The two most feared spiders in the United States are the black widow and the brown recluse, and for good reason. The black widow has venom that can kill you--or at the very least--make you wish you were dead, and the brown recluse has venom that can rot flesh. Neither of these two spiders are pleasant to run into. Fortunately, South Portland the rest of Maine does not have an indigenous population of either of these scary spiders, but that does not mean that we don't have these spiders in Maine. Here's what you need to know.
The most common way a victim is bitten by a brown recluse or black widow is by bringing their body in contact with these spiders. These are not aggressive spiders that will chase after you and bite you. When they bite, it is usually because someone slipped their foot into the wrong shoe, slid their hand into the wrong box of stored goods, or slid under the wrong set of covers. These spiders hide in dark spaces. If those spaces are invaded, the result is a defensive bite.
When objects are moved from states that have these two poisonous spiders, bites can occur here in Maine, sometimes months after the move. Here are a few examples:
- Landscaping. Spiders love to hide under sandbags and other things that have been sitting on the ground outside. If landscaping items are packed and shipped, these spiders can sometimes get shipped as well. Always be cautious when unloading anything that came from a state that has these two spiders.
- Used furniture. If you buy something on eBay, make sure you find out where the item is being shipped from. These spiders can hide inside used furniture without the owner even knowing they slipped in. It could happen inside the house or in an outside storage area where the item sat waiting to be shipped.
- Clothing. While you may not have to worry about buying clothes from a major retailer, if you get something used, be aware of where those clothes came from.
- Boxes. These two spiders love to hide in boxes, but especially the brown recluse. If you're helping someone unpack or you receive a box that came from a state where these spiders can invade storage areas and homes, be cautious when opening them. Not only can you get an immediate bite, but it is possible for a spider or two to escape the box and hide in your bed or in a shoe.
For the most part, you don't have to worry about poisonous spiders here in Maine, but that doesn't mean spiders are fun to have in your home. All spiders can bite and no one likes waking up with itchy welts. If you live in South Portland, Portland or elsewhere in our Maine service area and you're finding spiders in your home contact Big Blue Bug Solutions. We'll get those spiders out and keep them out.