Hobbies And Interests
Tarantula
Tarantulas are common in California and native to the state. They're often found in pool filters or unearthed in gardens. Night hunters, tarantulas are very sensitive to vibrations. A threatened tarantula will make a purring sound and rear up on its back legs. Tarantulas are venomous and can cause painful bites, but contrary to popular belief, their poison is not life-threatening to humans of any age nor to pets such as cats and dogs. Male tarantulas are seen mostly in the fall on their search for females, while female tarantulas are typically found in burrows.
Black Widow
The western black widow is the only spider in California that possesses venom threatening to humans. Black widows are easily identified by the orange or red hourglass-shaped marking on the underside of its round abdomen. They are most commonly found in the warmer, more southerly parts of California, in dark places such as closets and attics. Symptoms of a black widow bite include muscle pain, cramps, weakness, headache, sweating, anxiety and difficulty breathing. Although no one in the United States has died from a black widow bite since the 1960s, it's still important to wash a bite with soap and water and have a physician treat it immediately.
Wolf Spider
Wolf spiders can grow up to four inches in diameter, including their legs. Hairy and colored a gray-tinted brown, these spiders are well-camouflaged outdoors among rocks, leaves and the sand into which they burrow. Due to their size, wolf spiders can cause painful bites that tear the skin. Redness, swelling, swollen lymph glands and even blackness at the site of the bite may occur. Wolf spiders are aggressive and fast. With the exception of one sub-species, they do not spin webs; instead they pursue their prey. Females carry their young -- known as spiderlings -- on their backs.
Daddy Longlegs
These spiders are immediately identifiable in several ways. They have long, distinctively thin legs with flexible "fingers" at the ends. While daddy longlegs can pinch, they do not have fangs or venom. Rather than intricate creations, their webs are messy tangles. These spiders possess scent glands that ward off enemies with a foul-smelling liquid. Daddy longlegs can be found in the corners or basements of most homes, where they consume insects and other spiders.
Jumping Spider
Common to California, the jumping spider may also be the most common biting spider in the country. Usually black with white specks or other markings, the jumping spider does not make webs and is named for its distinctive, fear-inciting jump. Their bites are painful and may cause itching and substantial swelling. Painful muscles and joints as well as fever, chills and several other symptoms may occur for one to four days; a physician should be seen following a bite. These spiders do not make webs and are commonly found in both the home and garden.