HELP ME!! - Spiders in Tucson - Spiders in Tucson

Help! I am moving to Tucson from Toledo, Ohio next week and am suddenly terrified. I was very excited for weeks until I started hearing stories of large spiders that come into peoples homes and now I am frozen with fear that I want to call the whole thing off, which is a huge problem since I've already sold my home in Ohio, quit my current job and have jobs waiting for us in Tucson. I have contacted an exterminator in Tucson and am arranging for monthly treatment and was wondering if anyone would give me the REAL story about these large spiders. I don't want to hear stories of rare sightings that just put more fear into my head, but I also need to prepare myself. Anyone??

Okay, this is starting to get a little ridiculous. It seems that were getting these very same postings almost every month..

Of course it all depends on where you live in Tucson (near the center of the city or near the outer edges), but in most cases, you aren't like to encounter anything. I live near Phoenix (in a suburban area) and I was born here. It's very much like Tucson, and I have never seen what I would consider to be a large spider. I have, maybe twice in my life, seen dangerous spiders (like black widows) anywhere near a house, so it is definately not a common occurance.

I know people that live in very desert areas (the most likely place to find these spiders) and they rarely encounter anything. When they do, it's usually in dark corners of their outdoor shed that they haven't cleaned out in years.

Once a month for an exterminator will definately do the job, but I think it's overkill. Try once every six months at most, maybe even once a year. With an exterminator visit once every month, you'll more likely to get cancer because of all of the chemicals :-).

Most of this is common sense to me, but it may not be to someone who hasn't lived here. First, don't stick your hands where you can't see. If there's an area of your house that is dark and covered with junk that you haven't touched in years, then you're going to want to uncover things, don't just dive in and reach for something at the bottom. This, of course, can be solved by not keeping piles of junk in one place for an extended period of time.

Both of the black widows that I've seen (the spiders that you do need to look out for) have been outdoors.. never inside. And they don't leap after you or stab in you in the neck with their fangs.. the only way they'll get you is if you stick your hand somewhere where it shouldn't be and you don't know they're there. But you wouldn't ever do that any way, right?

Most of the rest of the spiders that you see are tiny and can be squished with your index finger.. they don't do anything.

So to summarize, and this goes for the next person that's going to ask this question next month.. stop over-reacting! :-)

I understand from where Nick is coming as a native of Arizona...and I also understand Toledo's concern. When you're unfamiliar with an area of the country, and the day-to-day things which are indigenous to that area...concerns can crop up. I think we tend to be apprehensive about things we don't understand or know much about. As an example...perhaps someone new to the midwest might have major concerns about tornadoes...moreso than people who have always lived there and have adjusted.

I empathize with Toledo...and confess to doing some mental "wrestling" with trying to decide if I want to take the plunge and move to Arizona.

My best suggestion, which isn't necessarily going to solve things...is to learn as much as you can about the spider scenario. That's what I've done with my nemesis (scorpions.) I read that pest control companies can tell you if a particular area of town has had problems (based on their experience.) I had emailed a pest control outfit in Tucson...they said they have never had a call-back from anyone whose home they have treated. Scorpions can enter through an opening the width of a credit card (1/16".) Part of their treatment is to check for and fix loose screens, portals through which pipes and plumbing pass, and even put fine mesh screening in HVAC registers.

My hunch (this is the advice I give myself!) is after a month or so...hopefully not finding these trespassers...we can relax:)

Gary Manassas, VA

Gary,

As an example...perhaps someone new to the midwest might have major concerns about tornadoes...moreso than people who have always lived there and have adjusted.

On the other hand, if people have not been able to adjust to tornadoes (or spiders, in this case), or if it was as bad as the horror stories that you hear, then would large populations of people actually be living in those areas? I would think not.

I had emailed a pest control outfit in Tucson...they said they have never had a call-back from anyone whose home they have treated.

Keep in mind that this may also be a marketing tactic. It sure sounds good, compared to the alternative.. "Every time we treat a house, we've gotta come back and spray again within two months." :-)

My hunch (this is the advice I give myself!) is after a month or so...hopefully not finding these trespassers...we can relax:)

This is good advice to go by. You almost have to go out and look for them. As an example, I was hiking in central Arizona (about an hour north of Phoenix) several days ago, and encountered a rattlesnake. I had seen a baby rattler several months back, and it was just slithering along the ground. But this one was full-grown, very mad at us for going near it, stood up in the strike position, and rattled extremely fast.

While my first reaction was to step back, my second reaction was, "Wow, cool!" I ended up taking pictures (they're in the photo gallery on this site under Horton Springs).. I was even tempted to find ways to provoke it so I could get even better pictures, but I decided against that :-).

My point here is that these are the types of things that you almost have to intentionally seek out. And if you come across them on accident, the worst part is the immediate shock, and then it's over. Once you know they're there, they're harmless (as long as you don't do anything stupid). I only wish I had encountered these types of wildlife (for picture-taking) as often as I heard or read fake horror stories about such encounters.

