Some people think that spiders are good because they hunt and catch other common household vermin. Others are irrationally (or rightfully) terrified of spiders. While spiders can be dangerous, deaths caused by spiders are rare and they’re more of a nuisance than anything. If you’re seeing a lot of spiders around your house, there could be a few different reasons for that. The most likely reason is that your home makes for good hunting grounds. If that’s the case, Elevate Pest Control can help you make key changes around the house to reduce the attractiveness of your home to spiders. If you’re curious about some of the worst spiders Utah has to offer, keep reading.
The Black Widow Spider
Black widows populate much of the U.S. and, in recent years, have begun moving further north and deeper into Canada. It is believed that this may be caused by climate change.
Black widow spiders have no incentive to bite humans beyond feeling threatened and they won’t bite unless they do.
Black widow venom is considered one of the most potent neurotoxins known to man. The black widow deposits the venom in her prey rendering them immobile. While black widow venom is potentially deadly, it is very rare that anyone dies from a bite. That’s because humans are large enough to withstand the venom. Those who do find themselves victims of the black widow usually experience 12 hours of severe symptoms including muscle pain, muscle spasms, and nausea.
The venom works by disrupting the signal between your brain and your muscles. If you’re bitten by a black widow, you should have someone drive you to the hospital where they keep an antivenom. Even without the antivenom, most people make full recoveries from a bite.
The Brown Recluse
The brown recluse is not as well known as the black widow and that is largely because they don’t have an ultra-potent venom to boast of. The major issue with the brown recluse is that their bites have a propensity to become infected and that can be dangerous.
Like black widows, they won’t bite unless threatened. If you’re bitten, you want to apply ice to the area, ensure that it is cleaned, and watch it over the next few days to make sure it doesn’t abscess. Symptoms can include muscle spasms, delirium (auditory and visual hallucinations), numbness, dizziness, and joint pain.
Wolf Spider
Wolf spider bites are dangerous and unpleasant, but they are not lethal unless you have an allergy to the venom. It’s very difficult to tell a wolf spider bite apart from other types of bug bites at first, but they can cause a very unpleasant constellation of symptoms. This includes a blood infection that can result in gangrene. If you see a red line extending from the spider bite, you should seek medical help immediately. In addition, you want to seek medical attention if you are having difficulty breathing or experiencing allergic symptoms.
Yellow Sac Spiders
Unlike the other spiders listed above, yellow sac spiders will attack you for no good reason at all. If you wake up in the morning and find a spider bite on you, you can thank the yellow sac spider for that. Thankfully, their bite is not usually dangerous. On the other hand, it is quite unpleasant and can cause symptoms beyond pain and discomfort at the bite site. If you feel nauseous, you should have yourself checked out by a doctor.
The Hobo Spider
The hobo spider used to be considered one of the most dangerous spiders in Utah. But biologists recently discovered that most of the bites attributed to the hobo actually came from other spiders. Hobo venom is not toxic to humans and will not cause any of the major problems that the other spiders on this list will. We don’t recommend messing with them though.
Toxic Reactions to Otherwise Innocuous Insects
Sometimes, bugs that would only present a mildly irritating sensation in an average person cause a major allergic reaction to someone else. Muscle stiffness and joint pain, muscle spasms, abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting, difficulty breathing or swallowing, dizziness, and convulsions are all considered serious reactions. Those who experience these symptoms regardless of what they’ve been bitten by should get medical help immediately.
Additionally, any spider bite can become severely infected. If this is the case, you’ll need to see a doctor.
Talk to the Utah Pest Control Specialists at Elevate Pest Control
If your home has become the hunting ground of spiders, the pest control experts at Elevate Pest Control can recommend a treatment plan that will make your home less desirable and rid your home of current infestations. Give us a call or talk to us online to set up an appointment