ORLANDO, Fla. – Florida is now in the midst of its creepiest time of year: “Spider Season.”
That’s according to Dr. Lisa Taylor, an assistant research scientist for the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.
Despite the moniker, though, it’s not necessarily that there are more spiders out and about in the Sunshine State.
WHAT IS “SPIDER SEASON?”
Many spiders typically hatch in the spring, though people may not see them. But from August into September, many homeowners begin to notice the uptick in spiders — and there’s a good reason for it.
“It feels like spider season because a lot of people are thinking about creepy things when Halloween is coming,” Taylor told News 6 last year. “So we see a lot of spider decorations in stores and out-and-about. And so I think people are just thinking about spiders, and then, they’re noticing spiders that are around.”
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That being said, it’s difficult not to notice these creepy-crawlies, as this time of year is also when some of Florida’s more “charismatic” spiders come into their prime.
As Taylor explained, some spiders like golden silk orb-weavers — one of the biggest spiders statewide — become a much more common sight.
“They’re kind of small early in the season, and they get bigger and bigger as the summer goes on,” Taylor said. “And then, in the fall, they’re really big... We see a lot of these really big spiders hanging around in October, so that might be part of where this time of year gets the ‘Spider Season’ name.”
FLORIDA WEATHER AND SPIDERS
Weather also plays a big role in this season.
While Florida doesn’t get major temperature swings like the northern states do, spiders still know when summer is coming to an end and fall is approaching. It’s their biological clock ticking. It’s mating season.
Spiders don’t like the boiling heat in the summer, nor do they like the rain. That’s when they find relief inside homes or around them in shady areas. Not only are the areas in and around homes cooler but at night, the lights attract food, like moths and other insects.
And as it gets colder, spiders may start to seek shelter indoors, meaning there are a lot more encounters when the temperature outside eventually does drop.
Late summer into early fall, male spiders come out of their hiding spots to find a mate. They look for dry places to do this, and since we tend to see rain in September — with the dry season usually beginning in October — spiders venture into homes.
Not to worry, though; Dr. Taylor explained that the vast majority of spiders are completely harmless to humans, so there’s no need to fret.
AVOID THESE ARACHNIDS
However, there are a few species of venomous spiders in Florida that may warrant a wide berth if you come across them.
- Widow spiders — These include the southern black widow, the northern black widow, the red widow and the brown widow.
- Recluse spiders — There are two primary brown recluse spiders found in Florida: the Mediterranean recluse and Chilean recluse.
“(Black widows) are really timid, shy spiders... Typically, it’s uncommon for them to bother anybody or to bite,” Dr. Taylor said.
According to state officials, these widow spiders can often be found under structures like sheds or outhouses that have been left alone for a while.
But even then, the spiders rarely bite, usually only doing so when they’re trapped against human skin. Such a bite may cause symptoms like intense pain and nausea, typically lasting around 3-5 days.
Meanwhile, Taylor said that most of Florida is outside the range of brown recluse spiders, making them a rare find, as well. Within Central Florida alone, state officials said that recluse spiders have been located in Orange, Osceola and Polk counties.
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