Spiders

Spiders are 8 legged, venomous arthropods. Although all spiders are venomous, only 1% of all the different species on earth are considered dangerous to humans. Have you ever heard of arachnophobia? Of course you have. Just over 30% of everybody that lives in the United States claim to have arachnophobia. There are 21 species of spiders that call Arizona "Home." Of which only 2 are considered deadly; the black widow and the desert recluse. We provide precise applications of eco-friendly pesticides so that you can enjoy your home again without coming across a creature of your nightmares.

7 Common Species That You May Find In Phoenix

Black Widow

The western black widow (Latrodectus hesperus) is a venomous spider species found in western North America. They are one of the two spiders found in Arizona that are considered deadly. However, it is only the female's bite that is considered to be deadly. If you were to be bit by a female black widow you could expect the following symptoms; muscle cramps and spasms, sweating, chills, fever, nausea, severe torso and back pain, headache, high blood pressure, and rarely seizures. A male's bite usually doesn't require medical treatment and you can identify the two easily by their color configurations. A female Black Widow is black with what is usually a red, occasionally yellow, and rarely white hourglass shape underneath it's abdomen. A male Black Widow is normally tan with a lighter stripe on the abdomen.

Desert Recluse

The desert recluse (Loxosceles deserta) is often misidentified as the brown recluse that is found in the southern and midwestern United States. It is one of the two potentially deadly spiders that can be found in Arizona. They are a little bit harder to identify than a Black Widow. The desert recluse is usually tan with a violin shape on its back. Symptoms of a desert or brown recluse bite include; pain, itching, reddened skin, blisters, an ulcer follow by necrosis. If you think that you have been bitten, seek medical attention as soon as possible.

Tarantula

Ahh, yes, the tarantula. The epitome of arachnophobia. Arizona is home to few species of tarantulas but the Western Desert Blond Tarantula (Aphonopelma chalcodes) is the most common and is often referred to as the Arizona Blond Tarantula. They are extremely easy to identify. They are tan or brown and range from 70-100mm in size. They have lots of hairs all over them that they will shoot out if threatened, but in reality, they're actually virtually harmless to humans and are known to be incredibly docile. If bitten you generally do not need to seek medical attention unless other symptoms such as nausea or muscle twitching occur and last for more than a day. Males can live up to 17 years old and females can live up to twice as long.

Giant Crab Spider

The Giant Crab Spider (Olios giganteus) or also known as the Golden Huntsman spider is one of the largest that can be found throughout the Sonoran desert in Arizona. They can range from 11-48mm in size and bites from giant crab spiders are rarely fatal to healthy humans. Instead of using webs to catch their prey, they actually use speed and strength to subdue their next meal.

Jumping Spider

The Jumping Spider is from the family (Salticidae) and of which their are more than 6,500 species of Jumping Spiders in the world. Although only 2 of those 6,500 species are common in Arizona, they are still one of the most common spiders found in this beautiful state. They have 4 pairs of eyes and the frontmost pair are exceptionally large in size. They are named the jumping spider because they do just that. If threatened or are ready to attack prey, they will make an agile leap from their threat or their next meal.

Black And Yellow Garden Spider

The Black and Yellow Garden Spider (Argiope aurantia) often referred to as the Yellow or Golden Garden Spider.  These are an extremely common species found in the United States, Canada, and Mexico. They have distinctive black and yellow markings on their bodies and range from 5-28mm. They may bite if harassed but the venom is absolutely harmless to humans. The yellow garden spider likes to build its webs adjacent to open sunny fields to avoid the wind. You can also find their webs on tall vegetation and along eaves of houses.

Wolf Spider

Wolf spiders are from the family (Lycosidae) and there are over 2,300 species in the world. Of those 2,300 species there are only 200 or so live throughout the United States. Wolf Spiders range from 10-35mm in size and though are venomous like most spiders, they are not considered lethal to humans. Wolf spiders get their name because they were thought to hunt like wolves, but they don't actually hunt in packs so they're more like lions.