There was a recent article in Huffington Post about black widows found in grapes at stores in PA, MI, MO, MN and WI. Apparently they were hitch-hikers in the fruit which was ultimately transported to stores. You can read the article here: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/11/23/black-widows-grapes-us-supermarkets-midwest_n_4329380.html?...
So, should you be worried?
We get quite a few calls about spiders every spring and fall. The good news is that most spiders do not have mouth parts strong enough to penetrate human skin, and the majority of spiders found in the U.S. are actually harmless. There are two notable exceptions, the black widow spider and the brown recluse spider, which are both dangerous to humans.
Research has shown that the western United States has no local populations of the brown recluse spider (Loxosceles reclusa) so that spider you just saw run across your floor is probably not a brown recluse. Black widow spider populations are found in Washington with most found in Eastern Washington. However, there are several local populations in Western Washington, for example, on several of the San Juan Islands. Many of "black widow-like spiders" we see are other members of the "comb-footed" spider family (Theridiidae) and are considered harmless.
We do have other spiders in Washington that can bite. Fortunately, many spiders tend not to thrive in the dry environment of our homes. The most effective prevention technique against spiders is sealing up entry points into the home- although this is easier said than done. Vacuuming regularly, especially in cracks and under furniture, will help to reduce the number of spiders in your home. Regularly brushing or "knocking down" webs around the exterior of the home will encourage the spiders to migrate elsewhere. Some people have had success with glue-impregnated sticky traps placed in area of high spider traffic, but out of the way of children and pets. You can get these at your hardware store, and we supply them for our customers.