Pest Briefs: Spiders 101
By: Robert (Bob) Batman

NATURAL ENTOMOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION

Phylum Arthropoda
Class Arachnida
Order Araneae
Family Various
Genus/Species Various

NATURAL ENTOMOLOGICAL CLASSIFICATION: Without metamorphosis (young resemble adults except for size and perhaps coloration).

SPIDERS ARE NOT INSECTS! Note above, under Natural Entomological Classification, spiders are in the Class Arachnida. Spiders, harvestman (daddy-long-legs), mites, ticks, and scorpions are all arachnids. Spiders have no antenna, no wings, two body regions, a cephalothorax (head and thorax fused together) and an abdomen, and eight jointed legs which are attached to the cephalothorax. Spiders come in varius sizes and colors. Some spiders are web builders and some are not.

SPIDERS ARE BOTH USEFUL AND CAN BE DESTRUCTIVE: Spiders feed on insects and other small arthropods. So much for the good. Spiders can gain access into any building, and many species do just that! Some spiders build webs either on structures or in buildings or on plants, and some people don't like having spider webs all over the place. Some spiders can bite!

SOME SPIDERS CAN HARM YOU! Notwithstanding all the other spiders, whether beneficial or considered a nuisance, you should know that the following spiders can bite! There are basically four (4) spiders which are commonly found in our area of operation that can bite humans! 1) Black widow (Latrodectus mactans [fabricius]), only the female can bite; 2) Brown recluse (loxosceles reclusa), both male and female can bite; 3) Sac spiders (Trachelas tranquillus [Hertz}, Chiracanthium inclusum [Hertz], and Chiracanthium mildei [l. Koch]), each of these three species are found in our operational area, and; 4) Tarantulas (various species) are brought into our area of operation in various shipments coming into our area from their native areas. We commonly find tarantulas in warehouses and sometimes even in retail locations (grocery stores, clothing stores, fabric shops, gift shops, and others).

SOME PESTICIDES ARE NOT VERY EFFECTIVE AGAINST SPIDERS, OTHERS ARE!

If you live in the Greater Kansas City (Missouri and Kansas) Metropolitan Area, call Best at (816) 765-8844 weekdays between 8:00 AM and 4:30 PM. Best Exterminators, Inc. Main Office Number: (816) 765-8844.