The coexistence of Latrodectus and Homo Sapien Sapiens

[Quetzalcoatl Nyarlathotep]

Hello again. This question has been on my mind for quite some time. So, if a house was inhabited by a number of free range Latrodectus Sp., would you be able to live in said house and never be bitten by one in your clothes or in your bed?

To clarify, I've never been bitten by a spider in my life and I've had all kinds of spiders roaming around my previous homesteads.

 

[NYAN]

There is no such thing as ‘free range’ Latrodectus really. They do not really wander around but rather set up shop in some corner or other sheltered area.

Yes it would be very possible for this scenario you describe to not yield any bites.

 

[chanda]

Sure. Latrodectus are shy, timid spiders that prefer to avoid contact with large, bumbling potential predators (like people) - plus they are not normally given to roam. The big females (which are the only ones you have to worry about getting bitten by) typically stay in their webs, while it is the mature males that may go roaming in search of said females. (Newly-hatched spiderlings will also disperse - but are nothing to worry about.) The webs themselves are usually set up in small, dark corners or nooks and crannies, where they are unlikely to be disturbed - not right out in the open, where you're going to be walking through them every time you turn around.

Not only that, but in my experience, they are unlikely to infest a house. They want to build their webs somewhere dark and quiet, without frequent disturbances - and it also has to be somewhere with abundant prey. Most homes are not suitable for this, so they are more likely to be found outside the home itself, such as in garages, sheds, or around the perimeter of the home and yard, or perhaps in a little used basement, attic, or cellar. I have them living in my garage, garden shed, hose reels, in chinks in the stucco around the foundations (on the outside of the house), underneath the barbecue and under the lips of flower pots, underneath infrequently-used patio furniture, in the fences, and even in the sprinkler valve boxes and utility access boxes - but have never actually seen one inside the house.

I have lived in close proximity to Latrodectus for pretty much my entire life, but not only have I never been bitten by one, but I also don't even know anyone who has.

If you live in proximity to Latrodectus - or pretty much any other kind of spider - you just need to exercise a little common sense. Don't allow clutter to accumulate. Seal storage boxes with tape, so nothing can get in. Don't stick you hands (or other body parts) into dark places where you can't see if something else might already be there. Don't allow bedding to touch the walls or trail onto the floor. Don't leave clothes lying on the floor - or if you do, give them a good shake and a quick inspection for hitchhikers before putting them on. Those simple steps will both discourage spiders from sharing your living space - and greatly reduce the risk of bites.

 

[Albireo Wulfbooper]

I have lived in close proximity to *Latrodectus* for pretty much my entire life, but not only have I never been bitten by one, but I also don't even know anyone who has.

Heck, most people who live here in Ontario don't even know we have a Latrodectus species here because not only does nobody ever get bitten, nobody ever even sees the darned things.

 

[chanda]

Heck, most people who live here in Ontario don't even know we have a Latrodectus species here because not only does nobody ever get bitten, nobody ever even sees the darned things.

Yeah, it was the same when I lived up in Washington. Having grown up in Arizona - where you could spot them all over the place - I just assumed we didn't have them, until my sister went to move an old above-ground pool cover that had been sitting in a big pile on the ground under her back porch for months. I was really surprised when she found several big, fat widows (and egg sacs) inside the folds of the pool cover!

 

[BenLeeKing]

Yeah, it was the same when I lived up in Washington. Having grown up in Arizona - where you could spot them all over the place - I just assumed we didn't have them, until my sister went to move an old above-pool cover that had been sitting in a big pile on the ground under her back porch for months. I was really surprised when she found several big, fat widows (and egg sacs) inside the folds of the pool cover!

Us over here in Western Washington & puget sound area also have no widows. Have ventured east to look for them, but I guess i didn't look hard enough.

 

[The Snark]

I mentioned this one in another thread. A woman, a very poor housekeeper and kept several cats and dogs she didn't take good care of or clean up after, lived in the middle of the rooms. Every piece of furniture in her house was literally glued to the walls with widow webs. In repairing her sound system receiver I removed around a dozen from inside. I'd guesstimate between 2,000 and ~50,000 widows, L Hesperus, in the house.