Spiders can be a major concern for homeowners – particularly here in South Florida. According to the University of Florida, Department of Entomology and Nematology; five species of venomous spiders live here in Florida: the Southern Black Widow, Northern Black Widow, Red Widow, Brown Widow and Brown Recluse 

All widow spiders have venom that can be deadly to both people and pets, but the chances of dying from a widow spider bite has significantly decreased due to the discovery and use of anti-venom, as stated by the American Association of Poison Control Centers (AAPCC).

However, it is still extremely painful to be bitten by one, and these bites come with many unpleasant physical symptoms, such as sweating, muscle cramps, chills, fever, nausea, and vomiting. Good thing the black widow is a skittish creature that will scatter away if you let it. Bites usually happen when humans reach into or come near the space where they are hiding, such as: sticking your foot into a shoe or boot, putting on a jacket, reaching into a pile of leaves, or flipping over a rock…

Widow Spider Family-what you may not know is that we have four species of widows in the state: the southern black widow and the northern black widow. We all know of the black widow she needs no introduction, sporting her red hourglass mark on the bottom of her tummy. There is a visual difference between these two spiders, but when it comes to how we react to them and how they relate to humans; there is no difference. This can also be said of the other two widow spiders in Florida, the brown widow and the red widow.