Most Californians know a few common house spiders living in their area. However, there are a lot of them that are not even familiar to most homeowners. When asked what spiders they have encountered so far, they will say only the three most common to them, which are tarantulas, brown recluse, and the black widow spider. However, there are still the wolf spider, the American house spider, and the domestic house spider, which are common in homes.

American house spider

The American house spider is known for creating tangled webs that looks like Halloween webs. They are messy and may look like it is creepy, especially if there are a lot of them in abandoned buildings and homes. This spider can also be found in home dwellings and can create tangled webs all over the attic, basements, or windows. They are not aggressive since they are commonly in the presence of people. They might even run away from their web by dropping down on a thread, then running as far away as possible from danger.

Domestic house spider

The domestic house spider is also known as the common house spider or the barn funnel weaver spider and is common in homes as they create funnel shaped webs with a center hole. The female house spider will sit on the center as she waits for her prey. These webs are mostly found hidden in the corners of windows and ceilings and can also be a mating ground for them. This spider can live up to seven years in the same web if they are left undisturbed in attics, basements, and garages. They are also not aggressive and will stay out of man’s way when their web is broken or disturbed.

Tarantulas

Tarantulas are considered the world’s largest spiders. Most fear them, but others love them as they are made as pets. Their size and color can vary depending on their species and location. Their menacing appearance with their very hairy legs and bodies are what makes them creepy looking. But, despite their large size and fearsome look, tarantulas are not actually threatening to humans. They might still bite when they are threatened, but their venom is not dangerous as it is even milder than a honeybee.

Brown recluse

The brown recluse is considered a dangerous spider. They are commonly known by their violin-shaped marking on their cephalothorax. They are brown in color, as their name suggest, and have six eyes that are arranged in a triad. This spider is known to live in California, and is known to have painful sting when it bites. Most people are scared by the bite of the brown recluse because their venom has the ability to destroy the tissue where they injected their venom. Once you think you are bitten by one, do not take any chances and go to a doctor immediately.

Black widow

Although the black widow spider can be found around the world, unfortunately, they are popular in California. Their red hourglass markings together with their jet black color make them a truly identifiable species. While the black widow is beautiful to look at, its venom is something to be scared of. People who are bitten by the black widow may experience nausea, muscle aches, and difficulty in breathing because of a paralysis of the diaphragm. While most of those who are bitten by the black widow do not suffer serious damage, this spider can still be fatal to young kids, the elderly, and the sick.

Wolf spiders

Wolf spiders are commonly found outdoors, but they can still come indoors by roaming near homes or buildings. Some are even confused if wolf spiders are actually baby tarantulas because of their large size. In fact, wolf spiders are one of the largest spiders in California. Although wolf spiders can still bite when they are threatened, their bites are not considered dangerous. This spider may wander into your home in the late summer and fall.

Preventive Pest Control has an office in Orange County and can assist with spider pest control in Yorba Linda and Irvine.
 

Photo: Tarantula by Bart van Dorp. Used under CC BY 2.0.