Are these spiders poisonous?

Question

I live in the L.A. area and I’ve noticed that during summer months that spiders come out, usually in the bushes and in the trees but now these little b******s are getting into cars; a couple days ago a big one got on my arm (mind you I am an arachnophobe so it wasn’t like just flick it off). I want to know what kind of spiders these are because yesterday I saw a picture of a mouse spider and nearly fainted, why they come out during summer, but what I really want to know is if these spiders are poisonous. Here are pictures I drew due to lack of camera and because for some reason I can draw them with no problem.

1. Here is a small brown one that hangs from trees. And on the trash can outside.

http://i33.tinypic.com/sytbtj.jpg

2. Here is another one that hangs from the roof, usually hanging above the door.

http://i37.tinypic.com/2zf0ldi.jpg

3. Here is the one that was on my arm.

http://i37.tinypic.com/i2ken5.jpg

4. and this one is the most common which hangs on trees(sorry for the lack of drawing skills on this one).

http://i33.tinypic.com/34eow.jpg

So I want to know what these are called why in july they come out, and if they pose a threat.

Answer 1

Drawings never come close to a photograph, hon.  sorry.

Answer 2

Nice drawings! You should be an artist...if you aren't already.

The first spider looks like a Writing Spider. Here are some pic's of them:

http://images.google.com.au/images?gbv=2...

The second one looks like an Orb Weaver. Here's a pic.:

http://www.biology-blog.com/images/blogs...

The third one, I'm not sure.

The fourth one, I'm not sure either, but could be another type of Orb Weaver. They vary a lot in colour and pattern.

Re: why they come out in July, it's probably because there are more insects in your area at that time of year, so the spiders will be attracted into the area more than usual.

Neither  Orb Weavers or Writing Spiders are harmful to people. They might cause a bit of a bump and soreness if they bite you, but there wouldn't be any serious reaction unless you were allergic to them. They wouldn't bite unless they were upset, anyway, eg. caught and held etc., which I doubt you'll be doing.

As far as being worried about spiders is concerned, the only venomous spider that would be in your area (and most of the US) is the Black Widow. You really needn't worry about them, though, as they hide in dark areas and rarely move out of them. The chances of being bitten by one are very low. Even when they bite, the bite is rarely fatal unless the person bitten is a child or very old/sick etc..

So, you shouldn't feel worried about the spiders you have around there. They're good for getting rid of insects.

Hope that helps.

Added:- I just thought of one other spider that may be of concern in the L.A. area, and that is the Yellow Sac Spider.

Here are some pic's of them:

http://images.google.com.au/images?hl=en...

If you get bitten by one of them, you should go to the doctor. Their bite isn't fatal, but it can cause some problems.

It's unlikely you'll get bitten by any spider, but if you ever do, it's a good idea to catch the spider and take it with you for identification, as long as you can catch it safely. The easiest way is to put a container over the top of them, and slide some cardboard underneath.