There are more than 35,000 species of spiders in the world. In the county, only two spider groups present significant danger: the brown recluse spider and the black widow.
Black widow spiders (Latrodectus spp.) - The female is the one to watch out for, the male's venom becomes almost benign upon reaching maturity. Adult females are black with two rust-colored triangle designs when viewed from above. They reach an overall length of 1.5". Bites are rare in Southern California. If bitten, see a physician immediately. Anti-toxins are available. Symptoms, if left untreated, include increased body temperature and blood pressure, sweating, and nausea. Black widow bites are rarely fatal, except occasionally in small children.
Brown recluse spiders (Loxosceles spp.) - Tan to light brown in color, 1/4" to 1/2" in length. Oddly, the brown recluse spider has three easily seen pairs of black eyes when seen from above. They are not called recluse for nothing. They remain hidden as much as possible. In San Diego and Orange Counties' recorded histories there have only been two confirmed sightings of brown recluse spiders. The odds of seeing one are probably smaller than the odds of winning the lottery. Regardless, both males and females of the species can inject venom. The bite is often not felt. Sometimes symptoms require 6-8 hours before they begin to manifest themselves. The bite can produce necrosis, or dead tissue, resulting in an open, ulcerating type of sore. Healing takes weeks. If bitten, go to an emergency room immediately. Ideally, you should take the spider's carcass along for identification. An anti-toxin has been developed but is not readily available.
Regular old, scary-looking spiders - There are lots of these around. Most pose no threat and are, in fact, beneficial to gardens. Spiders are attracted to moisture. They will return to a web even after it has been treated with chemicals. They will also take over another spider's abandoned web site.
