Black widows are one of the most dangerous pests that you can have in your home. They have a very powerful venom that can land people in the hospital and in some cases, lead to death. This is why it’s so important to understand why black widow infestations start, how to prevent them, and how to get them under control.
The causes behind black widow infestations
Black widows, like all spiders, survive on a diet completely made up of insects, so if you have an insect population in the home, the black widows may be drawn to the abundant food source. However, the widows will also need a way to enter the home in order to get to the food. Being small, they will be able to gain access through various cracks and gaps in the exterior wall. Sealing the major gaps and cracks in the exterior of the home is a very good way to ensure that a lot of the larger pests such as rats and mice can’t enter the home, but when dealing with something as small as a spider, this procedure cannot be 100% effective.
The residual insecticide
To address this issue, a pest control pro will apply insecticides around the home, in areas that are commonly used by spiders as they enter or travel through the building. These areas include basements, wall voids and crawl spaces. The insecticides will not only kill spiders that are in the home, they will also prevent new spiders and other insects that travel on the ground from entering.
Are residual insecticides 100% effective?
Residual insecticides are very effective, but if there is an active infestation in the home, they are usually not enough. The black widows that have established themselves in areas of the building that will not be treated with residual insecticides will survive, and they will have to be removed manually.
This is why a pro will start the control process with an inspection to identify the location of all the spiders and their nests, which can then be destroyed. So a black widow control procedure will remove all the spiders in the home, prevent reinfestation, and it will also prevent other insects from entering the building. Contact us today if you have any questions about black widow infestation, or if you have a black widow infestation in your home that has to be removed.
