Dangers Of Ignoring Venomous Spiders In Houston
There are two venomous spiders to be concerned about in Houston. We have the brown recluse spider, which can cause a wound with necrotic properties that can lead to a serious, disfiguring injury, and there is the black widow spider that has a venom considered to be 15 times more toxic than the venom of a prairie rattlesnake. Both of these sound bad, but as Texans, we're used to scary animals that can harm us, and most residents know that these two spiders aren't as dangerous as their reputations would have us believe. Most brown recluse bites don't result in extensive necrosis and people rarely die from black widow spider bites. But there is a danger in shrugging the threat of these spiders off. Here's why.
Brown Recluse Spiders In Houston
It is easy to slip into apathy when it comes to brown recluse spiders, especially if you know something about them. The venom they inject may not lead to more than a small, itchy wound on your skin. No big deal right? And brown recluse spiders are reclusive. They prefer to dwell in attics, basements, and storage areas. They're not going to hunt you down and bite you. So what do you have to worry about? Keep these points in mind.
Sure, a bite from a brown recluse may only result in a small, isolated wound, but is it worth it to take a chance? If a recluse spider bites you in a sensitive location while you're sleeping, such as the eyelid, even a small amount of necrosis can be a serious threat.
If you have kids, a bite from one of these spiders may not be reported to you, and without medical attention, the opportunity for necrosis to spread increases.
Brown recluse spiders can bite your dog(s) or your cat(s) and create a wound you can't readily see. This could lead to serious injury.
While brown recluse are reclusive by nature, they can explore your entire home while you're sleeping. They are nocturnal animals.
Unlike most spiders, brown recluse do quite well inside a home and they are known to create populations in the hundreds. This will inevitably lead to more encounters.
Black Widow Spiders In Houston
If black widow spider venom is 15 times stronger than a rattlesnake's venom, people must be dying all the time from black widow bites in Houston. Right? Wrong. There are two reasons people rarely die from a widow bite, three, actually. Black widows only bite when cornered or threatened, they only inject a portion of the venom they carry, and we have fast access to medical treatment when bites occur. Together, these help to prevent death. But getting bitten by a black widow spider is not a pleasant experience, even if you don't die from it. Symptoms may include localized pain, muscle cramps, severe belly and chest pain, headache, chills, fever, difficulty breathing, nausea, vomiting, and more.
Spider Control
It is possible to mitigate the threat of bites by taking precautions such as shaking out your shoes and clothing before wearing them, putting work gloves on before working in the yard, carefully inspecting dark areas inside or under your home before climbing in, and other common sense tips. But let's be honest, how often do we do this? It is so easy to just go up into the attic and grab a box without thinking. It is easy to pick up brush or turn over a board in the yard and not take a moment to consider that there could be a venomous spider hiding underneath it. This is why spider control is so important. When you have a pest control program that includes spiders, there is less of a chance that a venomous spider will surprise you, and less of a chance that anyone will be bitten while they are sleeping. This is, by far, the best way to deal with the threat of venomous spiders.
We hope you'll consider giving us the opportunity to guide you in setting up a pest control program for your Houston home that can protect you from spiders and other dangerous threats. Pest control is essential protection that every home and every family should have. Get your protection in place today. We can help.
