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Most of the spiders that get into homes in Orlando are not dangerous. While all spiders have fangs with which to bite their prey, they don't consider humans to be prey. While all spiders have venom, not all venom is toxic to humans. The vast majority of Orlando spiders that might bite you will only leave a small, red welt on your skin. There are only two that are considered to be medically important to humans. You probably know them by name. One is the widow spider. In Orlando, we have black widows and brown widows. Both can cause a painful bite and symptoms that can be very uncomfortable. If you're bitten by one of these spiders, you may need to go to the hospital. The other is the recluse. Specimens of the brown recluse, Chilean recluse, and Mediterranean recluse have been found. The brown recluse spider, known scientifically as Loxosceles reclusa is the most common recluse in the state. If you're bitten by a recluse, you should have a physician examine and monitor the bite wound, as it is possible for there to be a spread of necrosis. Here are a few things every Orlando resident should know about these two spiders.
Widow Spiders
Every bite from a black or brown widow spider will not be severe. It depends on how much venom the spider injects when it bites you. This is called envenomation. A light dose, or no dose, can result in a dry bite, which won't make you sick. You're most likely to get a dry bite if the widow spider that bites you does not feel overly threatened by your presence.
Young widow spiders don't have the ability to control how much venom they deliver. If you're bitten by a spiderling, you're likely to become sick. Spiderlings may not look like fully developed adults yet, so be careful around any spider that has a bulbous abdomen.
Widow spiders create a beige, paper-like egg sac that can contain as many as 220 eggs. If those eggs hatch, you'll have lots of spiderlings running around. These webs and egg sacs should be removed to reduce the threat of a dangerous widow spider bite. You'll find widow spider webs in brush piles, wood piles, stacked items, and in other protected locations around your home. These webs are made from strong fibers that can make a noise when you break one.
Brown Recluse Spiders
A brown recluse is true to its name. It prefers to stay in secluded areas. If a brown recluse comes in close contact with you, it is possible that it will bite you, but even this is rare. The primary issue with brown recluse spiders is that they can survive quite well in man-made structures, and can develop a population of thousands. The more spiders you have in your home, the greater your chances of a bite will be.
You'll find brown recluse webs close to the floor and in recesses or holes. These webs are a tangled mess. You may suck the web up, along with any egg sacs that might be on them, and dispose of the bag outside. This can be a scary task. Remember that the team at Green Flag Services can take care of this for you, and provide spider monitoring and control to get all of the brown recluse spiders out of your Orlando home.
General Spider Bite Prevention Tips
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Seal any openings in your exterior walls and foundation.
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Repair screens, door sweeps, and weatherstripping.
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Remove organic debris and any objects that are in a stack or pile near your home.
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Reduce moisture around your home.
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Make sure your trash is in sealed containers. This reduces the bugs that these spiders feed on.
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Wear gloves and footwear when working in your yard.
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Be cautious when going into storage spaces and when opening boxes that have come out of storage.
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Shake clothing, towels, footwear, and other items before use.
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Check your bed before getting into it for the night.
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Remove skirts from your beds to make it more difficult for spiders to crawl into bed with you at night.
Dangerous Spider Control
It is difficult to get complete control of widow spiders and recluse spiders. At the first sign of either of these spiders, contact Green Flag Services. We use the most advanced spider control methods and products to monitor spider activity and completely eliminate spiders. We also provide ongoing residential pest control services that can get control of the household pests that these spiders feed on. No Orlando home should be without a quality pest control plan. Let our team help you get your pest plan in place. Reach out to us today for advice or to schedule service.