, CA

September 28, 2008 08:35 PM

i found a few outside the house, they are not doing any harm to me, should i leave them alone or kill them?

dp72
Woodway, TX
(Zone 8a)

September 28, 2008 09:01 PM

I think you can decide the best thing to do.

britbrighton
Ancram, NY

September 29, 2008 09:57 AM

EEK! Are they poisonous? If so, I would say whatever is outside could always get in. Personally, being a typical spider-hating gal, I'd move!

fleursdefouquet
Ferndale, AR
(Zone 7b)

September 29, 2008 10:02 AM

Around here, black widows are venemous and very dangerous. All info I've read says go directly to the emergency room if bitten. Their bite affects the nervous system and can cause severe stomach cramps and pain at the site of the bite. Rarely fatal, but can be. No question what I'd do! LOL!

growgirl59
Saint Louis, MO

September 29, 2008 11:13 AM

Kill them!!!!!!!

dp72
Woodway, TX
(Zone 8a)

September 29, 2008 11:33 AM

You can't kill all the spiders in the world. If you see one that is about to come in your house or about to crawl on you, kill it. But there are plenty of others out there.

JasperDale
Long Beach, CA
(Zone 10a)

September 29, 2008 12:39 PM

And the vast majority of them are in my garden !

dp72
Woodway, TX
(Zone 8a)

September 29, 2008 12:42 PM

So, if we trap all of them so they can't get out of your garden and then go in and stomp them all, that would go a long way toward solving the problem, wouldn't it?

JuneyBug
Dongducheon CpCasey
South Korea
(Zone 4b)

September 29, 2008 04:52 PM

Vacuum cleaners are the perfect non-toxic tool for spiders. Next time your car needs cleaning, park it near the trouble spot and take care of it while you are there.
I have found that they like my foundation wall.and gate post. When I see their distinctively strong webs, I know its time to bring the car around back for vacuuming of it and the critters...

There are all of those non-venomus spiders that I do not disturb. Anything that can kill a grandkid....well, they have to go...

britbrighton
Ancram, NY

September 29, 2008 05:20 PM

I have read somewhere that spiders hate the smell of eucalyptis (sp?). If your zone is right, maybe plant it around the foundation of the house or just buy some stalks and lay them around the foundation. Spiders as a general rule also loathe the smell of mint so planting some might also help keep them from getting too close, as well as being eco-friendly, of course!

youngman
Beverly Hills, CA

September 29, 2008 05:32 PM

mm, that is interesting, i do have some mints in a bottle of water, i am waiting for them to grow some roots first, i will plant some at that area.

those spiders probably kill some insects, that is why i didn't plan to kill them. Now i will.

JuneyBug
Dongducheon CpCasey
South Korea
(Zone 4b)

September 29, 2008 05:56 PM

I am so glad you said that about mint, britbrighton! I have it along the foundation on the other end of the house and come to think of it the only bugs that I've ever seen there are spider mites sucking on the mint. I haven't seen any other bugs there and I live in a forest full of them. That stuff is easy to transplant and I'll be sure to do that before winter comes.
Thanks again,
Nan

britbrighton
Ancram, NY

September 29, 2008 11:50 PM

Glad I could help. To note; mice as well HATE mint so think of placing stalks in drawers, cupboards, attics and basements. Can you tell I live in an old home with all those nifty cracks and crevices that wildlife adores! The mint helped me immensely (just don't use peppermint extracts because they contain sugar which bugs and mice love.) Essential oils are all right. If keeping cut mint in drawers etc, they lose their potency rather quickly as they dry out so they should be replaced every month or so or freshened with peppermint essential oil. Perhaps freeze some for future use? I bought eucalyptis oil but I would rather have the stalks and I can't seem to find fresh stalks this side of the country! Good luck with your fall endeavors!

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growgirl59
Saint Louis, MO

September 30, 2008 01:01 AM

nanbernier, I just have to know......who changes the vacuum cleaner bag???

fleursdefouquet
Ferndale, AR
(Zone 7b)

September 30, 2008 07:51 AM

ROTFLMBO, growgirl! I was thinking the same thing. I used to suck up spiders in our garage with the shop vac then realized they were crawling back out. (some were those big 'ol wolf spiders) How paranoid is this - I started putting foil around the end of the hose and securing it with a rubber band.

BTW, we use those plug in ultra-sonic thingys in the garage now and they work great. No more wolf spiders!

JuneyBug
Dongducheon CpCasey
South Korea
(Zone 4b)

September 30, 2008 09:16 AM

OMG !!! I've just always assumed that they were killed by the wind and debris!!! AKKKK!!! Crawling back out!! 'Scuse me while I go empty the shop vac...

