Does anyone ever see black widows? (Sacramento, San Bernardino: gated, cabinets, living)

[canibeyou]

Originally Posted by fbcobrn

I wish I could kill earwigs and ants as easily. I'm overrun with them

If you find the solution to this.. please let me know.

[dennismpat]

Yes, I've seen a few black widow spiders here around my house, but as others have mentioned, they're usually outside. I've never seen any inside--yet. Hope it stays that way!

[Lindyscribe]

Wow! I asked this exact same question on my Bakersfield forum. Eek, they creep me out, too. I have 2 small children, so I am expecially paraniod. I was told the same thing, keep your place clean and clutter free. I had a friend get bitten by one. He lives in Pico Rivera, and he told me not to worry, that there are no Black Widows in Bakersfield because it is too hot for them here. I guess he told me a "tall tale"...eeeek!

[Caliguy2007]

Yes,I see them here in The San Joaquin Valley.

[midnightbirdgirl]

I have then here in the Antelope Valley, dealt with them in San Bernardino, and had them In San Diego...
Mostly outside and in the garage.
MBG

[Roaddog]

You can control them by using Ortho home defence spray.

[Sage113]

Never saw any in Sacramento. The only time I ever saw them was when I lived in Victorville. Never saw one in the house itself but there were a handful in the garage all the time. The garage was unfinished on the inside and they loved to web between the 2 by 4's. There are sprays and treatments to keep them away. I just took my broom and moved them back outside. Don't keep any clothing articles in the garage like boots. I always shook out my shoes before I put them on, too.

That's not as bad as when we lived in Lubbock, TX. There, we used to get 3 inch long black scorpions in the bathtub every now and then. At least the bugs here in Florida don't try to kill you!

Sage

[fishbowl]

I lived in Long Beach and Lakewood for most of 50 years, and in both places we had black widows, but only outside in dark areas, piles of stuff, in the garage now and again, not many, but definitely there. Oh, and in Crestline too we'd see them on occassion under the house.

Here in Kansas I imagine we have them, but I haven't seen any. We get brown recluse spiders, inside. That's the violin spider. They call it a violin spider because of the markings on the back.

People in California think they have brown recluses sometimes if they see a spider with what to them looks like a violin shape. But I don't think brown recluses are in California, or if they are, not much.

Fact is, if you run across a brown recluse, its back is so tiny you can't make out the markings. The markings on on its BACK, not it's bigger abdomen/butt area. A brown recluse is delicate like a black widow, but much smaller. A grown recluse's legs might span a dime, and they are very fast moving. They are truly reclusive and don't like being seen.

We had an invasion of them one time in Kansas. Had to practically dismantle the house to find them.

Back to your regular programming.

[Thunderbird]

Killed one in my house a couple of nights ago. Was crawling up the side of a recliner. Of course, I live in the desert where we have found everything from scorpions to snakes in the house.
Also found a brown recluse in our wood pile a few years back.
And potato bugs, (ugly little alien looking creatures), are also not uncommon to find in the yard.

We use to hire a local pest control company to come out and spray every month and that had worked wonders.

[chinocal]

Black widows do abound in dark places. You'll find them when you lift a rock from the garden, or in my case, when you move your daughter's Barbie Motorhome from behind the playroom couch. Kind of scary. My daughter had a bite (we're not sure what kind but the doctor felt it was a spider bite) when she was a baby and had a horrible reaction with hives all over her body. But, we don't know it was a black widow. I've personally never been bitten and I've lived here my whole life. Just spray your yard regularly :-)