SPIDERS
Spiders can be identified by the type of web they create; however, not all webs capture prey. Some are used in courtship rituals, while others secure egg sacs. There are special glands found in a spider's abdomen that forms a liquid protein within the body that produces silk. When released from the rear of the abdomen, this protein hardens outside the body, guided by spinnerets allowing the spider to customize its release. It is not uncommon for spiders of different species to share a web or a spider to steal another's prey. Other species rely on the element of surprise, pouncing on their prey when it passes - injecting them with potent subduing venom.
Some of the most common species of spiders include the following:
Black Widow
Black widow spiders get their common name from the widespread belief that the female eats the male after mating, a phenomenon that rarely happens in nature. These spiders can be found worldwide, with five species established in the United States and the most common characteristic of the red hourglass shape on the underside of their abdomen. The black widow's venom is said to be 15 times stronger than a rattlesnake's and can cause nausea and muscle aches, as well as difficulty in breathing, but fatalities are rare. You can find more information via the link for black widows.
Characteristics
Size: 1 ½ - 1 3/8 inches long
Color: Black, with characteristic red "hourglass" on the underside of the abdomen
Habits: Black widows are active when the temperature is warm, but they can live in lower temperatures with the right conditions. Black widow spiders spin irregular webs, which they build at night near ground level. Once complete, these spiders hang upside-down in their webs, usually less than 1 foot in diameter. They use their webs to trap prey. Like most spiders, black widows choose arthropods as their food source, including ants, beetles, cockroaches, scorpions, and more.
Most black widows take almost a year to grow from egg to adult. They hibernate as immature individuals, develop into adults in the spring and die in late July. The popular belief that female black widows consume male black widows once mating is complete is not 100% accurate.
Grass Spiders
Grass Spiders are familiar sights throughout North American summers. Noted for the shape of their webs, a Grass Spider creates a cave-like web on a grassy lawn, bushes, and shrubs and hides in the back. You can find more information via the link here for grass spiders.
Characteristics
Size: 0.74 inches (19 mm), with the males being smaller in size than the females.
Color: They are primarily brown, while some species may also be in shades of gray, ivory, beige, black, or a blend of various shades.
Habits: The Grass Spider is considered relatively harmless to humans. They stay in their webs and do not venture out in the open unless forced out. A bite can cause some local swelling, redness, and itchiness but is not dangerous.
Grass Spiders move fast, dragging their catch into the funnel of the web. Unknowing insects can also wander into the funnel's opening and become tangled, triggering telegraph lines that inform the spider to respond. The Grass Spider pounces on the prey and eats it at its leisure.
House Spider
The common house spider gets its name because it is usually the spider most often encountered inside a home. Considered more of a nuisance pest, probably because of its webs than the spider itself. You can find more information via the link for the house spider.
Characteristics
Size: 3/16 – 5/16“ (female) 1/8 – 3/16” (male)
Color: Yellowish brown, abdomen dirty white with several dark stripes meeting at an angle
Habits: The common house spider randomly selects its web location and creates a tangled web. If a web does not yield food, it relocates to another area and forms a new web. Eventually, a successful trap brings in prey through air currents. House spiders have a low survival rate in modern homes due to fewer insects for food and low humidity. They are more likely found inside structures like warehouses, barns, garages, and sheds. Outside, these domestic spiders are often found under eaves and around windows, especially near lights that attract prey.
Wolf Spiders
Wolf spiders don't use webs for hunting their food. Instead, they chase their prey because they are fast runners. These spiders are big and hairy, which is alarming to people, but they are primarily nuisance pests. You can find more information via the link for wolf spiders.
Characteristics
Size: 3/8 – 1 3/8“ (female) 1/4 – 3/4“ (male)
Color: Usually dark brown, often with paler (or sometimes yellow) stripes or markings
Habits: Wolf spiders actively hunt their prey at night and usually rest in sheltered places during the day. They are fast on their feet when pursuing prey.