When someone mentions seeing a widow, your mind likely thinks of the infamous black widow spider. But there are a whole host of other widow spiders out there (all 34 species of the genus Latrodectus, to be precise), many of which can be found in the US.
Today, we’ll look at the invasive brown widow (Latrodectus geometricus), which is becoming increasingly common. We’ll start off with methods to get rid of these pests, then some basic prevention methods. Finally, we’ll get to know these spiders better, as well as what to do if you’re bitten by one.
Getting Rid of Brown Widows
Playing host to any member of the widow family is a bad idea, and the brown widow is no exception. They’re prolific and highly adaptable, so kill methods are preferred. Let’s look at some various methods from most effective to least.
Calling the Pros
Sometimes the best course of action is to call an exterminator. The cost might not be as high as you think, and they’ll make sure there are no eggs or spiders left behind.
Go for this method only if you’ve seen more than one widow, are having trouble identifying the spider, have allergies and/or a compromised immune system, or don’t want to risk getting bitten.
Pesticidal Sprays
Brown widows are born survivors and pesticides aren’t always very effective against them. Water-based sprays like and Hot Shot and the popular Miss Muffet’s Revenge work well against live spiders but not their eggs.
Meanwhile, petroleum-based sprays like Raid Max work better against the eggs but are a bit pricier and can be messy.
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A professional-grade product containing bifenthrin like Talak 7.9% is going to be your best best, however you will need to properly dilute it in either a spray bottle (for one to a few spiders) or tank sprayer (large infestations). It may cost a bit more up front but it’ll last a long time and works well against pretty much any other spider or insect.
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When using these products, focus on applying them directly to webs and known hiding places such as under furniture, along baseboards, and in corners of rooms.
Close the Buffet
By far, the most effective way to get rid of almost any spider is to simply tell them the restaurant is closed. However, that’s easier said than done.
Spiders are vital allies against all sorts of bugs, and brown widows are no different. They’ll go where the food is.
Take a look through your home for any signs of an infestation, starting with the room you found the widow. You’ll want to deal with these infestations quickly and put prevention measures in place. Cluster flies, ants, other spiders, and even mice (to name a few) are all known to be prey for a widow.
Once they no longer have access to food, the brown widow will usually shrug several of its shoulders and move on without a fight. Note that they may be slightly more reluctant to leave in winter, but can still be coaxed out of your home when faced with starvation.
Vacuum Them Up
While it won’t kill the spider, you can easily suck it up with a vacuum cleaner, then immediately dump the canister or quickly seal up the bag to dispose of it.
Just be careful when emptying the vacuum and wear some heavy gloves in case the spider escapes. This method works especially well against egg sacs.
Swat Them
This solution is a bit risky, but certainly possible. As with most small critters, you can take a shoe or other object and use it to kill the spider. Once again, be sure to wear some heavy gloves, as widows can be quick and the brown widow may try to bite when it senses its life is in danger.
Unfortunately, that Bug-A-Salt gun you have that works so well for flies won’t do much to a brown widow except possibly make it angry.
Diatomaceous Earth (DE)
One of our favorite eco (and family) friendly remedies, food-grade DE is made from the crushed fossil shells of microscopic diatoms.
For humans and pets, it’s just a fine dust. But for tiny critters such as arachnids and insects, it’s a deadly minefield of broken glass. Its sharp edges will lacerate the waxy coating on their exoskeleton, allowing moisture to escape. In a few days, the victim dies of dehydration, even if they have access to water.
Carefully sneak up on the brown widow’s web so you don’t scare her off and gently sprinkle some DE onto the web’s surface. In many cases, the spider might think it’s fresh prey getting caught and run right onto it. Even if they don’t, they’ll eventually walk over the treated area.
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For DE to remain effective, it must stay dry. If it gets wet, you need to reapply it. This makes it less practical in some settings, especially outdoors or in humid areas.
It should be noted that boric acid is often used as a substitute for DE (as borax can be bought just about anywhere), but it won’t work here. Boric acid needs to be digested and kills from the inside, and spiders don’t eat their food.
Instead, they liquify the insides of their prey and suck the fluid out like it’s a Capri Sun. Thus the chances of ingesting boric acid are practically zero.
