Spiders - are definitely one of the top pests that people fear. With thousands of species present in this country, only two are really dangerous to humans, the black widow and the brown recluse spiders. The spider has two body segments, the cephalothorax (head & thorax) and the abdomen. Spiders are beneficial for the control of insects but become a nuisance when they spin their webs on the outside of a structure or become an unwanted guest on the inside. Most spiders cannot penetrate the human skin with their bite and only bite after being provoked. If a spider bite has been inflicted, capture the spider and take it with you to the physician for proper treatment. With so many species of spiders, these are the most commonly encountered:

• Black Widow - This poisonous spider is the most commonly feared spider in the United States. The female is easy to identify with a large black abdomen and red hourglass on the underside. Females are 1/2 inch or larger while males are about half that size. Males have white markings on the back of the abdomen and red markings underneath. The irregular shaped silk web is very strong and makes a popping sound if it is broken. The black widow catches insects in the web, wraps them in silk, and sucks the body juices from the prey. The saliva of the black widow dissolves the insect's tissue so that it can be sucked out during the feeding. Woven silk sacks contain hundreds of eggs and are about a 1/2 inch in diameter. Widows are more likely to bite someone after they have laid their eggs and are hungry. After two to four weeks, the spiderlings emerge from the sack and spin silk strands to float away. After mating the female may eat the male but if the female is well fed, the male may be spared. If bitten by a black widow, see a physician immediately for treatment.
• Brown Recluse - This spider is also known as the violin or fiddle back spider because of the dark brown violin on the cephalothorax. Many spiders appear similar in appearance, which requires identification by an expert. The brown recluse is usually found in the south to southeast states. Occasionally they have been found in other places due to being undiscovered during the shipping of boxes and packages. They prefer undisturbed locations such as: wood piles, utility boxes, debris, storage closets, attics, cracks and crevices. The bite is usually not felt because of the shy behavior of the spider and may turn into an open ulcer over the next couple weeks if not treated. Bites by other spiders, insects and wasps may resemble a brown recluse bite and can be misdiagnosed since the physician does not have the specimen to identify.
• Cellar - This spider is known for its long legs, which can be up to two inches long. They will make their webs in barns, cellars, and eaves. The cellar spider hangs on its web with the abdomen facing upward. They will shake their web when disturbed. This spider is beneficial for the insects they feed on but is a nuisance because of the webs they create.
• House - The house spider is not dangerous but can create many webs that are annoying. As the spider grows, larger webs are constructed. If no food is caught, that web is abandoned and a new location is found. Areas with more insect activity will yield more opportunity for the spiders to multiply and sustain larger populations. The small spiderlings travel by ballooning from their egg sacks.
• Orb-weavers - The orb-weavers will mature in the fall and that is when they are most noticed. The orb-weaver is known for it's colorful markings and it's elaborate web that it constructs. The orb-weaver is more beneficial than harmful and is normally found outside.
• Parson - The parson spider will find it's way into the house during the summer months. The body of the parson spider is 1/4 to 1/2 inches. The abdomen is gray-brown with a whitish band around it. Parson spiders are hunters that do not spin webs but will establish a nest.
• Tarantulas - The body of a tarantula is 3 1/2 inches with a span of 9 1/2 inches with the legs. Tarantulas have the capability of biting but yet they rarely do. They are sluggish and easily handled. During the early summer months, the male will seek out the female to mate. Tarantulas may live up to 20 years and have curious habits.
• Wolf - A large, hairy spider that is quite often confused with the tarantula. Wolf spiders have eyes in three rows as opposed to normal spiders only having two rows of eyes. These spiders are hunters and do not construct webs to catch their prey. The body is 1 to 1-1/2 inches and has a leg span of 3 to 4 inches.