Northern Utah experiencing an uptick in black widow spiders

SALT LAKE CITY — Fall is spider migration season, but pest control companies are seeing even more than usual. And it’s especially concerning that one poisonous spider in particular is showing up more often: the black widow.

“We’ve definitely had a surge in calls about black widows,” said Kimball Pace, Service Manager with Peak Pest Control. “They’re moving around more, so people are seeing them more. And they’re also going to be eating a lot of food lately, so they’re probably going to be extra big.”

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While it’s rare for a black widow bite to be fatal, it can be serious. Mark Jackman from American Fork is recovering from a black widow bite he got two weeks ago. He had a pair of shoes outside, he shook them out and knocked them on the floor before putting them on. But a spider still remained inside. He was in the middle of gardening when he felt pain in his toe.

“I’ve always been nervous about black widows, but after my dad’s experience, I’m terrified of them. He said it was the worst pain he’s ever been in,” said Kambri Vaughn, Jackman’s daughter.

Jackman had to go to the emergency room for treatment. Since his case wasn’t life-threatening, they could only give him painkillers.

“They gave him three shots of morphine, and it still barely took the edge off of the pain he was feeling,” Vaughn said.

Black widow bites can also cause nausea, vomiting, sweating, muscle cramps and rash. They are most dangerous to young children and elderly people.

This time of year, black widows are looking for a place to nest. They like dark, isolated places with debris to hide in. As the leaves begin to fall, Pace said to make sure you keep your lawn clear, as leaf piles can be a good place for them to hide out.

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