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Florida is home to many beautiful beaches, lakes and forests that make it a unique and desirable place to visit and live. Florida is also home to a variety of species of spiders that will send a chill up your neck if you happen to see one crawling up your wall or across the floor. While not all spiders are poisonous or can cause you any harm, there are a few species here in Florida that you should become familiar with so you can avoid being bitten by one. Some spider bites cause more harm than others (some are fatal). So knowing what spiders can pose a serious threat to you and your family is important.
Brown Recluse VS Black Widow Venom
In Florida there are two species of spiders that are venomous and those spiders are known as widow spiders and recluse spiders. There are four species of widow spiders that are native to the state of Florida. The Southern Black Widow, The Northern Black Widow, The Red Widow and The Brown Widow are all crawling around in Florida.
Identifying the Southern Black Widow Spider
The Southern Black Widow is probably the most common widow spider that humans are familiar with. The black widow has a very recognizable red hour glass shape on its abdomen. The female black widow is venomous but the male is not. The female will mate with the male, and then tear his head off, killing him.
Northern Black Widow Spider Identification
The Northern Black Widow is very similar to the Southern Black Widow, except that its hour glass symbol is broken up into two triangular shaped markings and they also have a row of red dots on their back. The Northern Black Widow has only been reported on the Florida panhandle. The web that a Northern Black Widow creates is a large tangled mass that sits at the tip of a low tree branch.
Identifying Red and Brown Widow Spiders
The red and brown widows are similar in shape and size to the other widows. The hour glass shape is located on the abdomen as well, but often times in different shades of brown and red. The backs often have a row of white spots, rather than red. Widow egg sacks are very similar in that they range in white to tan in color, are spherical and have many small tufts of silk sticking out from them.
Recluse Spider Identification
Recluse spiders are known for their shape, as they resemble the shape of a violin. Recluse spiders are a brown color that can vary in darkness. Recluse spiders have six eyes, not eight, and they are arranged in three pairs. This is a good indicator of a recluse spider. These spiders along with the widow spiders should be avoided, and if you are noticing their presence on your property or in your home, contact PestMax Pest Control Solutions immediately.