Beware of This Deadly Spider In New York State

The warm weather means that it's bug season across New York State. It's the downside of the hot weather every June, July and August.

Most of the bugs are more of a nuisance than anything. We're talking about ants, beetles, mosquitoes, fruit flies, caterpillars and silverfish.

Spiders are technically not bugs or insects, they're classified as arachnids. Scorpions and ticks are also classified as arachnids.

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Most of the spiders found in New York are relatively harmless. In fact, they're more helpful than harmful, as they reduce the population of pests in and around your home. Spiders are very important for the ecosystem, even though they make many people squirm when they see one, especially inside their home.

While most spiders are not harmful, there are a couple spiders that can be found in New York that are dangerous and even deadly, despite the fact they're not native to the state.

The most dangerous is the dreaded black widow spider and believe it or not, there are different kinds of black widows that have been found in New York.

They are the southern black widow and the western black widow, according to Spider Identifications. There's also the brown widow and the also dreaded, brown recluse spider, which have been detected in New York, yet they're rare since none are native to the state.

Parkway Pest Services says that black widows can find their way to New York by way of travel, like hitching rides on trains and cars, even shipping boxes from other states. A black widow bite can be fatal in children and the elderly and its bite feels like a pinprick that gradually gets more painful and swells. Nausea, vomiting, sweating and itchiness are also possible symptoms and those bite by a black widow should seek medical attention.

I remember seeing a black widow on a hike once as a kid and my dad telling me it's not a common site in New York State, but to always stay clear of spiders like that.

Spiders are just looking for food (pests) and places to hide. There's a reason you find them by accident normally, it's because  they're looking to stay safe, just like us.

While they're not common, it is possible to find a black widow or a brown recluse in New York.