Spiders

The brown recluse’s bite can cause necrosis of the flesh, and require medical attention to prevent further damage. These spiders range from .25 and 1 inch in length, and vary in color from white to dark brown to gray-black. They usually have markings on the dorsal side of their cephalothorax, accompanied by a black line that resembles a violin. Brown recluses favor hiding out in or near cardboard, as it mimics rotting tree bark. They can also be found in boxes, clothing, shoes, tires, bedding, furniture, and storage areas.

These spiders, though small, have an unusually potent venom which causes a condition known as latrodectism. Symptoms include sweating, pain, muscle rigidity, and vomiting. To put you at ease at least a little bit, only the female bite is dangerous to humans. Female widow spiders are typically dark brown or black in color, with a red or orange hourglass on the underside of the abdomen; some may have a pair of red spots or no markings at all. Male and juvenile widows exhibit red or red and white markings on the upper abdomen, which can range from bars, to stripes, or even spots. The body of a widow spider ranges from 3-13 mm in size, with females often being on the larger end.

These spiders are robust and agile hunters with excellent eyesight. They live mostly in solitude and hunt alone. They differ from most spiders in the fact that they do not spin webs, rather, they are burrowers and hunters. Some are opportunistic, pouncing on prey as they find it, or even chasing it. Others wait for passing prey in or near the mouth of the burrow. Flashing a beam of light at the spider’s eyes produces eyeshine, which is seen as an easily noticeable “glow”. The many genera of wolf spiders range in body size from 10 to 35 mm, but some have grown much larger, causing them to be confused with tarantulas.

Male house spiders are easily mistaken for brown recluses because the two have similar coloration and body structure. However, compared to the brown recluse, house spiders are typically larger in size, and have unusually long, slender pincers. The females are dark brown or black and more compact. Both sexes may grow to be roughly 2 inches long across, with the males typically having longer legs while the females have larger bodies. The body of a house spider is often covered with light gray hair. Female house spiders are rarely seen, as they keep to their webs while males wander in search of insects, having no particular territory.

Garden spiders often build webs in areas adjacent to open sunny fields where they stay concealed and protected from the wind. The spider can also be found along the eaves of houses and outbuildings, or in any tall vegetation where they can securely stretch a web. Males range from 5-9 mm; females range from 19-28 mm. These spiders may bite if disturbed or harassed, but the venom is harmless to non-allergenic humans, and feels similar to the sting of a bee.