I'm deeply hoping that I'm wrong, and this is just some look-alike, since it doesn't have some of the classical body structures I've previously seen. Otherwise, does anyone know how much a tactical nuke costs so I can lay waste to my back yard where I found this?
The hourglass on the abdomen is typical. There are several related spiders, such as the Southern Widow and others. Some have banded legs like yours.
I do not bother trying to poison the areas where they live or control them that way. As long as they want to hang out in their favorite places I leave them alone. Usually they hang out in quiet places, like where I store a bit of lumber or spare pipe. I simply know not to go barging into those places without watching where I put my hands.
I can tell when I am getting near one because their web is very strong; stronger than most other spiders around here, and the strongest one that lives in those sorts of hiding places.
Yes, this is one spider I will squish when I get the chance. Usually I just let most other spiders go their way.
Spiders are hard to poison with sprays unless you hit them directly. They walk on tip-toe as it were, and if the spray is on the surface where they are walking, they do not get enough poison into their system to kill them.
I'm less than pleased with this situation, because I killed this guy about six feet from my back door, along a path my dog walks ten times a day. What's the most aggressive way I can get rid of them? I'm going to virtually raze the raised bed garden adjacent to this little guy's grave, and remove any good hiding spots. I'm also going to spray every nook and cranny. Is there nothing else that can be done?
Properly ID the spider. Most are helpful, not harmful. While many have poisonous bites, they cannot bite anything much larger than their prey. Have you looked into which Widow relatives are found in your area? Is this one of them?
True black widows (IME) are not often found on the plants, but are often found in storage areas, undisturbed areas.
If you call a professional pest control service they can apply the appropriate material that may target spiders with the least harm to beneficial organisms.
This message was edited Sep 6, 2015 7:55 PM
This is a male spider in the genus Latrodectus, which includes the black and brown widow spiders. The males are harmless to humans.
FWIW-I have seen many female Black Widows, in So Cal, that were right out in the open webs and all. Some of them were surprisingly big. I was surprised that they would set up house in such high traffic areas. It did make getting rid of them easier.
