SPIDERS
Common Spiders to our Area
Brown Recluse Spiders
Appearance: Brown recluse spiders are light to dark brown, with a characteristic dark brown violin marking on their back.
Region: This species is found in the central Midwest U.S. from Ohio to Nebraska and southward through Texas and Georgia.
Habitat: Well known for their secretive or "reclusive" behavior, brown recluse spiders often live outdoors in debris and woodpiles. Indoors, they can be found under furniture, inside storage items and in dark recesses such as baseboards and window moldings. Closets, attics and crawlspaces are the most common hiding places of brown recluse spiders, as they provide warm, dry and dark environments.
Threat: Like the black widow spider, the brown recluse spider bites in defense. Bites are usually not felt at first but can produce a stinging sensation followed by intense pain. Restlessness, fever and difficulty sleeping are common symptoms of a brown recluse spider bite. In serious cases, a bite can lead to an open, ulcerating sore that requires medical treatment.
Unique Facts: Male brown recluse spiders wander farther from the nest than females and are therefore more likely to crawl into shoes or other attire. Additionally, while other spider species feed on small, flying insects, this species prefers small cockroaches and crickets.
https://www.pestworld.org/pest-guide/spiders/brown-recluse-spiders/
House Spiders
Appearance: House spiders are often yellowish-brown in color with an elongated abdomen, although their color can be highly variable.
Region: Named after the fact that it is the spider species most commonly encountered indoors, house spiders are found worldwide and are common throughout the United States and Canada.
Habitat: While this species can be found under furniture and in closets, they are most commonly encountered in garages, sheds and barns, where catching prey is easier for them. Outside, they are often found spinning webs around windows and under eaves, especially near light sources that attract potential food sources.
Threat: House spiders are nuisance pests and pose relatively little threat to humans, but they may bite when threatened.
Unique Facts: A female house spider can lay more than 3,500 eggs in their lifetime.
Black Widow Spiders
Appearance: Black widows are black and shiny, with a telltale red hourglass shape on the underside of their abdomen. Young black widow spiders appear orange and white, becoming darker and more black in color as they age.
Region: This spider species is found throughout United States, but is most common in the southern regions where the temperature is warmer.
Habitat: Black widow spiders tend to seek out dry and dark locations that are protected, such as underneath stones or decks, as well as in hollow tree stumps and in firewood piles. They can also be found in man-made structures such as sheds and barns. Black widow spiders spin their webs near ground level.
Threat: While male black widow spiders rarely bite, females are known to be aggressive and bite in defense, especially when guarding eggs. Symptoms of a black widow bite include fever, increased blood pressure, sweating and nausea. Pain from a bite typically reaches a maximum in 1-3 hours. Fatalities are unlikely, as long as proper medical treatment is sought in a timely manner.
Unique Facts: Black widow spiders are named after the popular belief that females eat their male counterparts after mating. However, this is a rare occurrence in the natural world.
https://www.pestworld.org/pest-guide/spiders/black-widow-spiders/
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