You may be inadvertently inviting black widow spiders into your SC home. Here’s how

You may be inadvertently inviting the venomous black widow spider into your home, pest control companies say.

And nobody wants that.

First make sure what you’ve seen is actually a black widow. They are pretty easy to identify but not all are black. There are brown widows. Most have that distinctive red hourglass on their abdomen.

“The females are the Black Widows to worry about in terms of venom as males typically don’t have long enough mouth parts to inject venom when they bite,” The Pest Force says on its website.

Their venom is more deadly than a rattlesnake. And their webs are as strong as steel.

It’s unlikely you will die from a bite, but you can get sick as in nausea, vomiting, difficulty breathing, muscle pain and numbness around the bite wound.

It is most concerning if someone young, old or with compromised immune systems is bitten. Seek medical care — and take the spider with you in a closed container if you can catch it for reference.

But data shows no one has died of a black widow bite since 1983.

South Carolina has three types of venomous widows — Southern, Northern and Brown. Southern are found throughout the state, Northern in the western mountains and Midlands and Brown at the coast.

Black widow invites

Here’s how you’re extending an invitation to the creatures.

• They like clutter and cardboard boxes, particularly in attics and basements.
• Wood piles are enticing as are sheds and mailboxes. Imagine putting your hand in to get your mail and coming out with a black widow.

Pest Force offers these additional tips.

• Remove bed skirts, wash on hot cycle and store in tightly sealed plastic containers
• Declutter and declutter some more.
• Don’t store things in cardboard boxes.
• Store shoes in plastic containers with lids when you aren’t wearing them. EW. Spider in shoes.
• Don’t leave clothing on the floor and don’t pick up and put on clothing that has been on the floor.
• If spider webs are in or near windows, remove curtains and wash on hot water cycle on a regular basis.
• Keep bed away from the wall.

Removing black widows

You can try to get rid of them yourself with spider traps set in dark areas, although most pest control companies will be happy to do it for you.

“DIY options, such as pennyroyal oil, can be just as dangerous for you, your children and your pets,” Pest Control said .”When Black Widows are around in numbers, you need help from the professionals.