Related: Can Diatomaceous Earth Kill Black Widows?
Natural Predators
Just because you’re deadly doesn’t mean there isn’t someone out there that’s deadlier. Widows have a whole host of natural enemies, such as birds, centipedes, lizards, mantises, parasitic wasps, predator flies, rodents, and scorpions.
Of course, you probably don’t want these critters in your home, which is why this option isn’t higher on the list. But outside brown widow sightings, some of these critters are nice to have around.
Spider Traps
Finally, we have a method that sounds great on paper but is pretty much useless against widows. Spider traps are best suited for species that like to leave their web or are active hunters, such as wolf spiders. For widow species, the web tends to be their sanctuary, so there’s little chance they’ll approach a trap, let alone get caught in it.
However, you can use sticky traps near the web to try and capture their prey. There’s a slim chance the widow will wander over to the sticky trap if a struggling insect causes enough vibration. However, it’s more likely that the spider will just relocate her web because there’s no food getting caught in it.
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Preventing Brown Widows
Be it pest control, physical health, or mechanics, the saying “prevention is the best medicine” rings true. Discouraging a brown widow from moving in is generally much easier than convincing her to leave.
Keep it Clean
Spiders don’t care if you pass the white glove test, but keeping your home and yard clean will discourage other pests that might be seen as easy food.
Some basics include ensuring there are no food scraps or drink spills, removing leaf litter and other debris, keeping wood piles elevated and away from the house, and ensuring all trash bins have tight-fitting lids.
See Also: How to Keep Your Firewood Bug and Spider-Free
Exclusion
We often think of our homes as being safe, secure shelter from the elements, but they’re actually about as secure as Swiss cheese. Make a point of checking your home for cracks, damaged screens, or missing caulk at least once every year or two.
Barrier pesticides (like the previously mentioned Miss Muffet’s Revenge) and other exclusion methods can also help reduce the chances that spiders or their prey will attempt to enter your home.
Essential Oils
It’s actually not a joke to say a spider’s feet smell. Thus, sprinkling essential oils such as eucalyptus, mint, lavender, or tea tree oil in places you’ve seen spider activity is like shoving smelling salts under someone’s nose. As a bonus, it can also repel their prey.
Getting to Know Brown Widow Spiders
Brown widow spiders are only one of 34 widow species, but they’re gaining in infamy across the southern states. The species originated in sub-Saharan Africa and was first identified in South America.
It made its way to Florida in the 1990s, and has since spread throughout the southern states and into California, as well as Mexico. They’ve also invaded Japan, Australia, and several other countries.
Identifying Brown Widows
Similar in size and shape to the black widow, brown widows are tan or brown to gray and black in coloration with males being lighter and slightly smaller than the one-inch long females.
They have a geometric pattern on the tops of their abdomens, leading to the nickname “geometric button spider”, and have striped legs, with the joints being darker.
Just like black widows, the brown widow has an hourglass on the underside of their abdomen, although theirs is orange instead of red.
Are Brown Widows Dangerous?
Brown widows are extremely timid, even when it comes to capturing prey. If one senses danger, it’s more likely to play dead or abandon their web than try to defend itself.
The only time it will attack is when it has no escape, and even then, only adult females have been known to bite.
I Saw a Brown Widow, Do I Have More?
Unlike roaches, what you see is usually what you get. They’re solitary spiders outside of mating.
A female can lay a sac with 120 to 150 eggs up to 20 times in her lifespan, but the spiderlings disperse soon after hatching. Their sacs have a distinctive spiky appearance.
Brown Widow Spider Bites
While their venom potency is comparable to a black widow’s, brown widows inject a smaller amount that doesn’t spread as widely, making them less dangerous than their kin (which aren’t as deadly as urban legends claim).
Brown widow bites typically result in significantly less severe symptoms than black widow bites in most cases. As with all widows, the venom can cause latrodectism and pain can last up to 24 hours.
If bitten, wash the wound and consult a doctor. However, brown widow bites are rarely severe unless you have an allergy or immune deficiency.
See Also: How to Identify What Bit You
Morgan is a certified entomologist and pest control consultant and a member of the National Pest Management Association.
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