California has about 60 spider species of which the black widow is the most dangerous. Another deadly spider, the brown recluse is rarely found here, with just 20 of them being collected over a span of many decades.
Common spiders: Western Black Widow (Latrodectus hesperus ), Brown Widow (Latrodectus geometricus ), Long-bodied Cellar (Pholcus phalangioides )
Largest spider: Giant Crab (Olios giganteus )
Spiders in California Identification Chart
Highly Venomous Spiders
Cobweb (Theridiidae)
Southern Black Widow (Latrodectus mactans )Western Black Widow (Latrodectus hesperus ) Brown Widow (Latrodectus
geometricus )
Less Venomous Spiders
Orb-weaver (Araneidae)
Jumping (Salticidae)
Funnel Weaver (Agelenidae)
Wolf (Lycosidae)
Beach Wolf (Arctosa
littoralis )Alopecosa
kochi Schizocosa
maxima Schizocosa
mccooki
False Wolf (Zoropsidae)
Tarantula (Theraphosidae)
Cobweb (Theridiidae)
Desidae
Trapdoor (Ctenizidae)
Amaurobiidae
Hacklemesh Weaver (Metaltella simoni ) Callobius
severus
Corinnidae
Cellar (Pholcidae)
Long-bodied Cellar (Pholcus phalangioides ) Marbled Cellar (Holocnemus pluchei )
Homalonychidae
Crevice Weaver (Filistatidae)
Crab (Thomisidae)
Linyphiidae
Eared
Dome Sheet-web (Neriene digna )
Lynx (Oxyopidae)
Euctenizidae
Promyrmekiaphila clathrata
Pirate (Mimetidae)
Ground (Gnaphosidae)
Mouse (Scotophaeus blackwalli )Sergiolus montanus
Tube Web (Segestriidae)
Running Crab (Philodromidae)
Trachelidae
Cribellate Orb-weaver