Performance Pest Management + Pleasanton, CA + Pest Control in the Bay Area

	Black Widow Spider Black Widow Spider, common name for any of several related long-legged, smooth-bodied spiders, chiefly inhabiting the Tropics, but also common in the southern United States and found as far north as Canada. They spin irregular webs in crevices and other dark, protected spots. The fully grown female of the familiar North American species is about 1.2 cm (about 0.5 in) long and is jet black, with an hourglass- shaped red mark on the underside of the abdomen. Males are only about half as long and usually have four pairs of red dots along the sides of the abdomen. Males are rarely seen and are harmless. The female may devour the male after mating, thus giving rise to the common name, but this practice is not uncommon among spiders. The female's bite, poisonous to humans, is followed by local pain and swelling, nausea, and difficulty in breathing and is sometimes fatal. The venom, a neurotoxin, generally affects children more severely than adults. The spider, however, is not aggressive and bites humans only defensively. At least three other species found in the United States are also poisonous to humans: the brown, or gray, widow spider; the red widow spider, with irregular red and yellow markings; and the northern widow spider, with a row of red spots above and two red bars on the underside of the abdomen.
	Brown Recluse Spider Brown Recluse Spider, common name for a small brownish spider found mainly in the central and southern United States. Also known as the violin spider, it is characterized by a distinct violin-shaped patch on its cephalothorax (head and midregion). Except for the black widow spider and certain related species, the brown recluse spider is the only United States spider whose bite can be dangerous to humans. The brown recluse spider is about 1 cm (about 0.4 in) long and has six eyes. It spins a sheet web that may be found in secluded areas among rocks or in houses. The bite causes a long-lasting sore that involves tissue death, and severe reactions to it may become life-threatening. The spider may live more than ten years. Other species related to the brown recluse spider occur in the Mediterranean area, in Africa, and in most countries of the Americas.
	Wolf Spider Wolf Spider, common name for any of a group of ground-dwelling hunting spiders. Wolf spiders occupy nearly every type of terrestrial habitat and include many of the most common and conspicuous spiders. They are particularly abundant in prairie areas and are frequently the most diverse spider group in arctic and alpine areas. There are more than 2000 wolf spider species. Most wolf spiders have stout bodies and long, thick legs. Their bodies are low to the ground even when walking or running, giving them the appearance of continually being on the prowl. Wolf spider species are similar in general form, but their bodies vary greatly in size, ranging from 2 mm (0.08 in) to nearly 40 mm (1.6 in) in length. They typically have two very large, forward-looking eyes in the middle of their face, flanked by two large upward-looking eyes, and a row of four smaller eyes below. Wolf spiders generally locate their prey by sight, but may also use touch to determine the nature of the prey. They use their front legs to grab prey, then bite and crush it with powerful jaw like mouth parts called chelicerae. The hunting strategies of wolf spiders are perhaps the most diverse of any spider group. Many are active, wandering hunters during the day in sunny areas along the ground and in vegetation; others hunt at night and remain in silk-lined retreats during the day. Still others live and hunt in aquatic environments, walking on the surface of ponds or on submerged vegetation. Some wolf spiders dig burrows in which they lie in wait for passing insects and other prey. Of the spiders that dig burrows, some add a moveable trap door at the burrow entrance while others build an elevated lookout point. The female wolf spider lays eggs in a large sac, which can be nearly as large as her own body. She attaches the egg sac to her body, and carries it until the eggs hatch. She then tears open the egg sac and the newly hatched spiders climb onto her back where they remain for up to a week.
	Jumping Spider Jumping Spider, common name for any of a group of hunting spiders that can leap 10 to 40 times their body length. With over 4000 described species, they comprise the largest family of spiders. Jumping spiders are particularly diverse in tropical regions, but occur in habitats ranging from rain forests to above the timberline on Mount Everest in the Himalayas. More than 300 species have been described in the United States. Jumping spiders are usually less than 2 cm (less than 0.8 in) in length with females generally larger than males. They are among the most ornate of spiders; many species are brightly colored and strikingly patterned, with stout bodies, short legs, and a very large pair of eyes on the front of the face. The jumping spider has four pairs of eyes, with the large principal eyes giving it sharper vision than any other animal of similar size. It can identify prey, predators, and mates from up to 30 cm (up to 12 in) away. The jumping spider is an active predator, usually hunting during daylight. It will stalk to within a few body lengths of the prey, crouch, crawl slowly forward, and then lift its front legs and pounce. It accomplishes its spectacular jumps by means of muscular contractions in the body that force body fluids into the legs, causing the legs to extend rapidly. Most jumping spiders feed on insects, while others feed primarily on web-building spiders. The male's front pair of legs are colored and have distinctive bands of hair. In many species the male performs complex courtship displays in which he bobs his body and waves his front legs in a highly specific manner. After mating, the female lays her eggs in a silk-lined shelter under stones or bark, or on the surface of plants. The female will often guard the eggs and newly hatched young.