Yellow Sac - Cheiracanthium inclusum – These small yellow spiders have a black stripe visible on the upper middle of the abdomen area. They spin a silky, sac shaped web, usually found in corners, behind shelves or pictures, or outdoors (in bushes, etc). This spider is related to the brown recluse in toxicity, and a bite from this spider can cause the same effects. (Originally, a mild pain, progressing to tenderness and an open sore that can continue to grow if untreated.) The bite from this spider can also produce an ugly scar, depending on the severity of the reaction to the venom.
Black Widow – Latrodectus mactans – This spider has a globular, shiny black abdomen with two yellowish or reddish triangles on the underside forming an hourglass shape. The abdomen is around 1/4 inch in diameter, but may be as large as 1/2 inch when the female is full of eggs. This spider is mostly found outdoors, and frequently constructs webs under boards, stones, or seats of outdoor furniture, and other locations near ground level. They can be found along foundation slabs, behind shrubs, and especially where brick or wood siding extends close to the ground level. The bite of the black widow produces a sharp pain similar to a needle puncture. After a variety of other symptoms (time and severity depending on the person bitten), convulsions and death may occur if not treated. A specific antivenom is readily available to most physicians and emergency rooms for this deadly spider.
Brown Recluse – Loxosceles recluse – Has a painful, very dangerous bite. Within 12 hours, the pain of the bite becomes very intense, and over a period of a few days, a large ulcerous sore forms. This often leaves a large scar. The adult body varies from 1/3 to 1/2 inch in length, with the legs often reaching 1 inch span or greater. The body is yellow to dark brown, and has a very distinctive darker brown violin-shaped mark on the thorax. These spiders are most commonly found weaving their webs in attic areas, ductwork for heating and cooling, in basements, or rarely-used outbuildings.
Wolf – Family Lycosidae – Wolf spiders range from 1/8 to 1 3/8” long, and are hunters. They have 8 eyes of unequal size, and each of their long legs bears three microscopic claws at the tip. Most live on the ground and hunt at night for their prey. They are colored for camouflage among dead leaves, stones, debris, and any other common ground cover. These spiders do not spin webs, instead burrowing in the ground or living under rocks. Some have no set home at all. They are varying shades of brown, some with grey or yellow in the coloring as well. While these arachnids can bite, they are not toxic to humans, only leaving small marks and welting in allergic victims.
Orb Weaver – Family Araneus – This family of arachnids are between 1/4 and 3/4 inch in side (females being larger than males), and are brown to orange, with distinctive patterns for each species. The web spun by these spiders is a spiraling orb with nonsticky radiating support spikes and sticky spiral strands. The spiders usually hang face down near the center of the web, or just off the web to the side, and pounce on the insects caught in the web. Each night, the old web is re-spun, using the spider’s sense of touch alone, in complete darkness.
Jumping – Family Salticidae – This large family gets its name from the leaps the spiders make while pouncing on prey. 1/8 to 5/8 inch long, they have short legs with 2 claws on each. They have eight eyes, arranged in three rows, and are primarily hunters, not spinning webs, but stalking their prey on the ground. The many different varieties of these spiders range in color from bright green, to brown and yellow, to black and reddish brown.
American House – Achaearanea tepidariorum – These yellowish brown spiders range from 1/8 to 1/4 inch in size. The sticky webs they spin catch dust as well as prey, and are the commonly known “cobwebs”. The spider waits on the webs for an insect to get caught, and if necessary (for larger prey), the spider will throw extra webbing on the insect and draw it up into the web to feed upon. These are one of the most common spiders found in our area, and present no health risk to humans, however, their webs are unsightly, and their droppings contain an acid that will eat into siding and even brick and stain other materials quite readily.
