Most California spiders are insect-eaters.
Spiders belong to the arachnid order of animals, which are characterized by eight jointed legs. Although some people are afraid of spiders, most are harmless. Out of the roughly 38,000 species, only a handful of spiders are deadly to human beings. Most of the spiders living in California are natural deterrents to plant-eating insects, flies, mosquitoes and even roaches. Spiders found in California include tarantulas, Calisogas, black widows, daddy-longlegs spiders and American house spiders. Careful inspection can help you identify a spider you've encountered.
Instructions
1. Look to see if the spider you have found is large and hairy. If so, it may be a tarantula. A mature tarantula can grow to be 5 inches long. If, in fact, you've found a tarantula, do not panic. The bite of a California tarantula hurts but does not cause any fatal harm. It will only bite humans when scared or cornered. Tarantulas eat cockroaches, flies, mosquitoes and often mice and other rodents. You might find yourself with a rash if you do not wash your hands after holding a tarantula.
2. Notice whether the spider is hairy but smaller than the previously described tarantula. Look for a light, almost beige color. If the spider is less than 1.5 inches long, then you may have come across a Calisoga spider, which is also known as a false tarantula. This spider is found predominantly in hills around Oakland, California. It is not a threat to humans and if ever you see one, it may be a male Calisoga looking for insects to eat.
3. See if the spider is 0.5 to 1 inch long and inky black, with a round abdomen. If it has a red or orange hourglass shape on the underside of its abdomen, you may have found a black widow spider. This spider lives in attics, woodpiles and other dark places. It eats insects, mosquitoes, flies, beetles, cockroaches and bits of food in the trash. Black-widow bites are usually painful.
4. Check for long legs and a long, slender body. The spider may be gray or brown or even marbled. It may have a stripe on its underside. This is known as a daddy-longlegs spider, also known as the cellar spider. These spiders can grow to be 6 inches long and are found throughout California. Their diet consists strictly of insects, and they do not bite humans.
5. See if the spider is about 0.25 inches long and brown in color. Look for a nearby web in a dark, secluded corner. In such a case, the spider is probably an American house spider. American house spiders are insect-loving spiders with poor eyesight. They spin their web and eat insects trapped in it. They do not bother people. In fact, if you catch one and hold it on your hand, it will drop to the floor on a thin strand of web. This spider is also found throughout California.
Tags: inches long, American house, This spider, also known, American house spiders, bite humans