Does anyone ever see black widows? (San Diego, Long Beach: motorhome, scorpions, live in)

[junkman18]

Originally Posted by Kris_P_20

We are moving to CA in january and I am aware that there is an abundance of black widows down there. ( or so I hear). I'm not too scared of them, however, I am worried about my cat because she loves to play with and eat spiders, small bugs, etc. We will be living in the burbank area in an apartment. Do you think there is a high risk for black widows? Has anyone ever had a problem with their animals? Any information or advice would be helpful.

Yes there are many blacks widows in Los Angeles California

[Starrynight227]

I lived in Santa Barbara for 5 years and didn't see any. But we did have these big reddish ones that would build their webs in the walk ways about face height. Yuck

I'm moving to San Diego in 2 months, and this thread creeps me out.

[dtran103]

I see them occasionally. One time I saw one in my house. I was freaked out until I read somewhere that they are rarely ever fatal unlike a rattlesnake.

[Evlevo]

The bad news is that they look like probably the biggest "non-tarantula" spider you'll see outside of a zoo exhibit (really big and shiny), and they are much more aggressive than the more common spiders.

The good news is that they don't really like indoors stuff, and stick to wood piles, behind sheds, etc. I saw dozens outside, but never one indoors. If you keep your garage clutter free and sweep occasionally, you'll be fine. And even though they are aggressive, they are not smart and only attack what is bumping them (like the stick I was poking one with). I say that because I have heard some people express a fear that they would "chase them" or "get them in their sleep".

It is much more of a fear than any real danger.

[canibeyou]

Originally Posted by Gidget

I lived in Burbank for 30, and yes, there are black widows which are occasionally found in the house but mostly they do hang out in piles of stuff in the garage and outside. Never had a problem, at least that I knew of, with my many pets getting bitten by a black widow.

^5. Lived in Burbank for 30 years also. Probably saw a whoppin' 4 of 'em in that entire time. But we kept our property clean. Our home there had a crawl space under the house and even it was spotless! Not a single bug. At least that's what inspectors would say.

Where we live now... we even have white black widows. But we've moved out of the Burbank area and live in the country now (still in So. California). With that said, we have several cats and none of them have ever played with a black widow.

Wow... we haven't been back in Burbank in 4 years. When we left, we never looked back. You just reminded me how much we don't miss a thing about that congested, smoggy city. Four years later, I bet Buena Vista or Hollywood Way is still having some type of construction being done on it.

[CBaillo]

Originally Posted by movingoutofCA

We also get black widows. I have found one in my childrens toy box and in my babies stroller. We now have Terminex come. But the terminex guy told me that black widows won't kill you, they may kill a newborn or the elderly. He also said that it is better to get bit by a black widow compared to a brown recluse spider. When a black widow bites you, you feel it. It feels like someone hammered a nail into you. But you'll be okay. A recluse will bite you and you don't know it, but a few days later when you are sick as a dog you don't know why.

My husband got bit by something last year and he was so sick and his leg was so swollen and red. The doctor said he was allergic to the spider that bit him. It was really bad.

you are wasting money on terminix coming out for your spider problem. Before i get labeled a keyboard jockey...i worked for western exterminator for 2 years. Spiders do not react to the sprays they use, especially in the manner of which it is applied. Even if you were to find a black widow, and sit there and spray directly onto it, it will have no immediate damage to it, because spiders have the ability to close up their respiration holes.

The only thing that might happen is that it will keep the bugs it eats out, therefore driving the spider out, but you can do that for free. pretty much just turn off the lights you dont need on at night, and go to any home supply store and buy a insecticide and spray it around the boarders of your house. The light thing is the most important though...because spiders build their webs where the insects are going to be..and where do bugs usually go to? light. Also for black widows specifically, it helps to clear out any messy piles of material...have things organized in a row, to lessen the amount of nooks and crannies a black widow will have to choose from to build its web.

[cw68]

Here in Sacramento we have plenty of black widows. I have found two in the house and scores of them outside. I'm really not much into killing bugs, and really don't like pesticides. That said, I kill every black widow I find.

Ortho Home Defense Max will kill black widows if you spray it on them. Kills 'em quickly, too. Interesting note, you can kill a black widow by spraying its web. With other spiders, spraying their web won't kill them, but the black widow actually eats its web so if there is insecticide on it they ingest the poison. You can easily tell black widow webs from regular spider webs as their silk is very strong and the webs are very dense with no specific pattern. Target webs because that is where the spider spends most of its time.

As it's been said, if you keep your garage clean they will tend to stay away. I shop-vac mine every month or so. They will only bite you in defense and I've never know one who has been bitten by a black widow.

[Winston Smith]

Originally Posted by BeenAroundTheBlock

I lived in Ventura for 10 years and never saw one black widow. Moved to Bakerfield and saw plenty!

I would agree here. Cannot remember ever seeing a Black Widow anywhere in coastal west Ventura County. But a friend of mine who lives in the Santa Clarita area (north LA County) has shown me plenty of BWs around his house -- in undisturbed corners of his garage, in back of his house, etc. The ones outside seem to come out at night and retreat or hide during the daytime heat. You sure can't miss them: big black bulbous body, long black legs and the bright red "hourglass" on the belly.

[movingoutofCA]

Well, the spider was in my house. And Terminex did get rid of them. They have trouble getting rid of ant holes. They say the ants just move to another location.

[fbcobrn]

Welcome to California, land of the underworld inhabitants. Black widows, rarely indoors if lots of piles and rocks to live outside under..the only spider I kill, including the egg ball. I have been a lifelong cat owner and have never had a problem with them attacking the cats. I wish I could kill earwigs and ants as easily. I'm overrun with them in my yard in No. California.