There is something innately scary about spiders. Maybe it is the fact that these pests have eight legs, or perhaps it is that they use these legs to crawl up walls. It could also be something about the way they build their webs. Whatever it is that makes these pests scary, there is one thing for certain: some give a good reason for terror. In Phoenix, there are a few species of spiders that pose serious risks to human health. To help you identify these dangerous spiders around your home, here is everything you need to know.
The Three Dangerous Spiders In Our Area
Phoenix is filled with different species of spiders. Most are harmless and spend the majority of their lives outdoors. Three species, however, pose a more serious threat. Here is how to identify the three dangerous spiders in our area and what symptoms may follow their bites.
Tarantulas are large furry arachnids that invade homes from time to time. Identify one of these pests by its black to brown coloration, 7 to 30cm-long body, bulbous abdomen, and wide frame. A tarantula’s fangs are located just beneath its eyes and contain potent venom. A normal reaction to this venom involves mild to moderate pain followed by swelling and itching around the area of the bite. If a person is allergic to insect venom, however, this reaction will be more severe and may include symptoms like breathing difficulties, low blood pressure, a skin rash, rapid heart rate, serious swelling, and in rare cases loss of blood flow to major organs.
Black widow spiders are web-building arachnids that live around and sometimes inside Phoenix homes. Identify one of these pests by its black color, 3.75 to 5 cm-long, hairless body, bulbous abdomen, and the red hourglass mark on its underside. Bites from black widows are typically painful and may involve symptoms ranging from itching and nausea to breathing difficulties, excessive sweating, rashes, weakness, stiffening muscles, and minor to severe neurological damage.
Brown recluse spiders are hard to identify as they share many characteristics in common with other, less harmful area spiders. Identify a brown recluse by its light to dark brown color, 6 to 20mm-long body, and the backward violin-shaped mark located just behind its head. If you look closely at this pest, which we don’t recommend, you will also see that it has six eyes instead of the typical eight. A bite from a brown recluse may be necrotic and can involve moderate to severe pain, a lesion around the bite area, and symptoms like fever, chills, nausea, joint pain, weakness, and in rare cases, seizures and coma.
The Difficulties In Preventing Spiders
Most spiders are agile and small. This allows them easy access to homes by means of cracks, gaps, and other entry points. Spiders mainly invade homes to hunt for other pests like flies, cockroaches, and beetles. This makes prevention difficult as it means you can’t just prevent spiders. You have to also address attractants that draw in other creepy crawlies as well.
An Easy Solution To Spiders
There is only one easy way to handle a spider infestation or keep these pests out of a home, and that is to hire a professional. At Green Flash Pest Control, we offer quick removal services for dangerous spiders, and we also have detailed long-term options to guard homes against a wide range of invasive pests. If your home does not already have pest protection, consider making the investment today. Call our team now to learn more about our home pest control options and to schedule your Phoenix home for a detailed inspection.