Arachnophobia August

August is typically hot and sometimes a little humid here in Southern California. It’s also mating season for our little spider friends. The Mojave desert is home to many species of desert recluses and tarantulas, but here in Southern California we’re home to many other breeds of spiders, including the dangerous black widow.

Spiders seem to be more prevalent in the late summer due to their life cycle. Spiders hatch from their egg sac as winter turns to spring, but they stay in the comfort of the sac until they become tiny spiderlings and can spin a web and move away from the sac. They grow during the spring and summer; by August, they are fully grown and looking for mates. During this time, many female spiders stray outside their web looking to lure males for mating. With the great population and diversity of spiders in Southern California, there is no surprise why spiders seem to be everywhere in August in the region.

So when I walk the dog, I am very aware of the trees and hidden spider webs in my path in the morning. I make sure I walk my dog no later than twilight until about October, Nothing like walking through a hidden sticky spider web in the evening and panicking because you know the spider was just waiting for you!