Kill the black widow, obviously.

I do it mechanically - like with a stick - rather than a chemical spray.

Black widows like dark, stable, undisturbed places to nest.
If you can, move the Aloe into a sunny, exposed area until you see the spider.


Josh

Even if the spider is dead, there still remains the question of eggs and baby spiders living in the dirt.

We almost discovered the hard way that "undisturbed places" is a myth.

A few years ago, at the end of the summer, I got down on my knees looking for something under the picnic table, which is on our patio and used all the time. Right there under the table was a huge BW!

I don't mind using chemicals if the plant will be okay. If not, then I'd have to chunk it because I'm not going to take the risk of getting baby spiders in the house.

Oh, the sun doesn't bother the spider because it can hide down in the plant and the soil.

I have grown up around these all my life (our home as a kid was infested with them), and have what I guess are many hundreds in my tiny back yard aloe garden now, though baking hot summers have taken their toll on these little 'pests' (or 'pets). They do do a pretty good job keeping the larger insect numbers down, but would be a lot happier if they would eat mealies, snails and white flies (which they seem to ignore for some reason). Actual chance of getting bit by one is pretty remote, unless they climb up your pant leg, or you pick one up with your bare hands.. mine seem to take off in the opposite direction any time I disturb them or their ugly webs (they have about the least interesting webs of all the spider world). Massive numbers of egg sacs seem to matter not as probably one one out of thousand babies survive any length of time at all, and half of those will end up being harmless males.

{{gwi:668082}}

one of my back yard 'pets'

I was thretened with one, every time I came into my greenhouse it came out of hiding. I called BoB Schick a spider specialist, (Y.C.L.A he told me to use Saffers Soap, yep it worked, I had one crawl out of hiding to come down my arm when I was a child. Be alert, they seem to not be afriad where I live. Noroma

Are you sure it is a 'Black Widow" I didn't think they could go through a cold winter. I googled to find ouut more information. Couldn't find anything that says they live in soil. They seem to hide under ledges, my kids kiddy car ,wood piles, and between my flats of plants umder my wood benches, etc,
Watch where you put your hands, Norma

Black Widows definitely do prefer undisturbed places.
That's not the only place you'll find them, but it's certainly no myth.

Perhaps it's a local thing. We don't have Black Widows in our soil here.
I wouldn't call it a myth, just not typical for this area.

Josh

I don't know how much cold the eggs can handle, but the spiders themselves usually only live the one year. I grew up where it snowed from Sept to May, and we had tons of black widows, so there is obviously some way for the eggs to overwinter (probably in homes, cellars, etc.). I don't think I've ever lived anywhere there weren't a lot of black widows around... just part of life.

Norma, I'm pretty sure it's a black widow, just because of the web. I could be wrong but I'm not taking chances.

I'm glad you reminded me about how they get under things outside, I just emailed my DIL and told her to check my grandson's (toddler) outside toys that he rides, and the places they sit.

Lz, you're nuts! LOL. I'd have the Raid Hornet & Wasp spray killing every single one of them. That stuff works great on bad spiders.

Plus, I could step on more bugs in one day than what a Black Widow could eat in a lifetime. I will kill them. lol

We all live in the country. Home of the spiders! :)