Home >> Science & Nature >> Insects & Science

How to Destroy a Black Widow Spider Egg Sac

Black widow spiders live in every state in North America. In some species, the female has an enlarged abdomen with a striking red hourglass shape on it. The female's venom is a neurotoxin. According to entomologists at Virginia Tech, the venom affects victims differently depending on the depth of the bite, the concentration of venom and the victim's size. Black widow spiders tend to build webs in quiet areas such as the basement, garage or attic. The University of West Virginia recommends wearing heavy plastic gloves when working in these areas.

Things You'll Need

Heavy plastic gloves
Fly swatter
Vacuum cleaner

Instructions

- 1
  Locate the web. Widow spiders are not always black. According to Virginia Tech, widow spiders are black, brown and grey. Look for the red hourglass or red dots on the abdomen of the female spider (males may have a white or yellowish hourglass pattern). Some black widow species have no such markings.
- 2
  Look for the egg sac. It will be located near the top of the web. Often the widow spider guards the egg sac.
- 3
  Smash the spider and the egg sac with a long-handled tool such as a fly swatter.
- 4
  Vacuum the web, dead spider and egg sac with a crevice tool.
- 5
  Remove the vacuum bag or empty the dirt receptacle into an outdoor trashcan.

Insects & Science