Spider control in Long Beach for brown widows, black widows and webbed eaves

Both widows live in Long Beach, often on the same property. Knowing which is which helps you find their egg sacs and judge risk.

• Brown widow: tan to brown with mottled patterns and an orange hourglass; spiky round egg sacs; common in outdoor furniture, play equipment and planters
• Western black widow: glossy black female with a red hourglass; smooth, papery egg sacs; prefers dark, undisturbed spots like meter boxes, wood piles and garages
• Both: build tangled webs with strong silk, low to the ground; bite when pressed against skin, such as reaching into a glove or shoe
• Neither: the brown recluse is not established in Southern California, and most brown spiders reported as recluses are other species

Many spiders are less affected by surface sprays than insects are, because they walk on tiptoe over treated surfaces and spend much of their time on webs above them. Egg sacs are protected by layers of silk and survive most sprays. That is why physical removal of webs and egg sacs is the core of spider work, with product used in cracks and voids where spiders hide and on the foundation band where their prey travels.

Reducing their food has a lasting effect. Bright white porch and garage lights draw flying insects all night. Switching to yellow or warm LED bulbs, or using motion-activated lights, cuts insect activity at the door. Fewer insects mean fewer reasons for spiders to build webs on your house.

Widow bites usually happen when a spider is pressed against skin: putting on a glove, sliding a foot into a shoe left in the garage, or reaching under patio furniture. A few habits reduce that risk. Shake out gardening gloves and boots before wearing them. Store shoes, toys and sports gear inside or in sealed bins rather than open shelves in the garage.

Check the undersides of play structures, outdoor chairs, tables and planters regularly and brush away egg sacs. Keep firewood stacked off the ground and away from the house, and avoid reaching into meter boxes or valve boxes without looking. If someone is bitten and has significant pain, cramping or other symptoms, call your doctor or the Poison Control line for guidance.

The block walls that line backyards in the 1950s tracts of Los Altos, Lakewood Village and El Dorado Park Estates are among the most reliable widow sites in the city. Black widows hide in gaps between blocks and under wall caps, while brown widows hang egg sacs under the overhangs. Patio furniture, barbecue covers and children's play sets in these large backyards often carry brown widow sacs by late summer.

In Belmont Shore and Bluff Park, alley garages and the eaves of 1920s bungalows facing the marine air collect orb webs and cobwebs fast, especially near lights. Raised-foundation homes in California Heights and Bixby Knolls have crawlspace vents and wood porches where widows settle. Condo patios and balconies in Downtown and Alamitos Beach see brown widows in planter rims and furniture. Spider activity rises from late summer into fall, the season when most egg sacs are produced.