THE BIG THREE
Aphonopelma
These are the native tarantulas of California. Some of the biggest can be more than 6 inches in length. Before you go and grab a ruler, we’ll save you the trouble, Aphonopelma tarantulas are about the length of an average banana. You will often find them in your pool filters. Seeing them is rare because they spend most of their time in burrows. When fall arrives, male tarantulas leave their burrows to go looking for females and that is when you will find them. Though not poisonous, they will bite you if threatened. They can also through their hairs at you. When the hairs get embedded in your skin, it is going to itch.
Calisoga Spider
They are also called false tarantulas. Calisoga is just a bit smaller than the tarantula and is unable to climb up smooth surfaces. Like tarantulas, these spiders hide out in burrows and the only time you will spot one is during the mating season. They are not poisonous but will bite you if you decide to mess with it. A bite with those big fangs will be painful.
The Mouse Spider
These spiders are nocturnal hunters and do not build webs. They are fast and stealthy. Mouse spiders are agile climbers and are comfortable on walls, ceilings, trees, and on the ground. Their elongated abdomen is covered in silvery hairs and appears velvety and soft, like a mouse. Mouse spiders can get up to 4 inches, which is a bit longer than a grown man’s middle finger. If you get bit, it is going to be painful, but they are not poisonous. Mouse spiders are skilled hunters. If another spider is distracted by eating an insect in its web, the mouse spider will attack, eating the spider, and what it caught.