Just wanted to give a "transplant" point of view to these discussions... I moved to Phoenix going on 4 years ago this August, and I can certainly relate to the extreme fear that comes with considering the move to Arizona. And let me just preface this by saying I am quite possibly the biggest bug-related wuss this side of the Atlantic (the sight of a moth will send me screaming!). I wasn't really keen on moving after hearing about scorpions and spiders and the like, but Nick IS right in saying it's all about where you live in the city. The only time I've ever seen anything was a snake about an hour or so out of town. And trust me, I *look* for these things so I can avoid them in the future. It's really not as bad as it seems - and as bad as most people make it out to be. Just try not to move out into the boonies of the city, and you'll be fine :)

Thank you to everyone who has responded. I know it sounds trivial, but it's something that bothers me and I was looking for advice, which is what message boards are often for. Maybe an FAQ section could be added so you don't receive this same question again next month? Just a thought. You really did make me think...I guess that some people might actually be afraid of tornados when I don't really think that much about them (except when the alarm is sounding!). I guess I should be grateful that I have some control over insects (exterminators, etc.) when a lot of people don't have control in regards to their fears (such as weather related fears). I desperately want to concentrate on the positives of Tucson and I guess that lies within me. Thanks again! Maybe I'll be on this forum a year from now calming the fears of someone else!

I'm moving to the 'boonies' south of Marana this coming October from Baltimore. It's the 'desert'... it has desert critters... get used to it (or stay where you are).

Toledo- I recently moved to Arizona from Elyria. Not far from Toledo. People tried scaring me with the scorpion/black widow stories. I've been here a year and haven't seen anything. I live outside of Phoenix in a newly developed area. I get my house treated every 2 months and haven't had a problem. We do have lizards that sun-bath on the block fencing. They will never bother you nor ever try to come into the house. One thing you can do is make sure you run water down all the drains of your new home. Maybe even pour some bleach down them. I found this sight by looking up Arizona spiders. I have a reddish-brown spider in my daughters bedroom. I killed it and didn't think nothing of it. Today there was another one in there. Its about the size of a quarter and fast. That one also met the end of the line. I'm thinking maybe she brought it back with her from Mexico. They went to the biology college down there and stayed outside all week. Maybe a couple stowed away in her luggage. (I hope only a couple). Anyways I really wouldn't worry about anything out here. I've asked neighbors if they get their houses treated and all said yes. They get it down every other month. Besides these couple of spiders, I've not had a problem.

Well Toledo, i've lived in Arizona my full 20 year life. The only time i've ever seen a spider that might be considered 'big' was about the size of my hand... This was when i was about 12-14"I can't remember exactly", and even then all it took was a rock to send the thing to hell. However this should be a relief to you; this was in Payson.. The only other spiders i have seen are your common household spiders. Not much bigger then the size of a sugar ant and virtully harmless. Even then i rarely see any spiders at all.. All i can say is get a cat, they make sure the beg bugs don't bite. Anyway i just wanted to say you'll be completely fine here in Arizona.

I'm looking at Bullhead City, anyone have any first hand knowledge of that area? I heard it's supposedly the black widow and scorpion capitol of Arizona? Any truth?

I live on the outer edges of Tucson overlooking the Santa Cruz River and believe me there are some crazy looking spiders.. Especially after the monsoon. I went out one night and my jeep had webs all over it and the spiders hanging from them were anything but friendly looking.

Okay, I hope this makes it to the terrified in toledo board.

I recently moved to Arizona. I can honestly say the spiders are terrifying where I am.

1) I am not in a very populated area. 2) The homes in my area have large open undersides that people usually use for storage. 3) I have also seen a bobcat, centipedes that are 4 inches long and about half-an-inch to three-fourths-of-an-inch thick.

Yes the insects are larger, and naturally those that feed on them will be. I have never seen wasps this big before (twice the size of those in California where I moved from)

I don't regret moving. I do regret not becoming more informed as to what indigenous creatures I could encounter living in a more wilderness area.

So, speaking from the experience of the above, you should feel a billion times more confident you have done the right thing in just posting your concerns here and becoming informed of what you might encounter.

I'd strongly suggest that you live closer to the city due to the other posts here indicating that basically nature doesn't do well in the city.

Though some of this may have increased your concerns toledo don't let the insects dictate where you will live. I mean who's the dominant species (and I don't mean by population) the creepy crawly things or Man? :P

I am not an Arizonian, but...

I live next door in Las Vegas, NV. In a suburb called Summerlin. Here we have Black Widows every where near homes. I never knew how many there were until I went for a walk late at night to a park nearby my house. The walkway has a wall that stretches about a tenth of a mile all the way to the park and along this wall I noticed every five feet or so I would see a spider web that would start at about thigh height and reach about a foot and a half downwards onto the side walk. I noticed that every one of the webs had a small black round ting hanging from it and knew it must be the spider. I looked close enough to see it was hanging upside down and revealing the orange hour-glass that is the black widows trade mark on its abdomen. It freaked me out the first time I saw one, especially from hearing so many stories about how dangerous they are. What freaked me out was that I have walked this path many times at night and never paid attention to the webs and the way they hang I know I have had on many occasions walked right thru the webs as they tend to hang low but stretch out far to the ground. As far as three feet I would say is the furthest I have seen. What was so chilling was how many of these widow spiders their are. Like I said earlier the wall that they nest on has at every three feet a drainage hole that sits about two and a half feet off the ground and every one of them has a nest. I have not seen one hole yet without a nest yet and that is every five feet for a tenth of a mile long and I know that the whole area where I live has this wall on many of the sidewalks in my area and even in other parts of my neighborhood I have seen these webs and I have seen so many of these webs I have become a pro at identifying a black widows web/nest. I have found two nests one on each side of my garage door and yet again on water drains. One Drain on the right is a garden faucet the other side of the door is a side drain from the roof. I knew when I saw the type of web during the day it was black widow so I went out later that night and yelpers’ Black Widow!! Must be thousands here judging but how often I find them.