Some Valley Spiders

You may not always see the distinctive hourglass shape, but black widows are shiny and have spindly legs.

As the weather warms, our Valley spiders start to come out of hiding. Here is a sampling of common spiders in the Valley, especially some of the poisonous or more fearsome ones. If you suspect a spider problem, either because you see them in large numbers or start finding egg sacs, it’s time to hire a pro. Here are some spiders you might see:

Brown recluse spiders

Here in the Valley, we have a couple of different varieties of the brown recluse spider. Brown recluse spiders generally hide near manmade structures and will make their flat, irregular webs in areas where debris and longstanding clutter will protect them. They are about one inch long and have the identifying fiddle or violin shape on their back. Brown recluse are not aggressive and will avoid people if possible. Most people are only bitten if the brown recluse senses danger. 

Wolf spiders

Wolf spiders are great nocturnal hunters that live in underground tunnels like tarantulas. They hunt aggressively, and will sometimes run down their prey instead of lying in wait. They build a weblike tube structure, sometimes called a turret, along the ground by their tunnel.

Black widows

Black widows are glossy black, with a round body. While they have an identifying red hourglass on their belly, we don’t recommend turning one over to check! Sometimes, they can be seen when she is resting on her web. The black widow spider gets her name because of her cannibalistic practice of generally eating the male after mating. 

While black widows are quite shy, if they feel threatened, they can bite. Once bitten, a person is likely to have immediate swelling in the bite area, and accompanying muscle spasms that can cause muscles in the stomach and chest to spasm. The back and shoulder muscles may also spasm. More reactions are also possible, which is why anyone who is bitten by a black widow should seek medical treatment.

Black widow webs are tough, messy tangles, where the female will keep her egg sac, which is a white or yellow sac about a third to a half an inch in diameter. These egg sacs can contain up to 900 baby spiders, most of which don’t live as they are cannibalistic.

Tarantulas

Tarantulas live in underground holes, and these sometimes have a silken entry to warn the tarantula, by vibration, when prey may be near. Tarantulas do not often enter homes, except as pets, but are frequently spotted outdoors throughout the Phoenix area. They are territorial, though, so if a homeowner finds one and (carefully!) moves it away from the house, it needs to be out of their old territory range. They are not dangerous, but their bite can be painful, and many people are afraid of their large size. 

They also attract tarantula hawks, a type of wasp which uses a tarantula as (live) food for her young. The tarantula hawk has a sting, which is much more painful than spiders or scorpions.

Below is a clip provided by one of our young customers. It is a jumping spider. These spiders aren’t large, but they can bite. If your home has spiders, spider webs, spider eggs, or if you keep waking up with painful bites, give Russell Pest Control a call! We can help.

Russell Pest Control offers professional residential pest control services tailored to the customer’s needs across Phoenix Valley. Whether you need Africanized bee removal, spider control, or scorpion control, our licensed, experienced, and trustworthy technicians adopt an eco-conscious approach to minimize environmental impact. No hidden fees or gimmicks. Contact us today for a free estimate.