Common Spiders
Common Spiders
Common Spiders
06/12
Spiders
Wizzie Brown and Mike Merchant*
Common spiders
Tarantulas
Tarantulas are among the largest spiders
in Texas. Despite their size and fearsome
reputation, tarantulas are shy and are seldom
seen. The common Texas brown tarantula (genus
Aphonopelma) can have leg spans of more than
3 inches when fully grown (Fig. 2).
During the day tarantulas live in burrows or in
natural cavities under rocks or logs. The burrows
are sometimes
lined with silk
webbing and
are covered
with a thin silk
curtain. In the
winter or the
hottest months
Figure 2. Tarantula, Aphonopelma.
of summer,
these burrows
are plugged with soil. Tarantulas rarely go far from
their burrow entrance; they wait for prey to come to
them. Tarantulas can live 5 to 30 years.
During mating season, male tarantulas leave
the burrow in search for females and can be seen
in yards or even by the hundreds along Texas
highways. Females live in their burrows after
maturity and do not participate in these seasonal
migrations.
Tarantula bites are not dangerous. When
threatened, tarantulas rise up on their hind legs and
wave their front legs to warn off predators. They
also release abdominal hairs that can irritate skin,
eyes or nasal passages of trespassers.
Wolf spiders
Wolf spiders, in the family Lycosidae, are among
the most common spiders in fields and backyards.
They are hairy and their
drab color is mottled with
brown, gray, black, yellow,
or creamy white markings.
They have eight eyes, with a
front row of four tiny eyes in
a straight line and a larger
central pair in the hind row.
Wolf spiders often have two
dark, longitudinal stripes
on the cephalothorax (Fig.
Figure 4. Wolf spider,
4). They range to 3 inches
Schizocosa spp.
long.
Wolf spiders are most active after dark and
have good night vision. During the summer, you
can shine a flashlight into roadside grasses and see
dozens of tiny pinpoints of light reflected on the wolf
spiders enlarged pair of eyes.
Hundreds to thousands of wolf spiders may live
in the average backyard lawn, where they feed on
insects and small organisms. Although they may
be a nuisance, they can control other pests. Because
they are so plentiful, wolf spiders commonly enter
homes under gaps in doorways. Although some wolf
spiders can be aggressive if handled improperly,
they are generally not dangerous to people or pets
and can usually be picked up with bare hands or
Jumping spiders
Jumping spiders, in the family Salticidae, are
easy to distinguish from other spiders. Jumping
spiders tend to be stocky and brightly colored.
Some have conspicuous black and white bands
on their bodies or legs (Fig.3). Common color
patterns include browns, grays, black, brilliant red,
yellow, and metallic or iridescent greens, blues, and
2
Orbweaver spiders
Orbweavers in the family Araneidae come in
many shapes, colors, and sizes. Most orbweavers
make a vertically hanging orb web with concentric
rings of silka typical spider web.
Orb webs are marvels of architecture. The spider
Cobweb
Orb web
Crab spiders
Crab spiders,
in the family
Thomisidae, are
common on leaves
and flowers (Fig. 8),
and some species
Figure 8. Crab spider on a
are found on the
flower.
ground. These
spiders are easily recognized by the crablike way they
hold their two front pairs of legs and the way they
scuttle sideways and backwards. These spiders do not
spin a web, instead they ambush their insect prey.
Some crab spider species can change color to match
the flower on which they are perched.
Widow spiders
The southern black widow, Latrodectus mactans,
and its relatives live throughout the United States.
Other widow species found in Texas include the
western black widow, L. hesperus; the northern
black widow, L. variolus; and the brown widow,
L. geometricus. Coloration varies considerably
among species.
Adult female widow spiders are typically black.
Males and juveniles may have orange, red and
white markings on the back and sides (Fig. 10). The
abdomen is rounded and the ventral region often
has two reddish triangles that form an hourglass
shape. Some of these spiders have irregular or
spotlike markings; others have no markings at all.
Female
adults average
1 inches long;
adult males are
much smaller.
Widow spiders
have eight eyes
in two rows.
Widow
spiders are
usually found
in protected
areas outdoors
or in structures
that are open to
the outdoors.
Figure 10. Female widow spider
They may
(top), male widow (bottom).
live in wood
Ballooning is a
common behavior
among spiders, and
it typically occurs
on windy days.
Spiderlings spin
one or more light
silk threads which
are caught by the
wind and carry the
tiny spiders to new
locations. Two male Erigone spiders on a grass
seedhead. The lower one is in a pre-ballooning
posture ready to disperse, known as the tip-toe
position. (Courtesy of Rothampstead Research)
Mechanical control
The best way to eliminate spiders is a good hand
vacuum. Vacuums can remove the spiders, their
webs, and their egg cases. Webs and spiders can
also be removed with a broom, cotton dust mop or
extendable web dusters.
After sweeping up webs, take the mop or broom
outdoors and wash or rub it in grass to remove and
crush any live spiders or egg cases. A water hose or
high pressure sprayer can remove webbing from
under roof eaves.
Harmless spiders that get indoors can be
removed by covering them with a cup and carefully
sliding a sheet of the paper underneath. Then
turn the cup right-side up and release the spider
outdoors. Do not handle a spider unless you know
that it is harmless.
Spider relatives
Harvestmen/daddy longlegs
Harvestmen, though closely related, are not
spiders. In harvestmen, the cephalothorax and
abdomen are broadly joined, creating a large, ovalshaped body (Fig. 11). Like spiders, harvestmen have
eight legs that often are very long, though some have
short legs. Many are brown to gray, but some have
brighter coloration.
Harvestmen do not have venom and cannot
spin silk. They have a pair of glands that release a
scent when they are disturbed.
Some harvestmen are scavengers; others feed on
small insects, fungi, or plant material. Harvestmen
may congregate in groups of dozens to hundreds.
When they do, it is not uncommon to see the
harvestmen bob up and down when disturbed. This
behavior may help to ward off predators.
Chemical control
Spiders are usually difficult to kill with
insecticides. Because spiders often live on webs
above treated surfaces, it is difficult to treat them
as you would crawling insects. Spiders also appear
to tolerate conventional pesticides better than do
common indoor insects. Therefore, sanitation and
physical removal are the best way to manage most
spiders.
When chemical control is needed, synergized
pyrethrins, resmethrin, tetramethrin, deltamethrin,
cyfluthrin, bifenthrin, lambda-cyhalothrin, and
esfenvalerate can provide successful control. Always
follow label directions and use only products labeled
for spider control. Do not use outdoor insecticides
indoors.
Spray under and around roof eaves, window
ledges, and porch and patio rafters. Inside, spray
Managing spiders
Learn how to recognize potentially dangerous
spiders and know where they are most likely to be
found. When working in spider-prone areas, wear
cotton or leather gloves to reduce the chance of
being bitten.
Acknowledgments
The authors wish to thank Alejandro Calixto, Allen Dean,
Jared Ripple and Sonja Swiger for review of this manuscript.