Black Widow

• Males and young females are reddish-brown to orangish-white.
• Females mature into complete black with distinctive red hourglass on the underside of abdomen.
• Females are much larger than males—1 3/8” to 1 ½” overall dimensions.
• Males are generally less than half the size of females.

Small populations have been found in the Northeastern United States and Canada. Black Widow spiders are rarely found indoors—when they are, they are found in cluttered, seldom-used areas like garages and basements. Outdoors, they are found in wood piles, hollow trees, and abandoned structures.

Only the female is capable of delivering a toxic bite—the venom in Black Widow bites is a neurotoxin that produces symptoms within 3 to 48 hours. Symptoms are elevated blood pressure, increased body temperature, profuse sweating, and vomiting.

Bites are rarely fatal except in small children if treated. Anti-venom is available at doctor’s offices and emergency rooms. As always, if you are bitten by what you believe to be a venomous spider, attempt to capture it and bring it with you to the hospital to ensure correct diagnosis and anti-venom administration.

Common House Spider

• Colour is highly variable from yellowish brown, dirty white to almost black.
• Legs orange in males and usually yellow in females, with reddish-brown ring at the end of each leg segment.
• Females are 3/16” to ½” long
• Males are 1/8” to 3/16” long

House spiders prefer humid conditions outdoors near the home. They avoid sunlight, rain, and wind during the day and feed at dusk.

Brown Recluse

• Colouring is tan to dark brown.
• Distinct colour pattern shaped like a fiddle from their head
• pointing toward their abdomen.Adults: ¼” to ½” long

Brown Recluse spiders are typically found in the Southern United States. There is no confirmed documentation of Brown Recluse spiders having become established anywhere in Canada.

Wolf Spider

• Colouring is usually dark
• brown with paler yellow to dark brown stripes.
• Very large spider with long, spiny legs and claws.
• Very hairy
• Move extremely fast
• Females are larger—1/2” to 1 ½” long
• Males are ¼” to ¾” long

Wolf spiders are mainly found outdoors and are nocturnal hunters. Their webs are mainly found under stones, timber, wood piles, and low, ground-level decks.