About Spiders in South Carolina
Arachnophobia is a common fear in most Americans since the country has over 3,000 different species of spiders discovered. South Carolina is home to hundreds of these spiders and all species that live in South Carolina are yet to be identified or discovered. Although there are too many spiders to reference in this article, we will review some spiders that are found in South Carolina to give you an overview about them.
Types
Being that South Carolina encompasses many species of spiders, there are a plethora of which to speak of. These spiders range from the common variety garden spider to the not so common looking Crablike Spiny Orb Weaver. South Carolina's state spider, the Carolina Wolf Spider is a spider unlike many others. The Carolina Wolf Spider uses its speed and eyesight at night to hunt and rundown its prey instead of web weaving. Other spiders that exist in South Carolina include the well-known black widow, purseweb, trapdoor spiders and tarantula.
Size
All spiders can vary in size depending on species, sex, age and consumed food. For instance the Carolina Wolf Spider is the largest wolf spider in the United State of America and one of the largest wolf spiders in the world. Most spiders hatch from their eggs and look like a mini replica of their parents. As newborn spiders grow through the consumption of nutrients and other factors, they shed their skin.
Identification
Spiders of South Carolina have not all been identified yet do the extremely vast landscape for them to roam and their size. Spiders all have eight legs, two midsections and eight eyes which reflect light in the dark. Holding a flashlight at eye level at night when scoping for these creatures will help to reflect the light into your eyes from theirs. Due to the various species of spiders they will have different appearances, colors and sizes. Although you may not be able to know the exact species of spiders, knowing that they like to set up shop in cluttered dark areas will give you insight to wear they are likely to be.
Misconceptions
Spiders have brought many myths throughout time and various cultures. Some say that a spider that is spared in a house is good luck while others point to the black spider being found in a house is a sure sign of death. However common misconceptions of spiders in South Carolina and throughout the U.S. are that spiders hunt people or crawl into your mouth while you are sleeping. In the case of the Writing spider of South Carolina, it is often believed that if your name can be made out in its web, you will die.
Warning
Although the majority of spiders in South Carolina do not have a fatal bite like the Black Widow, known for its red hourglass-shaped stamp on the abdomen or the Brown Recluse, which looks brown and slightly furry, there is still cause for caution. Each person has a varied response to the bite of any spider and may be severely allergic. For this reason, all spiders should be respected and treated as dangerous. Be sure to avoid bites to look before you reach in order to make sure you are not sticking your hand into the striking range of a spider you may not see.
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