Positively identifying brown recluse spiders in California. Need any more reasons to fear black widow spiders?įront close-up of a Brown Recluse spider. Their bites today are rarely fatal, with the majority resolving without treatment and others being treatable in hospitals. Since bathrooms began moving indoors, the problem (disproportionate targeting of men and penises) seems to have gone away. And the usually non-aggressive black widow instinctually runs over and bites down on the new creature that has landed on its web.” You sit down, and your junk hangs there.” They especially love to make their cobwebs between two objects,” she explained, adding that bugs and flies love the stink of outhouses and made their home in the privvy bowls. “So black widow spiders enjoy dark, low-to-the-ground sort of places. Ouch! Why?Īs reported in, “Most of the black widow bites that were reported happened in outhouses. Black widow spiders in California: Fascinating facts.Ī study conducted in the 1950s found that 80% of black widow spider bites happened to men, most of whom were bit on the penis. Only the female has a bite hazardous to humans. Despite their color, female black widows have dark-colored and easily identified reddish hourglass markings on the central underside. The black widow spider in North America can also be red (Latrodectus bishopi ) or brown (Latrodectus geometricus). Therefore, any helpful article will recommend they be avoided, and those who live where black widow spiders reside can identify and avoid them. Indeed, the black widow spider is nasty and potentially fatal to young and elderly humans. ![]() In many articles on black widow spiders in California, the author suggests that the reports of their venom and the inherent dangers of encountering black widow spiders are deemed “over-rated.” The fear of the hourglass-shaped spider’s bite is world-renowned throughout the temperate regains of the entire world. But, unfortunately, black widow spiders are also the most horrifying spider to identify up close and personal. Photo credit: /Jay Ondreicka Black widow spiders in California.īlack widow spiders in California are the easiest spider to identify. He anticipates that the high number of spiders will continue throughout the summer.Black widow spider. Pinzon highlights that spiders are adept predators and are likely to keep other insect populations, including mosquitoes, in check. There are some benefits to our current high populations of arachnids. ![]() Furthermore, he clarifies that the often talked about Brown Recluse Spider is not found in Alberta. He adds that the chances of encountering a Western Black Widow in Northern Alberta are very slim. “It is distributed mostly in southern, dry areas of the province.” “In Alberta, there is only one species that occurs naturally and is potentially harmful to humans, the western black widow,” says Pinzon. Pinzon points out that there are many misconceptions about spiders, particularly those that can potentially harm humans. As a consequence, spider populations vary from year to year.Īccording to an article published by the National Library of Medicine, the fear of spiders, called arachnophobia, affects between 3.5 and 6.1 percent of the global population.ĭr. ![]() Pinzon also mentions that, unlike other insects in the region, spiders do not have a population cycle. ![]() “Others are common in crawl spaces and backyards, like false widows or grass spiders.”ĭr. “There are a few species that you normally don’t find elsewhere but in basements, such as the barn funnel spider (Tegenaria domestica),” says Dr. “So, likely, many survived, and the result is the larger numbers we are seeing.”Īs for spiders found in homes, Pinzon explains that some species of arachnids are attracted to human dwellings. “Many of these species overwinter as immatures, and many don’t make it, especially if the winter is harsh,” says Dr. Pinzon attributes the high numbers to Alberta’s relatively mild winter and early spring. Jamie Pinzon, a Research Scientist with Natural Resources Canada and adjunct professor at the University of Alberta, many areas of the province are experiencing an unusually large number of arachnids this spring. If you’re noticing more spiders than usual this year, you’re not alone.Īccording to Dr.
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