JasperDale
Long Beach, CA
(Zone 10a)

September 30, 2008 11:12 AM

Who knows what evil lurks within your shop vac !!!

growgirl59
Saint Louis, MO

September 30, 2008 02:54 PM

I know we're way off the original topic, but I had to throw this in. I had a wolf spider in garage that was so big that it wouldn't go up into the vacuum hose. It blocked the hole and the motor on vacuum was whining. I knew it wasn't good for the vacuum, but I didn't want to let him loose again in the garage (or I would NEVER go back in there). The cord wasn't long enough to go outside with him still sucked onto the hose, so I just screamed and dropped everything and ran out of the garage. My husband swears he was still on there when he went in, but I have my doubts. That was over a year ago, and I have only been in the garage twice since then. I'm pretty sure spiders hold grudges and that one has a HUGE one on me.

JuneyBug
Dongducheon CpCasey
South Korea
(Zone 4b)

September 30, 2008 04:26 PM

Yikes!! What non-toxic ways are there to kill them?

fleursdefouquet
Ferndale, AR
(Zone 7b)

September 30, 2008 04:40 PM

Whack 'em with a broom!

fleursdefouquet
Ferndale, AR
(Zone 7b)

September 30, 2008 04:41 PM

P.S. But watch out - Wolf Spiders carry their babies on their back. I killed one once and hundreds of tiny babies went scattering everywhere! It took a lot of stomping to kill them.

flowerjen
central, NJ
(Zone 6b)

September 30, 2008 04:49 PM

EEEEEWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!!!!

Terry
Murfreesboro, TN
(Zone 7a)

October 02, 2008 12:49 PM

I spied a beautiful black widow on a zucchini plant I was yanking up and out this summer. I set the plant down, let her scamper off, and then disposed of the plant.

In my house, she would not have been given the same treatment. Bugs and spiders are not welcome, and will be killed on sight.

Living in the South, we're prone to finding brown recluse spiders indoors. I don't like toxins, but I have my house commercially sprayed once a quarter. Before we started a regular spraying service, we found some really big (and non-reclusive) brown recluses wandering around--not good.

ceejaytown
The Woodlands, TX
(Zone 9a)

October 04, 2008 02:18 PM

But wolf spiders are good guys - great guys!!! No way would I kill one of them. They hunt down insects. If I find them in my house, I place a jar over them, and then carefully slide an index card under them, flip the jar over, and then take them outside. I leave them alone in the garage - they'll find their way back outside.

Brown recluses and black widows, on the other hand, are not welcome.

plantfreak78
Rolesville, NC
(Zone 7b)

October 08, 2008 12:34 PM

I am also not a spider killer. Most spiders inside the house get a free trip outside in a plastic cup. I used to allow black widows to live in my yard until I started finding them everywhere. I can find at least three per day while doing my normal gardening chores. I've also noticed a lot of spiders that are similar in shape to the black widow but not quite the right color or markings like the one I photographed below. So I searched the internet and found that I had even more black widows then I previously thought, it's just that they were males and juveniles! Now, it's sad to say, I dispose of any spider that is clearly a black widow. Wolf spiders, crab spiders and argiopes are still welcome :)

Non-characteristics black widow pics: http://www.kaweahoaks.com/html/latrodectus_hesoerus.html

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flowerjen
central, NJ
(Zone 6b)

October 08, 2008 12:36 PM

I would just DIE if I saw that in my yard.

duckmother
North Little Rock, AR
(Zone 7b)

October 10, 2008 08:33 AM

I was on vacation in Florida and I was bitten on the mouth by a black widow! I had to go to the emergency room 3 or 4 times. I had very high temps, swelling the size of a basketball, vomiting and lots and lots of pain (especially, on the airplane when returning home). They tried their best to admit me to the hospital...but I was on vacation ;o)) The doctor ordered: no swimming, no sunning, no alcohol and not to over heat. Needless to say, my vacation was not much fun.

People have asked me how I managed to be bitten on the mouth...my response..."That is what I get for kissing a spider." LOL Actually, the doctor thought the spider either crawled on my pillow and I rolled over on it or it was on my pajamas and I brushed up against it.

I am not a spider killer, as a rule. But, if one is in the house, I must kill it. The doctor told me that if I were ever bitten again, I would have a much worse reaction...no thanks.

plantfreak78
Rolesville, NC
(Zone 7b)

October 10, 2008 09:53 PM

Holy crap... I will assuredly have nightmares tonight.

