Hobbies And Interests
Black Widow (Latrodectus Hesperus)
Every bit as famous and feared in the Southwest as the scorpion, the black widow is so named because of the female's propensity to devour its partner after mating. It's not like the female --- who, at approximately three-quarters of an inch long, is about twice the size of a typical male --- needs the male afterwards anyway; she mates only once in her lifetime and keeps a reserve of sperm for future egg fertilization. It's not the black widow's mating habits that humans fear. Its painful bite can cause a number of unpleasant reactions, including dizziness, nausea, severe abdominal cramps and even death. The black widow, which can be shiny black or dark brown, is distinguishable by a reddish-orange hourglass-shaped marking on the underside of its abdomen.
Brown Spider (Loxosceles)
Also known as the violin spider, fiddle spider, necrotizing spider and brown recluse, the Arizona brown spider is small, harmless looking and good at blending into its surroundings---but can be every bit as dangerous as the black widow. Left untreated, its bite can cause permanent tissue damage that can lead to amputation or death. It gets its "violin" and "fiddle" nicknames come from almost unnoticeable markings that bear a resemblance to the shape of a violin.
Funnel Web Spider (Calilena Arizonica)
Another appropriately named arachnid, the funnel web spider spins a web with a funnel that leads to its hideaway. It likes to stay low, making its home in grass, on rocks or between the ground and walls of buildings. About a quarter of an inch long, the funnel web spider's mating habits are markedly less violent than those of the black widow's: The male "romances" the female by strolling up to the base of her web and gently stroking it. If she accepts his advances, the male proceeds onto her web and they mate.
Giant Crab Spider (Olios Giganteus)
With a leg span of more than two inches, the brown giant crab spider is among the largest in Arizona, second to only the tarantula. Despite its size, it's remarkably skilled at climbing, having the ability to effortlessly scale smooth vertical surfaces and even scamper across ceilings. It can even move sideways at relatively great speeds, which is how it earned the name "crab" spider. It relies on its agility to catch prey, as the giant crab spider doesn't spin webs. While its bite can be painful to humans, it results in no serious aftereffects.
Green Lynx Spider (Peucetia Viridans)
About three-quarters of an inch long with extended, spiny legs, the green lynx spider is bright green and lives in prickly pear cacti. Like the giant crab spider, the green lynx doesn't spin a web to capture its prey; instead, it waits in the blooms or on the pads of a prickly pear cactus for an unsuspecting insect to pass by and then jumps on it much like a lynx cat would.
Labyrinth Spider (Metepeira Arizonica)
Like the green lynx, the labyrinth spider makes its home on Arizona's prickly pear cacti, where it spins its web between the plant's pads. The green lynx spider's web makes it unique. The three-layer construction features a flat, sticky surface; followed by a snarled blockade of web and debris with a soft, woven hideout on the bottom level. Less than a quarter inch in length, the labyrinth is distinguishable by its brown or gray abdomen and white markings.
Tarantula (Aphonopelma Chalcodes)
Also known as the Arizona blond tarantula, this hairy, burrowing spider can grow up to four inches in length and has a lifespan of 12 to 14 years. Its "blond" nickname comes from the female of the species, which is light tan in contrast with the dark copper-colored male. While the female has a tendency to devour the male after mating, the male often makes a quick retreat before it comes to harm. The tarantula's long life expectancy is partly attributed to its ability to remain mostly inactive during winter months, living off stored fat reserves.