October 8th, 2020
Curious about the most dreaded long legged spider Arizona residents can’t stand? The truth is, there may be more than one…
“When I moved to Arizona, people told me about scorpions. I knew to shake piled-up, wet towels and inspect house plants before handling them,” said a new Phoenix-area homeowner. “But no one told me about the spiders.”
No one likes being surprised by a spider. But there’s one long legged spider Arizona property owners dread encountering.
One source says there are 27 types of spiders in Arizona. Another website says the number is closer to 56 spider species.
Most spiders native to Arizona are relatively harmless. They think we should “live and let live,” and that’s fine if you agree with them. However, there’s more than one long legged spider Arizona residents should avoid.
The 7 most common spiders living in the Phoenix area are:
And some of our lesser-known spiders include:
“Most spiders are venomous but few are dangerous,” says home improvement pro Rosie Romero. Which is small comfort to those of us jittery about spiders. The exceptions to that rule are the black widow and brown recluse spiders.
Arizona’s black widow spider is the most venomous in North America. Its venom is 15 times stronger than a rattlesnake’s. A few quick facts? Spider webs are generally close to the ground and don’t have a pretty pattern. In fact, they are almost haphazardly constructed. One female can produce 400 spiderlings.
The brown recluse (aka “desert recluse”) spider is much more dangerous. This spider’s bite can result in extreme injury or even death. These spiders have a distinctive violin-shaped marking. Their webs are difficult to see but very sticky.
If you suspect you’ve been bitten by a black widow or brown recluse spider, seek medical attention quickly.
A close encounter with any spider can leave some of us haunted for days. Because of their starring roles in horror movies and Halloween décor, tarantulas are usually the long legged spider Arizona dwellers most fear.
That’s too bad, because tarantulas are actually gentle, somewhat-fearful creatures. But their segmented, 8-legged bodies are unattractive and…seriously hairy. In fact, they’re part of the “Hairy Mygalomorphs” family. Tarantula abdominal hairs have sharp barbs. When attacked, tarantulas use their legs to rub their spiky stomach hairs and “shoot” them at their predators.
Tarantulas are big (3-4 inches) and can weigh about three ounces, which makes them a “heavyweight” in the spider world. There are about 700 types of tarantulas worldwide. They are nighttime hunters and eat smaller insects and grasshoppers.
A tarantula bite feels like a wasp or bee sting. These “gentle giants” are desert dwellers. They like burrowing into dry soil and lining their digs with webbing.
Some entomologists have very valid arguments for not killing spiders. Spiders eat flies, mosquitos, roaches, and even termites. Some of those pests are disease-carriers and destroy property.
So why don’t we use spiders as a more natural approach to pest control?
Well, we could. But you would need a lot of spiders. And while your spiders are working their hardest, termites work faster. (Termites can literally eat you out of house and home before you know it.)
Children, the elderly, and small animals can react badly to spider bites, even non- or low-venomous bites. It’s not worth the health risk.
Budget Brothers Termite & Pest Elimination can safely rid your property of spiders and other pests. We customize our treatments for all types of family dynamics, including pets. Contact us today for a free consultation.
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