Man sets his own house on fire trying to kill a spider
25 October 2018, 17:40 | Updated: 18 September 2019, 11:17
Firefighters have since begged local residents not to use a blowtorch when trying to battle the eight-legged critters.
A man in California has set his parents' home ablaze in a huge fire when trying to eliminate a swarm of black widow spiders.
The spider-fearing citizen was house-sitting for his parents when he took pest control into his own hands by grabbing a blowtorch and incinerating the innocent critters.
Local news outlets confirmed that the man had safely evacuated the blaze, but the property's attic and second storey were severely damaged.
Fresno City Firefighters urged residents in a Facebook post: "Please don't use a blowtorch to kill spiders."
The black widow species are known to live in human dwellings, opting for cluttered, dark areas. Only the females have venom glands large enough for their bite to be harmful for a human.
Researchers have revealed the exact time that you're most likely to find spiders in your home.
Arachnid-spotting app Spider in da House was launched in 2013 by researchers at the University of Gloucestershire, and asked Brits to record spider sightings in their homes and offices - with the team receiving 9,905 entries.
READ MORE: HOW TO IDENTIFY A FALSE WIDOW SPIDER
Most sightings were recorded between 6pm and 9pm, giving a mean average time of 7.35pm.
Researchers explained how this is the time we are most likely to spot the critters, and not necessarily when the spiders are most active.
