Hobbies And Interests
Black-Footed Spider
The black-footed spider is one of the most common spiders found in Canada. They can easily be recognized by their pale, whitish or greenish-looking bodies. They are very small, averaging less than 1/3 inch, and have dark-colored fangs. Their feet are black as well, but can only be seen under a magnifying glass. They live for about one year and only reproduce once in their lives. They are nocturnal and stay hidden during the day. A bite from a black-footed spider can resemble that of a brown recluse spider and have the same symptoms. If bitten by a black-footed spider, a tourniquet should be applied above the bite to slow down the poison to the heart. Ice packs and tea bags should be applied to the bite wound to help draw out the poison to avoid causing damage to the tissue around the wound. The bite could take as long as several months to heal.
Cat-Faced Spider
The cat-faced spider is one of the most common spiders found in and around homes in Canada. They get their name from the dark markings and indentations on their bodies that resemble the image of a cat's eyes and ears. They make their homes near lights and corners, both inside and outside of the home. They are not harmful to humans, but can be quite intimidating due to their size. A fully grown cat-faced spider can be 3/4 inch around.
Jumping Spider
Jumping spiders average about 1/8 to 1/4 inch in length and can jump to distances of 6 inches. They are noticeably different from other spiders in how they catch their prey and their habitats. They do not build webs to catch prey, but stalk it before attacking it by jumping on their catch. They only use silk for casing in their eggs and draglines to move from one area to another. Their eyes are not like other spiders' eyes. Their eight eyes consist of three rows, and the two biggest eyes in the middle give them binocular vision.
Wolf Spiders
Wolf spiders are found throughout Canada and make their homes in and around houses. They are covered in brown or gray hair and grow up to 2 inches in length. Their bodies are stout and they have eight thick legs each with various sets of makings on them. They do not construct webs in order to catch their food like many other spiders; they hunt by sight and chase down their prey. Their diet consists of worms, flies, crickets and other spiders.
Common House Spider
The common house spider is found in houses in Canada and throughout the world, making their home in humid basements and crawlspaces. They are only about 1/4 inch long with brown and black bodies. Their legs are yellow or white with grey or brown markings on them. Their diet consists of flies, other spiders, cockroaches, beetles and any other type of insect they can catch in their webs.
Cellar Spider
Cellar spiders are found in cellars, crawl spaces, and basements. They look much like the daddy longlegs spider, but are much smaller. The female long-body cellar spider's body measures about 1/4 to 5/16 inch in length and her legs stretch out another 2 inches. They spin webs to catch their insect prey.