Woman Says Black Widows Taking Over Her Millington Property

(Millington, TN) – Black widows are taking over the area around Stephanie Matheson’s Millington home.

She and her family have become prisoners in their own home. She’s found the poison spiders on the toys her kids play with.

“[It’s] extremely unnerving,” said Matheson. I check the children’s toys every single morning. I work in the garden and then I check their toys because I find them on their toys almost every other day.”

This year, the family says it found more than 35 of the poisonous spiders. Matheson says the Lichterman Nature Center confirmed they were black widows, but couldn’t explain why there were so many, but entomologists say it could have to do with the recent high heat and dry conditions.

“Usually a black widow will go and it will live in one place and it will stay there. It doesn’t move,” said Matheson. “Nobody knows why they’re moving.”

Matheson called pest control to deal with the problem. They came out and sprayed, but the very next day, she found more than 20 black widows alive and well.

“Nothing is killing them that we can find,” said Matheson. “The pest control we spoke with says there is no hope.”

Matheson says most of the black widows just moved to different spots. So one by one, the mother of five is tracking them down to keep her children safe.

“Every time I drop a black widow in that jar, I thank the Lord because with five kids and all of the places I find them, I know the Lord is protecting us,” said Matheson.

According to the family, the City of Millington is considering a temporary hardship for the Matheson’s so they can get a guinea hen.

Those are normally against city code, but they are also known to eat black widows.