You can actually live in peace with your friendly common house spider but it’s important to know how to differentiate harmless spiders from poisonous ones!

There are a handful of poisonous spiders in southern Maryland that can seriously harm you. You’ll want to be able to identify these pests and extract them quickly and easily! 

We know this so we created a complete guide to help you learn how to identify poisonous spiders from the latter. Continue reading to learn how! 

Black Widows

The female black widow is one of the most recognizable spiders in the world! Its striking red markings clashing against its black body is a huge sign of its species.

These female spiders are portrayed all the time in American media, making them easily recognizable to a majority of the population. However, the male black widows are not as easy to identify. 

The males of this species are smaller, shyer, and less venomous than their female counterparts but not necessarily a guest you’d want in your home.

They look nothing like the women, they’re much thinner and either a molted brown color or gray.

Like cockroaches, these spiders can be found anywhere in the United States but they especially like a dark, warm place and a consistent food supply.

The ecosystem in southern Maryland is a great breeding ground for this species. 

Brown Recluse Spiders

While the black widow is easily identifiable, the brown recluse spider is just as venomous but not as easy to recognize.

The most famous characteristic of this species is its violin-shaped body (the base of the violin starts near the eyes, leaving the neck of the instrument to point down towards the abdomen of this spider.)

However, this characteristic is not confined to the brown recluse spider so it’s not the best way to determine this species even if it’s the most famous- like an old wives tale. 

The most foolproof way to figure out this species of spider is to count its eyes! Most spiders have 8 eyes but the brown recluse spider only has 6.

Also, the brown recluse has a smooth body with no markings and thick legs with no hairs.

Brown recluse spiders love to hide, so you probably won’t run into them as frequently as black widows but they do love dark, warm places just like their black counterparts.

Identifying Poisonous Spiders

Identifying poisonous spiders is a huge part of pest control, therefore is a huge part of protecting your home!

Remember to frequently dust, sweep or vacuum your home regularly as well as regularly clean any attics, basements, or dark areas spiders may find warmth in.

If you continuously find more than your occasional spider, you will want to call a pest company to come and inspect your property! You may have a nest hidden somewhere and will want to take care of it as soon as possible. 

If you found our guide on identifying poisonous spiders helpful, please check out the rest of our site for more advice, tips and tricks.