Pest Index Spiders

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Black Widow Spider

Latrodectus hesperus Berkeley, California

Pest Description

The adult female Black Widow Spider is the most poisonous spider in North America and is common in Maryland, but rarely found indoors. They are most frequently found in basement windowsills, beneath benches and porches, in garages, sheds, wood piles, and rock piles. Laying up to 400 eggs at once, they will often eat their young as well as beetles, flies, grasshoppers, moths, and other spiders caught in their thick webs. Black Widows are nocturnal and only bite when disturbed. Their bites resemble to long fang marks and quickly lead to severe pain, burning, swelling, and redness at the bite. If bitten do not panic, wash bite with soap and water to prevent infection and take the victim to a hospital if they are a child or if muscle cramp develop.

CHARACTERISTICS

  • Female: 1.5 in. long
    • Shiny, black globe abdomen
    • Bigger body, smaller legs
    • Red or orange hourglass on underside
    • VENOMOUS
  • Male: 0.75 in. long
    • Shiny, black globe abdomen
    • Smaller body, longer legs
    • Yellow and red bands and spots on back

SYMPTOMS

  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Severe abdominal pain
  • Excessive sweating
  • Rash
  • More

Brown Recluse Spider

Brown Recluse

Pest Description

Brown Recluse Spiders are identified by the violin pattern on their backs and tend to seek dark, warm, dry environments such as barns, porches, sheds, closets, basements, woodpiles, and storage areas. They are generally non-aggressive, but will bite if threatened. Their bites resemble two long fang marks and systems tend to manifest between 3 to 8 hours after being bitten, with the area around the bite being either dry, bluish, redness around a pale center, or a central blister. If the victim experiences chills, dizziness, fever, rash, or vomiting they should seek emergency medical attention immediately. This is more common in children and the elderly.

CHARACTERISTICS

  • Yellowish tan with violin pattern on back
  • 0.25 in. long body, 1 in. long legs
  • VENOMOUS

SYMPTOMS

  • Dry, bluish, central blister with ring of redness around pale center.
  • Severe
    • Chills
    • Dizziness
    • Fever
    • Rash
    • Vomiting
  • More

Wolf Spider

Hogna lenta 18

Pest Description

Wolf Spiders live close to ground level in outdoor environments such as gardens or houseplants. Unlike most spiders, they hunt by burrowing into the ground and attacking prey instead of using webs. They are nocturnal and move quickly when disturbed. They tend to burrow into the ground when threatened but will sometimes bite if provoked. Their bite is poisonous, painful, and resembles a red, itchy bump similar to most bug bites that usually goes away after three days. Some victims experience allergic reactions with symptoms including a red line extending from the bite, the bump growing, swelling in face, difficulty breathing, dizziness or unconsciousness. Seek immediate medical attention if you experience such systems.

CHARACTERISTICS

  • Dark brown and gray with hairy body
  • 0.5 in. size, segmented and oval in shape
  • NON-VENOMOUS

SYMPTOMS

  • Red, itchy bump.
  • Allergic Reaction
    • Red line extending from bite (blood poisoning)
    • Bump growth
    • Swelling in face
    • Difficulty breathing
    • Dizziness
  • More