Hobbies And Interests
Arizona Brown Spider
According to the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum website, the native Arizona brown spider is a close relative to the northwestern brown recluse. Both spiders are venomous, but the Arizona brown spider is not as dangerous. If bitten and a sore occurs that begins to spread, seek medical attention. The spreading sore of the brown recluse spider signals a serious condition that sometimes leads to limb amputation. The spiders are found beneath debris and rocks throughout the southwestern United States and Mexico.
Desert Tarantula
The wild desert tarantula lives in the foothills and grassy plains of the Southwestern United States. They build nests and burrows between tree roots, along cliff faces and among scattered rocks. The tarantulas of southern Arizona only grow to about ¾ inch in body diameter, unlike their 11-inch Venezuelan relatives. Arizona tarantulas have silken webs that surround burrow entrances. The webs both capture food and warn the spiders of approaching creatures.
Scorpion
Spiders and scorpions are arachnids. Scorpions have eight legs. In addition, they have two pincer pedipalps used to hunt and defend themselves. They have a long metasomal structure resembling a tail with a venomous stinger on the end. There are between 40 and 60 species of scorpions in Arizona. Only one of those species, the bark scorpion, is considered a threat to humans. The bark scorpion is 1 to 3 inches in length. Be careful, however, as the bark scorpion is the most commonly encountered house scorpion in the U.S., according to the University of Arizona.
Green Lynx Spider
The green lynx spider is found in the Southern United States, Mexico and Central America. Its body grows to ¾ inch in length and is bright green in color. The green color allows the spider to blend in perfectly with foliage while hunting. The most common place to encounter lynx spiders is on the pads of the prickly pear cactus. These spiders do not build webs, but they are beneficial to a desert garden and rarely bite humans.