Hobbies And Interests
Tarantula
Commonly as large as 3 inches in length when fully grown, tarantulas may be either brown or black. They are nocturnal hunters, spending the days hiding under rocks or in inconspicuous locations and searching for prey such as crickets and caterpillars at night. These creatures can survive for weeks without food. Males, in particular, can be found wandering early in the summer as they search for mates. While their appearance is frightening to many, their disposition in general is often tame. Tarantula toxin poses no threat to humans, but the many hairs covering their bodies are known to cause skin irritations.
Wolf Spider
These sizable, hairy, nighttime hunters are easily confused with tarantulas. Occasionally brown instead of black, wolf spiders may have stripes along their backs and are commonly revealed to humans at night under lights, particularly as a result of the reflection from their eyes. Wolf spiders are among the most common spiders to enter homes, but their venom is harmless to humans and pets. Female wolf spiders are known to carry their young both before and shortly after hatching.
Johnson Jumper
Sometimes known as the red jumping spider, the Johnson Jumper is one of the largest types of jumping spider common to Texas. This nickname comes from the mostly red-colored abdomen belonging to females of the species and entirely red-colored abdomen of the males; the rest of a Johnson Jumper's body is black. The Johnson Jumper is able to jump distances many times its own body length, guided by a line of silk in the event of missing a target. Jumping spiders also have a distinct eye pattern: four pairs of eyes with one front pair larger than the rest. Jumping spiders rarely bite humans, and their toxin is not hazardous.
Orb Weaver
A traditional web spinner, this spider varies greatly in coloration among species but often has a predominantly black appearance, occasionally with colored markings. Shapes also differ between species. These may range from a rounded abdomen and extra-long legs, common among orb weavers, to the spinybacked orb weaver whose flattened, prickly body gives the appearance of a crab. Adult female orb weavers may be approximately 20 mm in length, legs excluded, with the males being somewhat smaller. Both genders are harmless to humans.