Nearly all Valley residents know that cactus spines hurt. They’re also familiar with what to do when they hear a rattlesnake warning. But the dangers of poisonous insects in the desert gets less attention. Except for bees and wasps, toxic bugs and spiders go largely unnoticed because they are nocturnal and typically active in warmer weather.
Poisonous Insects in Phoenix
Poisonous insects and spiders in the Phoenix area include:
- Africanized bees. By some estimates, the vast majority of bees in the Phoenix area have been Africanized. This means that they’re far more aggressive than their ancestral honeybees. The best way to avoid upsetting Africanized bees is to respect their need for a quiet environment.If you suspect you have a hive on your home or in your yard, call Budget Brothers for help immediately.
- Wasps. Although a wasp sting isn’t necessarily poisonous, it’s undeniably painful. Wasps have thinner bodies than bees, and their colors vary. The three most notorious wasps in Phoenix are the yellow jackets, tarantula hawks, and paper wasps.Unlike bees, wasps don’t die after stinging someone. The good news is they’re less prone to provocation than Africanized bees. As with bee hives, finding a hive near or on your home requires immediate professional attention to remove them.
- Kissing or assassin bugs. Technically known as conenose bugs, these bugs aren’t necessarily poisonous insects, but they can cause anaphylactic shock in allergic people. They like carbon dioxide and lights and can make their way indoors.The bugs are brown, range from an inch to an inch and a half long, and have orange spots that outline their bodies. They feed at night on vertebrates, which includes you and your pets. They carry the protozoan parasite, Trypanosoma cruzi, that causes Chagas disease. If you see them in or around your home, Budget Brothers Termite & Pest Elimination can help.
Spiders & Scorpions
The Phoenix area has more than its share of dangerous eight-legged arachnids.
- Scorpions. The dreaded bark scorpion is as happy living inside your home as it is out. It’s an opportunistic spider, and its presence means that other insects are present. Its favorite meals include crickets, cockroaches, and even poisonous insects.It lives in small dark spaces including wood piles, under leafy debris, inside shoes, or spaces along or in the walls. It can go for months without eating, although it does need a reliable source of water.Finding scorpions is easiest at night with a black light. Wear heavy gloves in case you get too close to these poisonous insects. Even if you don’t find them, you may be vulnerable if you live near mountain preserves or have high populations of insects in your yard.
- Black widow spiders. These spiders are opportunistic feeders on harmless and poisonous insects alike. They spin messy, sticky webs and their topsides are coal black. Use great care should you see such a web because the bite of a black widow is highly poisonous.Unlike scorpions, however, the black widow will only bite when aggressively threatened. Regardless, black widows are one of the most venomous spiders and poisonous insects that are in this region.
- Brown recluse spiders. Their bites may not be instantly toxic or painful, but may eventually cause necrotic tissue. These spiders like it dry and dark, and you may find them in warm spaces or in dark closets. If you suspect you have these in your home or yard, call Budget Brothers Termite & Pest immediately.
Don’t risk the pain of an unfortunate encounter. If you find poisonous insects near or in your home, call Budget Brothers today for all your pest control needs.