Hobbies And Interests
Deadly Spiders
Southern black widow spiders are extremely poisonous and untreated bites can be fatal to humans. Identifying this spider is fairly simple --- the females' bodies are completely black and shiny except for a red hourglass marking on their under abdomen. At times the red hourglass will appear as two separate marks instead of a joined hourglass. Only females of this species are poisonous, but if bitten by a spider that resembles the black widow seek medical attention immediately, even if you think it was a male spider.
Poisonous Spiders
Hobo spiders vary in color from light to dark brown and blackish. This spider is known for its necrotic (flesh eating) venom, which acts in a similar fashion to that of the brown recluse spider, though less severe. Identifying the hobo spider is often difficult. Hobo spiders are commonly confused with the giant house spider, and some equipment and training are needed to tell them apart. Both have large bodies with long feelers and hairy legs, but unlike the house spider, the hobo lacks spots on its sternum. To factually identify a hobo, reproductive features must be examined with a microscope.
Beneficial Spiders
Many of the black spiders in Washington's Pacific Northwest region are deserving of praise, not fear. The orb weaver is commonly found under porches or in grassy areas around a home. Known for its extremely long legs and round abdomen, it is a wonderful mosquito trapper. Triangulate cobweb spiders have a triangular pattern on their abdomen and feed on other spiders. Garden spiders are black with bright flashes of color, usually yellow, that are simply ornamental.
Harmless Biting Spiders
Wolf spiders and Johnson jumping spiders are black or blackish spiders of the Pacific Northwest that will bite humans. Neither of these spiders is poisonous to humans, though their bite is painful. Wolf spiders and Johnson jumping spiders are not typically found around the home. Wolf spiders are quite large, up to 25mm in body length. They hunt at night and hide under rocks and other objects during the daytime. Johnson spiders are very small and are daytime hunters capable of jumping long distances. Johnson jumping spiders, which spin funnel-shaped webs, have red abdomens, with the females displaying a single black line down the center of her abdomen.