What are spiders?
Spiders are beneficial predators that help to control populations of garden insects and other nuisance pests. Spiders are arachnids, and unlike insects that have three body regions, only have two body regions: the cephalothorax (head) and abdomen (body). Additionally, all spiders have eight long legs. Although spiders are beneficial to the environment when living outdoors, some species of these intimidating arachnids pose a certain danger to people and pets.
Three of the most common species of spiders living throughout our area of Ventura County are the following:
Black widow spiders
These spiders have round bodies and eight eyes that are arranged in two rows. Black widow spiders in the Ventura and Santa Barbara area are shiny and black in color with a reddish-orange, hourglass-shaped marking on their abdomens; some black widow spiders may also have light red or white spots on their abdomens and backs.
Brown recluse spiders
As their name describes, brown recluse spiders are light brown in color with a darker brown, violin-shaped marking on their backs. A brown recluse spider has six eyes arranged in three groups of two, in a semicircle-like pattern.
Wolf spiders
Wolf spiders are a large species of spiders; their stout bodies are covered in hair and are usually black or dark brown with lighter markings. Wolf spiders use their eight long legs to quickly chase their prey. These spiders have eight eyes that arranged uniquely in three rows.