Another Black Widow Spider (Arachnophobia Alert!)

We are still finding black widow spiders in the yard and garage. Hopefully this winter will be cold enough to eradicate the majority of them.

Lori Lipsky October 17, 2012 / 7:37 PM

Wow. Serious trouble, but beautiful. I’m sorry you have to deal with these guys.

Reply
bardessdmdenton October 16, 2012 / 2:50 PM

And I thought having to deal with fleas (because of a mild winter and hot summer) was bad! Hope you don’t have to face such an infestation in the future, Rae.

Reply
Gillian October 15, 2012 / 4:07 PM

Great shot! I just noticed that your previous post (the one I just posted a lengthy response to) is a couple of months old. How have you been dealing with them?

Reply
- Rae Spencer October 15, 2012 / 5:25 PM
  
  Our biggest effort has involved eliminating their favorite hiding places. We’ve cleaned out the shed, started on the garage, and been more diligent about keeping the yard tidy. We have been killing the ones we find, but we haven’t resorted to full-scale chemical warfare in the yard.
  
  I think our mild winter and insect-friendly summer contributed to the problem, and a normal winter should really help. So bring on the snow!
  
  Reply
  - Gillian October 17, 2012 / 7:22 PM
    
    Though I’m not a big fan of snow, I agree with the last comment – we need to replenish our depleted ponds and wetlands from the drought this year!
    
    Eliminating their hiding places is a great way to control the spiders without discouraging the less dangerous species.
    
    Reply