How to know if spider egg sac hatched, or just dried out? (I found a Black Widow with 3 egg sacs. Help please!)

[BlackWidowPlsHelp]

Hi all,
I just signed up to get advice with this!

So I was cleaning my back porch today and found 3 egg sacs in a web, of course I swept them down and kept cleaning. Turned back around and saw a huge Black Widow spider going up to the door corner where the eggs were!!! I'm sorry if this is offensive, but I freaked out and squished it with the broom handle.

So now I have 3 egg sacs in a jar, and the dead squished Black Widow is still on my porch.

The eggs sacks do not look opened, but 2 of them are wrinkled and dry. One is soft.

Did they hatch babies into my house already? Or do you think since there is no big hole, then perhaps they did not hatch yet?
Also, what should I do about squished mom spider? If she had eggs in her abdomen already, can they hatch if I leave her outside (dead)?

I'm a bit scared right now. Thank you if you can advise or help!! xo

 

[Arachnides Canada]

could you maybe get a picture of them?

 

[BlackWidowPlsHelp]

could you maybe get a picture of them?

Thank you, yes, I got a pic... it is quite blurry since they're in the jar (too scared to take them out). The 2 on the left look plump in the jar now, but one is still dry and rattles if I shake it. The one on the right is darker and much drier. The indentations are where I tried to poke them a bit, then I stopped. I couldn't find a hole on either of them and nothing came out when I pushed.

All the other mess in the jar is the web that's sticking to them + dirt/debris when I scooped them up in the paper towel...
Do you think they are viable or its already hatched? Thank you so much

 

[Arachnides Canada]

Thank you, yes, I got a pic... it is quite blurry since they're in the jar (too scared to take them out). The 2 on the left look plump in the jar now, but one is still dry and rattles if I shake it. The one on the right is darker and much drier. The indentations are where I tried to poke them a bit, then I stopped. I couldn't find a hole on either of them and nothing came out when I pushed.

All the other mess in the jar is the web that's sticking to them + dirt/debris when I scooped them up in the paper towel...
Do you think they are viable or its already hatched? Thank you so much View attachment 401841 View attachment 401842 View attachment 401841 View attachment 401842

I would say the one in the corner is probable gone bad or the eggs where not fertile but the other two still look fine and definitely have not hatched and look heathy. are you planning on hatching them?

if you are planning on hatching them just make sure that they cant escape my sister got bit by one and it was not fun...

 

[BlackWidowPlsHelp]

I would say the one in the corner is probable gone bad or the eggs where not fertile but the other two still look fine and definitely have not hatched and look heathy. are you planning on hatching them?

if you are planning on hatching them just make sure that they cant escape my sister got bit by one and it was not fun...

That makes me feel tons better! No, I don't want to hatch them, I wasn't sure if they already hatched or not (thus spreading more Black Widow's around my house)... I'm going to get rid of them asap!

Thank you so much for responding and your reassurance, I'll be able to sleep better tonight! xo

 

[Spoodfood]

That makes me feel tons better! No, I don't want to hatch them, I wasn't sure if they already hatched or not (thus spreading more Black Widow's around my house)... I'm going to get rid of them asap!

Thank you so much for responding and your reassurance, I'll be able to sleep better tonight! xo

Maybe place them in a slightly wooded treeline? Somewhere outside that isn’t too exposed to the elements.

 

[darkness975]

That makes me feel tons better! No, I don't want to hatch them, I wasn't sure if they already hatched or not (thus spreading more Black Widow's around my house)... I'm going to get rid of them asap!

Thank you so much for responding and your reassurance, I'll be able to sleep better tonight! xo

Could you please let them go in a wooded area away from humans? Our native Latrodectus are in trouble from foreign invaders and it would be beneficial to have the babies hatch.

While some individuals do have very bad reactions to their bites, most will not react as horribly as the sensationalist media constantly boasts.

 

[Albireo Wulfbooper]

Could you please let them go in a wooded area away from humans? Our native Latrodectus are in trouble from foreign invaders and it would be beneficial to have the babies hatch.

While some individuals do have very bad reactions to their bites, most will not react as horribly as the sensationalist media constantly boasts.

This. While not welcome inside your home, local Latrodectus should be released into the woods where they can live out their lives and help keep the native insect population in balance.

Bites from widow spiders are very rare, and almost never as bad as their reputation suggests (though it is unpleasant to be sure). They have no interest in biting or even being near humans - usually if someone is bitten it's because they were poking at the spider, either accidentally (grabbing wood from a woodpile without gloves, for instance) or on purpose.

 

[The Snark]

Use this as an educational tool. Keep a close eye on the sacs, preferably several times a day. If you get a hatching you will know viable from junk sacs. Then place the container as suggested by others out in the wild, open and allow them to disburse naturally.

 

[darkness975]

The original poster of this thread is not likely to remain here long term.

Please release the sacs out in nature far from human habitation and let nature be in peace.

@BlackWidowPlsHelp

 

[SilentWidowMaker]

Could you please let them go in a wooded area away from humans? Our native Latrodectus are in trouble from foreign invaders and it would be beneficial to have the babies hatch.

While some individuals do have very bad reactions to their bites, most will not react as horribly as the sensationalist media constantly boasts.

Completely agree, well said.