There are few animals or bugs that evoke the fear and hatred from people as spiders do.With some Florida spiders, it’s good to keep your distance – some species are venomous and can be harmful. Some are even deadly.
There are few animals or bugs that evoke the fear and hatred from people as spiders do.With some Florida spiders, it’s good to keep your distance – some species are venomous and can be harmful. Some are even deadly.
Spiders aren’t simply a nuisance, though – they are part of the food chain, and many prey on insects that may otherwise become a threat to plant, human, and animal health.
Knowing your spiders can help demystify them and make them a focus of your curiosity rather than your fear. Though this article can’t cover all 900 species, it can offer you a sampling of Florida’s cornucopia of spiders.
The dangerous spiders -
If you only want to know a few species of spiders, make it the widow and recluse spiders. Florida is home to brown widows, black widows, and red widows. There are sub-classes of black widows, but all have a characteristic red marking on the abdomen. Brown and black widows can be found closer to buildings, while red widows live primarily in pine scrub. Bites from widow spiders cause death in fewer than 5% of cases, but the old and very young are more susceptible. Bite victims suffer tense, painful abdominal muscles, nausea sweating, and other symptoms – widow spiders use neurotoxic venom.
Recluse spiders don’t actually breed in Florida, but many have been found there. You may come across brown, Mediterranean, or Chilean recluse spiders. These are spindly, menacing-looking spiders, and with good reason – their venom is toxic to cells and can cause tissue surrounding the bite to die. Thus, these bites take a long time to heal. Untreated bites can even cause kidney failure.
Hunting spiders -
Not all spiders spin the classic spider web. Some hunt for their prey. Spiders don’t limit themselves to bugs – there’s lots of water in Florida, and that’s precisely why you’ll find the fishing spider. These spiders can grow especially large, and they capture small amphibians and fish from shallow water. Another spider similar to this one is the huntsman spider. These pale-brown, patterned spiders can be found in your home, but they’re actually useful – they prey on cockroaches and will move quickly to capture even good-sized roaches.
Miscellaneous types –
The trapdoor spider is one of the most elusive and unusual of the Florida spiders – they construct burrows with natural material doors. These are connected to silk “tripwires,” and the vibration of an approaching insect on these wires alerts the spider to attack. The Ogrefaced spider makes a net that it holds out to catch prey – it almost resembles a child standing in the shallows and holding a butterfly net underwater in hopes of catching a fish. The name “Ogrefaced” comes from its enormous eyes.
These are only a few of the spiders you might find in your home or outside. There are hundreds more unique and interesting spiders in Florida, and just a little knowledge opens a gateway of new discovery. Slug-A-Bug pest control company can help you to deal with spider infestations – spiders are generally beneficial, but if they pose a threat to you family, be sure to act quickly.
