Black Widow Spiders Found in Cape Breton Transit Bus

CAPE BRETON ISLAND, NOVA SCOTIA — Transit Cape Breton’s main garage on Welton Street was closed for fumigation on Aug. 31 after Western black widow spiders (Latrodectus hesperus) were found in a new bus being prepared for service.

The bus had been delivered from California, traveling through Ontario to Sydney, Nova Scotia.

The transit facility was closed as a “precautionary measure,” and pest control was brought in to fumigate the building, reported the Cape Breton Regional Municipality (@CBRMGov) on Twitter.

The transit authority reported no service disruption to bus services.

According to the Nature Conservancy of Canada, the Western black widow spider is a venomous spider with a painful bite. This spider is found from British Columbia to Manitoba but is mostly restricted to areas along the Canada-U.S. border.

A different black widow species — the Northern black widow — is found in southern and eastern Ontario.