Spiders

Black widow spiders are most recognized for the red hourglass shape under their abdomen. Contrary to legend, female black widow spiders rarely devour the male black widow spider after mating.

The venom of a black widow spider is a neurotoxin and is used as a defense. Black widow spider infestations do not bite humans instinctively. The black widow spider bite can cause severe pain. Young children and the elderly are especially susceptible to a severe reaction to a black widow spider bite.

Brown recluse spiders have a characteristic dark brown violin marking on their back.

Like the black widow spider, the brown recluse spider bites in defense and does not bite humans instinctively. They will bite humans when the clothing they are hiding in is worn. The brown recluse spider bite is painful and can produce an open, ulcerating sore.

Some spiders do not build webs and are known as “hunters” that actually hunt, ambush or run down their prey. These spiders usually live outside in gardens, around the structure and foundations.  

The most common hunter spiders are wolf spiders, jumping spiders, nursery web spiders, and crab spiders. Some of these spiders are large enough to break the skin of humans and inflict a bite that may swell, or be painful. Because of their size, some of these (like the wolf spider) alarm or scare people simply with their presence.

Some spiders, like orb weavers, make very distinctive large round/circular webs. Others make rather unorganized webs, or funnel-shaped webs.  Spiders build these webs to capture their food source (mainly flying insects).