My security blanket is my camera. I found this little lady on my door jam this morning, but was afraid to try to step on her in my barely-there sandals, so I just instructed the kids to keep their distance and I’d deal with her after I’d taken them to school. But even with shoes on I was too scared to do it. I’ve been bit by a black widow spider before and it was anything but a good time. So I sprayed her with windex (of all things) and hoped for the best. When we all got home from school again, there she was waiting for us.
And yet I was still afraid. So what do I do but whip out my little camera and start taking pictures?
Then a cubscout showed up at our doorstep and squished her without a word. What is wrong with me? :-p
Legend of Velda 
I got bit by a black widow at church, of all places. I had almost no reaction, but it was scary, because I was holding my baby and I was afraid it had come from his blanket. He was unharmed. 8 years later, I still have a mark, and I am still the “spider killer” in our house. My husband is petrified of them.
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Hairspray. Apply liberally. That’ll do it.
I love spiders…except for black widows. They scare the bejeezers out of me. Must have been the black widow colonies in my parents’ downstairs bucket windows. Remember them? Eek!
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Oh I do, Maile. And I’m cool with most spiders, too, but NOT THESE. I am not a fan of those nastyville hobo spiders either, and we have lots of those.
Liz, I’m glad you & your baby were OK. I got bit by one just a few days before I turned 21. It was very painful and made me ridiculously sick for a few hours. A comfrey compress helped shorten the reaction time, but I never want to go through that again.
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Those black widows in the window wells were there to keep down pests. I love spiders, including black widows, but I always carry them back outside if they’re in the house. Maile’s dad used to humor me by allowing them to take up residence. I’d have to bet that they’re not there anymore. Who else would be that crazy?
Hairspray is the best way to kill spiders. You get to stand back from them and the lacquer stiffens the critter up and suffocates them dead. Rapidly. Isn’t that why women use hairspray? They couldn’t really be using it on their hair, could they?
Funny story: Maile and Reed brought in a “deformed” black widow that we put into a mason jar to observe for a day or so. We put in air holes in the lid to keep her comfy. Turned out the deformities were tiny little babies that escaped the jar into the kids bedroom. We put the mama back outside but never did find any of the escapees!
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I honestly don’t have any real hairspray. Doesn’t cooperate very well with the wavies & curls – somehow I don’t think the mousse would be quite the same!
And goodness! Little black widow babies (orphans perhaps once their mom died) all running around wild like that? Yikes!
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Good for you! Letting those Scouts do their good turn daily.
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Awww cute, I want to give it a lil kiss
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I found a black spider with two segments. It had two bright red spots, one on each segment of its body. I cannot find a picture of it. I wonder if it was a black widow?
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Hey, you’re not alone. I’m sure we’ve all been there before. I remember throwing a big, giant book at this big, giant spider. Along came my little sister and she squished it with her slippers! Ha ha..
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Hey, you’re not alone. I’m sure we’ve all been there before. I remember throwing a big, giant book at this big, giant spider. Along came my little sister and she squished it with her slippers! Ha ha..
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