My first black widow spider (San Gabriel, Nice: water heater, closing, live)

[JerZ]

Well, it's finally happened! I saw my first black widow spider since moving to the west coast (suburbs--San Gabriel Valley) two and a half years ago.

When I first moved here, I was terrified at the very thought. I thought they all had one-inch-long bodies and two-inch-long legs, were aggressive, liked the taste of humans and attempted to infiltrate every possible corner of any establishment a human dwelled in.

As it turns out, this one was big, or at least long--the legs were--but the body wasn't enormously bulbous like the pictures always show. But I'm pretty sure it must have been a black widow because of the hourglass mark on its stomach. I saw it hanging on a corner of my porch right near the front door and I moved closer, thinking I'd just swat it so it would run away (I don't like to run around killing spiders all the time because even though I'm terrified of them, they're not at fault just for wanting to be alive--and they eat bugs). When I moved closer I saw the red hourglass. I was like, HOLY CARP. I screamed at my husband, "That's a black widow! That's a black widow!" and he screamed back at me like a girl, "Well then kill it! Just kill it!" so I ran past it inside and grabbed a sneaker and, well, it's gone now, God rest its soul.

It was a semi-gnarly experience but not really quite as horrifying as I thought it would be. I do still have the heebie-jeebies a bit, but you know, one spider encounter in two years...that's really not so terrible.

These things don't kill when they bite, right?

[Winston Smith]

Black widow spiders are reclusive and non-aggressive. They won't bite unless you disturb them. From what I hear, you don't feel the bite as it has an anesthetic. The aftermath of a bite is the worst. You get sick and can experience necrosis around the bite.

Another clue that you have a female black widow around is if you find a dead male. The males are smaller, skinnier, brownish with kind of striped bodies/legs. If you see a lifeless spider like this around, keep your eyes open for the female, which looks as you described with the black bulbous body and red marking on its belly.

Also be aware that juvenile black widow spiders have marking different than adults. Juveniles can have red or other bright-colored markings, stripes or spots on their backs. You might see a juvenile and not realize it's a black widow. Nice thought, eh?

[UB50]

I think black widows are only really dangerous to very small children. Little children they can kill. Adults just get sick.

[tstone]

Originally Posted by JerZ

It was a semi-gnarly experience but not really quite as horrifying as I thought it would be. I do still have the heebie-jeebies a bit, but you know, one spider encounter in two years...that's really not so terrible.

You should move out here for awhile.

[Roaddog]

If you saw one theres plenty more hiding here and there, the bite hurts and it makes you sick, I thought I was having a heart attack, my whole body hurt really bad, it lasted for 3 or 4 days.

[Charles]

You got to be careful sticking your hands in gardening gloves that have been sitting in the garage or in a shed, same for old gardening shoes. Before I used gloves and/or shoes from the garage I would shake them out and take a look inside of them. You could also use those insecticide fogger cans too, just be careful not to overdo it if you have a water heater in the garage.

[cynwldkat]

I lived in CA my whole life and saw Black Widows everyday....I lived on a large piece of horse property. I would have never had to SEARCH for long to point one out to you. I have never been bitten. My grandmother, 100+ years ago was bitten by a Black Widow when she was crawling up to the top of their barn and she put her hand in a Widows nest. I think the odds are you will not get bitten!!

[Blockheadofaknew]

The younger widows release more poison (they don't/can't control the flow and so give it all to their victim). It becomes more fatal the more allergic you are found to be to them. The closing of your throat can occur the closer a bite is to someones upper-body. WELCOME TO CALIFORNIA

[dougnaie]

Personally, I just found the entire story vastly entertaining...JerZ, your posts always make me laugh. I could picture your husband like I was standing on the porch with you. Too hysterical! Thanks for sharing...

[looneytnzs]

I have lived in California all my life (45 years) and had not seen a black widow until about three years ago. Thats when I started doing air conditioning repairs. Now I see at least one everyday. They are more often found in the outside condencing unit than anywhere else I know of.