Articles & Resources
Good and Bad Spiders
By Melanie Pearson, Director of Animal Care
When most people think of fall, they usually think of the changing
of the leaves or perhaps the beginning of a new school year. Not many
consider that fall is prime time for spider watching. That's right,
spider watching. There are approximately 3500 species of spiders known
in North America, that's four times as many species as the more popular
class of animals to watch, birds. In addition to being numerous, a
majority of spider species are thought to be undiscovered. It is believed
that we have only discovered about a fourth of all spider species
worldwide. So this fall, get yourself a copy of Spiders and their
Kin, a Golden Guide by Herbert and Lorna Levi, and start exploring
the fascinating world of North American spiders right in your own
back yard. Here are a few to get you started.
 If
you are at the Nature Center this fall, be sure to check out our bird
of prey aviaries not only for the birds but for the spectacular Black
and Yellow Argiope. These spiders are large, averaging about an inch
in length, and build equally large webs. This spider can generally
be found hanging upside down in a web that can be 2 feet in diameter,
with a distinctive zigzag running vertically through the middle. With
a web that big, you are most likely to find this spider outside. Because
of their large size, they are also easy to photograph and study. The
venom of this spider is not a danger to humans, in fact, it is being
used in medical studies in the field of neurophysiology.
Ever wonder where all of those cobwebs in your basement come from?
Most people think they are just old spider webs that have collected
dust over time, but they are actually woven this way by specific spiders.
The most common being the American House Spider. This spider can be
identified by its rounded abdomen, usually brownish yellow in color.
This is another spider that is harmless to humans, but if you prefer
it not live in your home, the easiest thing you can do is to keep
your house and surrounding area clean and free from clutter and dense
vegetation.
 The
better known, and much less common, cousin to the House Spider is
the Black Widow. Black Widow spiders are the only spiders in Connecticut
that are dangerous to humans. Luckily, this spider is rather shy and
non-aggressive, only biting when there is no other option to protect
itself. Only the female black widows bite but they rarely leave their
webs. The males spend their short lives wandering in search of a female,
not only do they not bite, but they do not feed. Not typically found
in homes, Black Widows tend to take up residence in wood piles or
dense vegetation. If you think you have been bitten by a black widow
spider, the first thing to remember is to stay calm. Panic increases
your heart rate and spreads the venom throughout your body more quickly.
Capture the spider if you can, for proper identification, put an ice
pack on the bite site, and seek medical attention immediately. The
bite from the black widow is rarely fatal but can make you quite uncomfortable.
If webs aren't your thing, you can venture into the woods in search
of hunting spiders. Near the water, be on the lookout for fishing
spiders. These are large, hairy spiders that usually catch insects
but have also been known to hunt tadpoles or fish on occasion. Further
from water, look under rocks and leaves for wolf spiders. This is
another large, hairy spider, very similar in appearance to the fishing
spider. The female wolf spider can often be seen carrying her young
on the top of her abdomen. If all of these spiders send chills up
your spine, try looking for the diminutive jumping spider. Jumping
spiders are cute spiders with two of their eight eyes being large
and centered on their head. As their name implies, they jump to catch
their prey, sometimes jumping many times their own body length.
If this article made you a bit squeamish, you aren't alone. A majority
of people are apprehensive about spiders, but it's important not to
kill spiders out of fear or distaste. If you find them in and around
your home and would like to get rid of them, simply remove the spider
and its egg sack and place it outside. Take care with the egg sack
since it is full of baby spiders. Once you have removed the spider,
you may also take down its web. The more you learn about spiders,
the more you recognize how fascinating and beneficial they can be.
So get outside this fall and explore! If you need help identifying
a spider, feel free to call one of the naturalists at the Nature Center
at (203) 966-9577 and we will do our best to help you out.
Photo Credits:
Black and Yellow Argiope Spider: Larvalbug.com
Black Widow Spider: University of Georgia and Forestry
Images.org
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