Herb_king
Osoyoos
Canada

October 02, 2009 04:51 PM

I have many widows @ my house...some live some die:)

flowers_delight
Leicester, NC
(Zone 8a)

October 02, 2009 06:07 PM

I don't worry about it, I just get the grandkids every other week and since they are fiercely afraid of spiders they go on a hunt inside and out with the flyswat and feather duster and maybe even a stick now and then. Walaa no more spiders lol

duckmother
North Little Rock, AR
(Zone 7b)

October 02, 2009 09:44 PM

LOL May I borrow them? LOL

timmijo
Ellendale, DE
(Zone 7a)

October 02, 2009 10:31 PM

I live in Ellendale, Delaware. My acre is full of black widows. They especially like moist areas near the downspouts around the foundation of the house. They also can be found under any rock, brick, or piece of wood outdoors. We kill them instantly. Their babies' nest looks like a large "Kix" piece of cereal. Crush it. Wear gloves if anticipating any encounters with such critters.

flowers_delight
Leicester, NC
(Zone 8a)

October 02, 2009 10:50 PM

Sure duckmother they are as good as the Ghost Busters lol

Jim41
Delhi, LA

October 03, 2009 12:26 AM

You could do what one of my nephews used to do in Memphis, he went around and checked the neighborhood water meters at night and caught the black widows. Then he carried them to a pharmacutical company and sold them.

crazyfish3
Pensacola, FL

October 03, 2009 01:37 AM

Having lived in Fl. for over 25 yrs. I too have run into blackwidows. They show up in spring and linger trough the summer. Most comonly seen afer dusk in darker corners of night clubs. If encountered by one buy the widow a drink, smile, then run like hell. I 've not been bitten using this technice ,and it is a nontoxic means to deal with the problem. I enjoyed butting in and hope to ofen no one!

Aunt_A
Tulsa, OK

October 03, 2009 01:46 AM

Jim,

Quoted:

Then he carried them to a pharmacutical company and sold them.

What did they do w/ them?

The water meter guys here told me that Black Widow spiders loved to live in water meters.

I saw some ~10 years on my Cypress vine. The beautiful little red flowers hid him/her very well. I must admit that I let the vine die but I got some seeds last year and might grow them (Cypress not BWs) again.

themoonhowl
Prairieville, LA
(Zone 9a)

October 03, 2009 10:33 AM

I am with you Ceejay...wolf spiders do far more good than bad....they kill other spiders too. Black widows, brown widows and brown recluse all have a bounty on them here, but everything else gets to stay...just not inside.

Lynnie6868

(Zone 5b)

October 03, 2009 11:21 AM

eeew...I don't like spiders and snakes
only spiders around my house are jumping spiders

themoonhowl
Prairieville, LA
(Zone 9a)

October 03, 2009 11:54 AM

Gee Lynnie, sounds like a song there......grin

Lynnie6868

(Zone 5b)

October 03, 2009 05:17 PM

*grin*

Sunshines2day
Lubbock, TX
(Zone 7a)

October 04, 2009 08:25 PM

I have found over a dozen around the house this year and I do kill them by squashing. I also have dozens of spiders that are welcome around the house that I do not kill. I enjoy them making their webs every evening and watching them grow bigger every week until they go away when it gets too cold.

QuoiMerrie
Bay Village, OH

October 08, 2009 08:42 AM

hm..since we have a few folks here that seem to know spiders...what's this guy? gal?

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venice62
Indianapolis, IN
(Zone 5b)

October 10, 2009 11:42 PM

Sorry to you who catch and release. But we have those wolf spiders that come in the house especially when it gets cold outside. I don't have time to get out the vaccum or other and they can run really fast! So I grab my spray can of Raid that I keep handly. If I see one outside I also kill it with Raid. Because if I don't, I will see it in my house later! They scare me and I don't like them!!!!

ceejaytown
The Woodlands, TX
(Zone 9a)

October 12, 2009 01:09 PM

Quoimerrie - Your spider looks like a Cross Orbweaver - Araneus diadematus.

FYI - Spiders can crawl on you and they will not even bite you, unless they feel threatened - like hitting at them, or laying on them, or roughing them up, etc... You are not their food prey, and to bite you is to waste their venom. At that point they are simply trying to survive. And all spiders are strictly insectivores - they eat insects (and some eat other spiders). That makes them good guys in gardening terms. So I leave them alone (or observe them, which is even more interesting) except for poisonous spiders. I do kill brown recluses and black widows (neither of which I have seen where I live now, fortunately), and that is because their bite could be very stressful, or downright dangerous if I accidentally riled one up.

I realize that some people are terrified of spiders - arachnophobia - and I feel sorry for them. But for those who can reason about their fears, I hope this information will help you get past that fear - they really are fascinating creatures if you'll just take the time to learn more about them.

