What You Should Know About the Black Widow in Michigan

Black widow on web

There is perhaps no spider as well-known and feared as the Black widow. You’ve probably never seen a Black widow before, but you’d be able to identify one immediately. The spider and its deadly venom loom so large in the collective imagination that they enjoy a near-mythical status. If you see a Black widow in a movie or tv show, you know it’s a bad omen.

Fortunately, however, the Black widow isn’t mythical. It’s not bad luck, a harbinger of evil, or any other creepy stuff like that. It’s just a spider, and like every other spider, it can be understood, anticipated, and controlled. Here’s everything you should know about understanding Black widows in Michigan, including how to keep them away from you.

What is a Black Widow?

What is a Black Widow?

Black widow spiders are a type of spider belonging to the Latrodectus genus. There are three species of Black widow spiders in North America. The only one of these three species ever encountered in Michigan is the Northern black widow (Latrodectus variolus). This spider is about 1.5” long and .25” in diameter, making it about the size of a paper clip. They are completely black except for the infamously distinctive red hourglass-shaped marking on their abdomen.

Northern black widows also have a series of red spots along the middle of their abdomens. Some may possess white stripes on their abdomens. Northern black widows tend to build large, expansive webs which they use to catch prey and tend to eggs. They build these webs in low-lying areas near where they can catch insect prey. You may find them around window wells, garages, pools, grills, or wood piles. They tend to be most active between April and October.

Where Did Black Widows Come From?

Black widows are native to the US. The Northern black widow can be found throughout the eastern US. The spider is frequently encountered in Michigan, particularly in the Western lower peninsula and in forested or rural areas. Like other spiders, Black widows gravitate toward any environment where they have a steady source of prey. They build webs in and around areas insects like flies frequent. They’re also attracted to dark, dry areas where they can hide easily.

If you have Black widows near your home, it’s because they’re successfully hunting near you. Spiders like Black widows often build webs near passageways other pests use to enter your home. When smaller pests attempt to access your home for shelter, the Black widow catches and eats them. Black widows may also build webs outside in any shady, sheltered areas where they can catch food. Black widows may occasionally hide in shoes, so be careful if you think you have an infestation.

Black widows are considered the most venomous spider in North America

Why Are Black Widows a Problem?

First, the scary stuff: Black widows are considered the most venomous spider in North America. Black widow venom is reportedly 15 times more potent than a rattlesnake’s (though they can’t administer as much). The neurotoxin that makes up Black widow venom is called “latrotoxin.” Latrotoxin attacks the nervous system, which can be extremely painful. Black widow bites can cause nausea, vomiting, severe abdominal pain, weakness, and more. In extremely rare cases, the bites can be fatal.

Now, to calm you down: Black widow bites are extremely rare. The Black widow is naturally shy and timid–even for a spider. They would always rather retreat and escape than bite a threat. Black widows will only bite if they’re very startled or they feel they have no other choice. Even if they do bite, they often don’t inject their venom. All you usually have to do to avoid Black widow bites is avoiding antagonizing the spiders.

What Can We Do About Black Widows?

Keeping Black widows away from your home means depriving them of the things they want. Black widows want food, shelter, and dry, warm hiding places. Northern black widows will eat pretty much anything small enough to get stuck in their webs. That means flies, mosquitoes, beetles, arthropods like centipedes, grasshoppers, caterpillars, and even other spiders. If you can prevent other pests from getting into your home, you’ll deprive Black widows of their food.

Black widows require warm and dry environments to stay active. They prefer temperatures of 70 degrees or warmer. They’re surprisingly good at seeking out these warm environments, especially when outdoor temperatures begin dropping. Finding and patching up drafts, especially in your basement, will help keep Black widows out. Finally, you should clear the clutter both indoors and outdoors. Black widows seek out shelter to hide and build webs inside. If they find plenty of cover in your yard, they’ll creep ever closer to your home.

Normally, this is where we’d tell you not to be afraid of the pest we just wrote about. Here, we understand what a silly suggestion that is. Black widow spiders are very frightening. Even now that you understand them, you probably can’t shake that fear. But now that you’re armed with this knowledge, you can also do something with that fear.

If you want help keeping Black widows out of your home, give Griffin a call any time. We’ll keep any kinds of spiders away–even the scary ones.

What Are The Most Dangerous Pests in Michigan?

