Help! Black Widows in the Worm Bin!

So glad to find this forum because I desperately need help. Anybody ever found black widows in their worm bin? I just did -- THREE of them lurking under the lid. So I think there must be an infestation. Nothing like this has ever happened in my 4 years plus of tending this bin, so I'm pretty upset! I'd imagine anything I do to kill the widows would also kill the worms. Suggestions? Thank you!

If they are on the lid you could take it off 'do away' with them. Use a very long stick. You may luck out adn the three widows may be all there is.

Thanks for your reply -- I already managed to smush the three widows, so the immediate problem is solved. But I fear that won't be the end of it. One was a big one and the other two were smaller and I don't know much about widows but where there are three I am betting there will be more. I have two small children who are big fans of the worms and while I shudder at the prospect of a painful bite for myself, the very thought of them possibly getting bitten is just too much, ya know? I don't want to rely on "luck" here ;-) Of course I'll keep the kids out of the area in the meantime but I'd love to hear about any possible longer term solutions if I do in fact have a widow infestation here. Thanks again!

You could try screening the holes on you bin. Would keep them out, flies too.

That is odd for a black widow spider to move into your bin. They really like places where people do not go very often. Like the guard railing along a highway, or the crawl space under a building. Maybe you need to visit your bin more.
Happy Vermi!

If your system has trays with rims around the edges, you might like to check them too.

Thank you! Appreciate the suggestions. Think it was a fruit fly problem that drew in the spider. And I confess I'd neglected the bin a bit between visits. Have dealt with the flies, screened the holes, and vowed to visit more often :-) Haven't seen another widow around the bin since, though a few have shown up in the garage where the bin is kept. Am guessing the real problem lies with widows in the garage.... not sure if we'll spray for that or not. Still considering options.