Raihana
Nashville, TN

October 15, 2009 05:44 PM

As a spider enthusiest (I actually keep and breed several varieties of tarantulas) spiders are safe here. Spiders inside are always relocated outside. Spiders outside are left alone unless they are Widows on the childrens things. Widows on the kids stuff are relocated to other suitable areas. Everyone in the house knows a widow web on site. They are distinctive even from other tangled web weavers. One summer we watched a female find a mate, make her sack and raise her abies about 2' over from our front door. We never did see any inside and theyy have never takn over here. I guess the populations are kept in check naturally.

I only recently got bit by a recluse while cleaning out from under my daughters bed. I had read that only 20% of the population has severe flesh necrotizing reactions. I cleaned the bite area with hydrogen peroxcide, washed it with neem soap and then kept tea tree oil on it. It hasn't even been a week and it is healing well.

I guess I just feel that the benefits of my spider friends outweigh the risks.

ceejaytown
The Woodlands, TX
(Zone 9a)

October 16, 2009 11:37 AM

Having seen what those bites can do to that 20% of the population, I am not willing to take that risk, especially with children.

Jim41
Delhi, LA

October 16, 2009 11:46 AM

My personal feelings: The only good spider is a dead spider! Me and Garfield, Yo baby, splat.

themoonhowl
Prairieville, LA
(Zone 9a)

October 16, 2009 11:57 AM

You and Garfield have more in common than just spiders, Jim....grin. Big howdy to ya. Moon

Jim41
Delhi, LA

October 16, 2009 05:52 PM

Howdy Moon, Only reason I buy a paper is to see what Garfield is up to. Surprise, surprise, the sun is out for the first time in 23 days. Now if this 20 plus inchs of rain will just run off. Better move to higher ground Moon it is coming your way. Jim

themoonhowl
Prairieville, LA
(Zone 9a)

October 16, 2009 06:00 PM

I hear ya Jim. Been raining so much here the toes are starting to web....grin. Sure does make it hard on the farmers....lots of them are losing crops to the rain....first a drought and then a flood....hooboy... Best regards to your Rose, grin.

wonderearth
Santa Cruz, CA
(Zone 9b)

October 16, 2009 06:19 PM

I've got a baby and a toddler so any widow are dead on the spot. Sorry, girls. I try to keep hiding places to a minimum.

QuoiMerrie
Bay Village, OH

October 17, 2009 06:32 PM

Thanks ceejaytown!

ceejaytown
The Woodlands, TX
(Zone 9a)

October 17, 2009 09:48 PM

You're very welcome.

wonderearth
Santa Cruz, CA
(Zone 9b)

October 17, 2009 10:50 PM

For some reason we've had an influx of spiders since i posted to this thread this yesterday! Wierd. Found a wolf spider in the kitchen sink and a "garden spider" in the inside of the bedroom window. They never come inside! Ah there's an a ant on me. I'd better get out of this thread!

cathy4
St. Louis County, MO
(Zone 5a)

October 18, 2009 12:21 AM

This has been a fun thread. My family ran a pest control company for 50 years. To us, spiders meant food on the table. I LOVE spiders! Here is another orb spider that has been living in the side yard this summer:

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ceejaytown
The Woodlands, TX
(Zone 9a)

October 18, 2009 12:30 AM

I knew I'd seen that spider before! Hello again, cathy. For everyone else - that's a Neoscona crucifera - Cross Spider, one of the orb weavers.

cathy4
St. Louis County, MO
(Zone 5a)

October 18, 2009 12:44 AM

Hey ceejay, good to see you again. I'm just loving my spider picture, even with his missing leg. My grandkids live with us now, and it is so fun to be a kid again, to play with bugs and worms and take pictures of cool spiders and webs. Everything is new and exciting!

ceejaytown
The Woodlands, TX
(Zone 9a)

October 18, 2009 03:22 PM

That's the best way to stay young! You sound like a wonderful grandma. The grandkids are lucky.

Leysha
Dallas, TX
(Zone 8a)

October 26, 2009 02:32 PM

I doubt it's an influx. As a general rule... when you start to learn about spiders or insects you start to notice them more often. I took an entomology class and hardly noticed anything near our house and then bam... our yard was a jungle full of creatures.

ceejaytown
The Woodlands, TX
(Zone 9a)

October 26, 2009 02:55 PM

Leysha - I agree completely!

Leysha
Dallas, TX
(Zone 8a)

October 26, 2009 07:18 PM

I also worked for an Insect and Butterfly Pavillion so you are taught to watch out for jail breaks. ;)

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