On Knowing Which Spiders to Fear in your Home . . . and Which to Leave Alone.

Spiders . . . do you think they're cool? Or creepy?
If  you think they're creepy and don't want them in your home, you're definitely in the majority.
But wait a second. Before you squash Charlotte over there in her web; you might do better to leave a few of these interesting critters in your home.

WHAT? You shriek. But they're POISONOUS!!!
Ahem. First, allow me to point out that something we eat that poisons us is poisonous. Something that bites or stings us, causing us harm, is venomous.
Okay, that point being across, sure, most spiders are slightly venomous. That's how they kill their prey, after all. But since we humans are really, really big creatures, the venom of most spiders does little more than cause a red, itchy bump on our skin.
Yeah, yeah, of course some people react more seriously, and they should clean all critters out of their homes. But MOST people don't react badly to a spider bite, and can afford to keep a few eight-eyed pets scooting around, snacking up other pests we really don't want in the house, such as roaches and other undesirables.
It may comfort you to know that most spiders are of the "they'll leave you alone if you leave them alone" variety.
There are only two spiders found in Ohio that can cause serious harm: The Black Widow and The Brown Recluse. Now these two bad girls you don't want biting you. So know how to identify them, so you aren't freaking out every time you see a brown or blackish spider.
The Black Widow has a very shiny, black abdomen. You only have to worry about adult females, as the males and young are not venomous. That female has a red, orange or sometimes yellow hourglass on her tummy. But you usually can't see the underside of a spider, can you? One species found in northern Ohio also has a row of tiny, red dots across the top of her abdomen. This is helpful. They build cobwebby, stretched out webs which can be about a foot across, and like abandoned, quiet places like barns, sheds, garages, woodpiles, etc. Wear gloves when working in such areas.
The Brown Recluse is shy, and hides in similar places to the Black Widow. Inside, though, it'll go to the darkest, quietest place it can find, such as in a corner, drawer or closet. Unfortunately, it will go inside stored clothing, and can bite the person who puts it on. (Always shake out clothing that's been stored.)
This spider is brown, and has a violin shaped marking on its head, leading it to sometimes be called the Fiddleback. It's generally a uniform brown color, and has hairless legs.
So what if one of 'em bites you? Are you a gonner? Probably not. The bite of a Black Widow is very painful, and it is highly venomous. But it rarely manages to inject very much, so very few people in the U.S. -- less than one percent! -- die from the bite. But you'll suffer,  baby. Pain, swelling, redness, abdominal discomfort, headache, sweating. Sometimes more serious side effects include high blood pressure, nausea, vomiting, chest pain and difficulty breathing. If you are bitten by one, or suspect you have been, go to the doctor. (Duh?)
If a Brown Recluse bites you, you may experience some of these same symptoms. And additionally, the site of the bite may become necrotic, or die off, and have to be excised, or cut out, by a doctor. Not fun.
So these two you don't want around.
Ever notice you'll wake up in the morning with spider bites, often in a little row, across your belly or something? Well they're not eating you in your sleep. They're not blood suckers like mosquitoes, fleas or bed bugs. (If you have marks all the time, check into some of these other pests.)
A spider will be out for a walk, minding its own business, crossing your body as you sleep, and you'll move. That's when it bites, in self-defense. I mean, the mountain is moving! It's scary! Look at it from their point!
Because of this, there are some spiders you might want to keep out of your house. These would include wolf spiders (big, brown, hairy, carry their babies on their backs, very fast runners); crab spiders (pale, crab shaped wall crawlers that skitter sideways like a crab); and other non-web makers, because they roam around and are more likely to roam across you.
An exception is the very cool jumping spider. This harmless (to us! not to bugs) spider is very distinctive looking, with big pedipalps (those weird things in the front that may look like fangs, but are actually for grabbing) and distinctive, highly visible eyes. They come in all sizes and colors, making up the largest species of spiders. And they rarely bite. You can pick them up -- but I wouldn't necessarily recommend it. They're easy to identify, because instead of running, they jump everywhere. And they do this by relaxing their anti-jumping muscles!!! How cool is this?? I always leave these in my house, and they eat fruit flies, etc. Thanks, Spidy!

Two other types of spider I'll consider leaving alone are orb weavers, because they generally stay put in their lovely, intricate orb webs and catch lots of bugs...especially out on the porch; and the common house spider. It makes a cobwebby web and hangs out in it, and will only bite if you grab and squeeze it. And why would you do that? There's one living under my kitchen window sill right now, and it's eaten plenty of fruit flies and little ants this summer!
I'm not saying let your home fill up with webs and spiders. That would be unpleasant! I'm just saying think before you squash. Spiders are really pretty neat.
If you liked this blog post, wait til I get on my high horse about people who needlessly kill snakes!
(Remember, The Shabby Housekeeper is not an arachnid expert, and only spouts off for her own enjoyment. She can not be held accountable if you get bitten by something and suffer for it. Thank you.)