The Dangerous Spiders of Illinois

There is an old myth that you are never more than three feet away from a spider at any given time and though this idea may be false, spiders are quite prevalent especially in Midwestern states such as Illinois. There are two particular spiders that are so deadly, that they have become household names. We at Madison County Termite and Pest Control are more than prepared not only to deal with these nightmarish creatures, but also to educate you about them.

Black Widow

The first is the easily distinguishable Latrodectus mactans or Southern Black Widow spider. They rely on a cobweb for catching prey and as a habitat which makes them easier to find by pest control. The females can grow to be about a half inch long, are the dangerous ones of the species, and are black (of course) with a red hourglass marking on the underside of the abdomen. This spider is so well known that their name has been the inspiration for songs, phrases, even a Marvel comic character. What makes the females so deadly is their neurotoxic venom which attacks and destroys nerve tissue. The illness caused by the venom is called: Latrodectism. This illness’s symptoms include muscle pain, stomach cramps, nausea, and vomiting and though these symptoms sound unpleasant, the bites are very rarely fatal to humans. Black widows sometimes do not inject venom when they bite; however, if a person thinks they have been bitten by any spider, they need to find a way to safely capture the spider (if possible) and go to their local hospital. If bite victims do not receive anti-venom, they can feel weak and have muscle pain for weeks on end. Running into these spiders is highly uncommon and this is perhaps due to effective and diligent prevention by spider pest control companies such as ourselves.

Brown Recluse

The next dangerous arachnid of Illinois is a bit more common. Loxosceles reclusa or Brown Recluse spiders grow to be about a half inch long, are a light tannish brown, and have a violin shaped marking on the top of their head which has earned them the name “Fiddleback Spider”. Though they do use an irregular web as a habitat, the brown recluse spider strays from it to go hunting which can make them difficult to find by pest control companies. Brown recluses are non-aggressive and prone to running away from predators and humans. They only bite when pressed onto the skin and their fangs are not strong enough to pierce most fabrics. Unlike the black widow, the bites of brown recluses are not usually felt right away, but they can still be deadly. Their venom is a hemotoxin and can cause red blood cells to literally burst which is called hemolysis. What these spiders are truly infamous for is the necrotic or flesh eating effect their venom can have on human tissue. Google images has millions of worst case scenario brown recluse bites, but these are fairly uncommon and proper treatment can prevent such images from becoming a reality. Like the black widow, the illness caused by their bite has a specific name, Loxoscelism. It can be characterized by local symptoms of skin irritation and local necrotic skin lesions or by systemic symptoms such as low energy, vomiting, fever, destruction of red blood cells and platelets, and occasionally acute kidney failure. As mentioned previously, most bites are dry and venom was not injected.

Proper pest control methods can be taken to ensure these spiders stay out of your homes and businesses and there is no one better suited to help than us. We at Madison County Termite and Pest Control are willing to do anything we can to protect your assets by removing pests and preventing their return.