Most Venomous Spiders in Belleview, FL; Bites from the Black Widow & Brown Recluse Spider

Florida is home to many different types of spiders. The two most dangerous spider found here are the black widow spider and the brown recluse. The venom of these two spiders is powerful enough to be of great concern to humans. Most spiders would rather get away from you than hunt you down to bite you. In fact, they will only bite if they feel threatened or accidentally picked or pressed. The best way to avoid getting bitten by one of these spiders is to know what they look like, where they live and avoid those areas. You also need to take precaution if you’ll be working in areas where they might be found. For example, it’s a good idea to wear gloves in areas you can’t see before reaching into them. These spiders will find a home in clothing that hasn’t been worn for a while and they will also take up residence in storage boxes, sheds or stacks of firewood.

Black Widow Spider

The female black widow is the sex you need to worry about the most. She is identified by her jet black body and bright red marking on her abdomen that looks like an hourglass. She is larger than her male counterpart who is usually gray or brown in color. The female black widow is about 1 ½ inches with the male measuring a quarter of that size. The black widow is nocturnal and will build a web that is irregular, tangled and three dimensional where she will rest during the day. When she detects vibrations from an insect that has become ensnared she will bite it and cover it with silk. If you get bitten by a black widow, you will start to experience symptoms about one to three hours after being bitten. There may be intense pain, nausea, muscle cramps, sweating and vomiting. After the initial effect on the area of the bite, the venom will spread via the lymphatic system and then through the bloodstream. Symptoms can last for 3 to 5 days and if treated, the bite is rarely fatal.

Brown Recluse Spider

Brown recluse spiders are also known as fiddleback spiders, violin spiders or brown spiders and they are typically found in warmer climates. They are brown in color with a darker violin-shaped marking in it’s back and can be anywhere between ⅜ of an inch long. There can be some confusion over the brown recluse with other spiders because there are some spiders that have a similar marking. To make a positive identification, you need to look at the eyes. While most spiders have eight eyes, the brown recluse only has six. Symptoms of a brown recluse bite can vary in intensity. There may be very little effect all the way to death. Early symptoms will include blistering, intense pain and swelling about two to six hours after being bitten. If the bite is a serious one, the blister can turn into an open sore, this condition is known as a “necrotic skin lesion” and there can also be systemic effects on vital organs.

Spider Control

If you happen to come across a black widow or a brown recluse spider, or even suspect you have, you should contact Pest 911 to deal with them. Call us today to come up with a plan to eliminate them.