Michaela from Fairgrove, Michigan writes
I found a spider in my door way a month ago. It is shiny black and has a single rust colored spot on it's ventral underbelly. It is smaller than a standard pencil eraser. I put it in a mason jar to get a better look. It has thin yellowish legs with brown stripes on them and large black fangs. After I removed the spider from it's home in my doorway another spider of the same species took it's place. I have compared photos of black widow and brown widow spiders to the spiders I have in my mason jar and have found they most resemble a widow spider. What kind do you think it is?
While you have given a great description of the spider, we could not safe for certain without seeing a picture of the pest. Is there any way you can take a few clear pictures of either the one in the jar or the one that replaced the one you caught? This will allow us to make a proper identification. If you can, email the picture to support@domyownpestcontrol.com. That being said, no spider species is really any harder to kill than another, so even if it was a black or brown widow, the method would be the same for treatment as it would if it were the granddaddy long legged spider, wolf spider or any other species. You can use a product like Cyonara 9.7 indoors around baseboards and cracks and crevices, around window and door frames, and all around the foundation of the home outside. You will want to spray 2-3 feet up on the side of the home and 3-4 feet out on the ground, and around any other points of entry for the pest. Also, keep in mind when you have spiders around the home they are there because they have a plentiful food source so anything you have around the home (flower beds with pine straw or mulch, landscape rock, etc) that could be providing great shelter and living conditions for the spiders food sources needs to be treated heavily as well to deter them from the home.
Answer last updated on: 10/21/2014