The most dangerous pests in Michigan

Unfortunately, Michigan is home to several pests that can be quite dangerous. Some, like the black widow spider, are dangerous because of their venom. Others, like the Blacklegged tick, are dangerous because of diseases they can transmit. No matter why these pests are dangerous, however, you’ll want to keep away from them.

Ironically, the best way to keep away from dangerous pests in Michigan is to learn a thing or two about them. If you can reliably identify Michigan’s biggest baddies, you can take important steps to stay safe from them. Here’s what you should know about Michigan’s four most dangerous pests:

black widow spider

Black Widow

The Northern black widow spider’s habitat ranges throughout the eastern and central US. Michigan’s trees and prey make it the ideal environment for the poisonous spider to thrive in. Northern black widows are inch-and-a-half long, black spiders with a red “hour glass” marking on the back of their abdomens. The spider is common around Michigan’s lower peninsula, especially in the Southwest.  

While it’s true that they are common in Michigan, widow bites are quite rare. Black widows are timid and only bite if their web is threatened. Widows build their webs anywhere they can catch prey. They’re most commonly found in dark, damp locations like old stumps, hollow logs, fence posts, sheds, crawlspaces, basements, and woodpiles. Symptoms of black widow bites appear after 30 to 60 minutes and include muscle spasms, chills, nausea, fever, sweating, aches and pain, and headaches. If you’re bitten by a black widow, seek medical help immediately.

brown recluse spider

Brown Recluse Spider

The brown recluse is a poisonous spider native to the Southeast US. Experts traditionally believed that Michigan winters keep brown recluses out. However, from 2011 to 2017, six populations of brown recluse spiders have been identified in Michigan. The most recent population in Davison, Genesee County, lived in an unheated, detached garage. The fact that they lived through the winter in an unheated environment may imply that they can establish themselves in Michigan permanently.   

Recluses are around 6 to 20 millimeters long and tan or dark brown. They have a dark, violin-shaped mark on their thorax, or the back upper torso. Brown recluses seek out warmth and dampness and are usually found in rotting wood or cardboard. Brown recluse bites can rarely cause potentially life-threatening necrosis, or flesh death. If you think you’ve spotted or been bitten by a brown recluse, let the experts know right away.

Blacklegged Tick

The Ixodes scapularis, aka the “blacklegged” or “deer” tick, is one of three hard ticks commonly found in Michigan. Blacklegged ticks are most common in Western Michigan, but you could find them in any grassy area. Blacklegged ticks are small brown ticks with distinctive black legs (hence their common name). Like all ticks, Blacklegged ticks hunt or “quest” by perching on plant life and clinging to passing prey. This tick species primarily feed on humans during summer months.

Blacklegged ticks are the primary transmitters of Lyme disease in the North-central US. Blacklegged ticks pick up the disease-causing Borrelia burgdorferi bacteria when they feed on deer. Then, when they feed on a human, they transmit the bacteria into that human’s bloodstream. Lyme disease causes fevers, headaches, fatigue, and an expanding rash called Erythema migrans. Avoid tick bites by applying repellent when walking outside and staying out of grassy areas. Remove any ticks that attach themselves to you right away.

Mosquitoes

You know what mosquitoes are. Everyone knows what mosquitoes are, especially here in Michigan. Yes, of course they’re annoying… but are they really dangerous? Unfortunately, mosquitoes are dangerous because they carry and transmit various diseases. Worldwide, mosquitoes are among the most important and deadly disease transmitters. In Michigan, some species of mosquito may spread the West Nile virus. Mosquitoes pick up the disease when they feed on birds. They spread it via blood contact when they feed on humans.

80% of people afflicted with the West Nile virus never show any symptoms. For about 19% of people, West Nile triggers fevers, headaches, vomiting, and a rash. In less than 1% of cases, West Nile also triggers encephalitis or meningitis. Both of these inflammatory disorders are very serious and could have permanent or fatal effects. The best way to avoid West Nile virus is to avoid mosquito stings. Always wear repellent when walking outside and avoid mosquito breeding environments.

 

Hopefully we haven’t made you afraid to live in your own state! While it’s true that we’ve got some dangerous pests up here, they’re all more afraid of you than you are of them. By learning to identify pests like these and staying out of their way, you shouldn’t have anything to worry about.

And, of course, if you do end up confronting dangerous pests in your home, you can give us a call anytime. Michigan’s big bads have nothing on us!