July 9, 2005
a big freakin’ spider
We found our first black widow of the year yesterday, and she was huge.
Given the number of spiders that we’ve had around here the previous 2 summers, we’ve been expecting them to show up since the weather changed. We pretty much knew that we were going to run into a flock of scary insects when we were pulling the shingles, but that thankfully never materialized. Getting the yard and house cleaned has cut their population some, but I we still have too many good spidery places still untouched.
I was moving and stacking what had been a random pile of bricks when this big momma showed up. Black widows are unmistakable, even without seeing the red mark. She was pure black from above and shiny, with a body smaller than a nickel but larger than a dime. I jumped back and was like “oh shit”; I think some pee-pee came out.
For some reason, I didn’t want to kill it. Balance and all that… This left me still moving the bricks, but now wondering where that #%@$ spider was. I was a little jumpy with the not-knowing. She came back out in a little while and I squashed her.
Are you serious, black widows are in Virginia…Aren’t there bites life-threating???
The black widow spider is present in every state in the union, Canada, and South America.[1] Though its venom is extremely potent, little of it is injected and deaths from Latrodectus bites are rare, only sixty-three having been reported in the United States between 1950 and 1959.[2]
Hi John! Thanks for the post about my carpenter ant damage. Looks like you have more than that to contend with, huh? Since the wall was opened up, I doused the entire corner with Spectracide and it’s doing the trick quite nicely; although, I don’t recommend one stay around to watch (poor things). Anyway, we need to open up more of the ceiling; we suspect that since we have a timber-frame, that post may go right up through the top floor. Let’s just pray that isn’t the case! Hey…ever hear of anything you can inject in the wood to seal it up? Or was I just dreaming?
Maria
are those little white spots eyes? (eyes wide)
Jocelyn — thankfully, no. That is glare, reflecting off of the it’s shiny body. It was so glossy that it looked plastic.
we have found one in our basement. previous owners covered the brick walls w/ fake wood paneling and while taking down the 1st sheet…bam, there she was. it was enough for us to buy some serious spider foggers that we will set off down there whenever we get the gumption/time to tackle that part of the house. bad thing, the washer and dryer are down there, laundry in this house is not fun.
>> we have found one in our basement
one of us refuses to live in a house with a basement, for reasons just like that…
I am all itchy now…ew.