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Pacific Northwest ‘spider season’ is upon us

Many native Oregon spiders are difficult to find as more introduced species become established. | Photo by zoosnow

We’ve all played host to that unwelcome house guest — you know, the one who’s obsessed with silk and is a pro at lurking in dark corners to eavesdrop. They’re also rather rude at the dinner table, preferring dead insects over the meal you worked so hard to make.

Spiders. We share the outdoors with them (sometimes begrudgingly), but we draw the line at inviting them into our homes. These eight-legged critters seem to come out of the woodwork en masse in late summer and fall — but why? We asked Josh Vlach, an entomologist with the Oregon Department of Agriculture, to untangle the web of fact vs. fiction.

🕸️ The uptick

While you may notice more spiders right now, that doesn’t necessarily mean there’s been a boom in their numbers. Josh said many spiders are simply getting bigger + building large enough webs to be noticed. Males are also wandering around looking for females. Later in the season, the females will seek out spots to shelter through the winter — and our homes are attractive abodes.

🕷️ So many species

According to Josh, there may be approx. 500 spider species in Oregon, but most that enter our homes are actually native to Europe. An average of 10 new invertebrate species settle into Oregon every year — and one in five is a known pest (including the brown widow). See the spiders commonly found in Portland.

A brown colored spider — The giant house spider is of Portland’s most common European spiders.

⌛ Knowing friend from foe

Thankfully, our part of the world isn’t home to any harmful spiders other than the black widow (which is native to Oregon but uncommon in Portland). All true widow spiders have a distinct red-to-orange hourglass on their underside, making them easy to ID. And no, we don’t have brown recluse spiders here.

🏠 Spider-proofing

To prevent visits from unwanted arachnid house guests, make sure your home is as well-sealed as possible by caulking gaps + cracks and making sure there are no gaps under doors. Keeping structures and vegetation from touching the exterior of your home will also help.

We aren't spinning tall tales here, so share this story with someone who could use some comforting facts about local spiders.

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Today

Portland Classic | Thurs., Sept. 15-Sun., Sept. 18 | 7 a.m.-5 p.m. | Columbia Edgewater Country Club, 2220 NE Marine Dr. | $5+ | Watch the 72-hole, non-major tournament featuring golfers from around the world. ⛳

Friday

Steeplejack Oktoberfest | Fri., Sept. 16-Sun., Sept. 18 | Times vary | Steeplejack Brewing Co., 2400 NE Broadway | Free | Try your hand at a stein holding competition, take a brewery tour, enjoy tastings + more. 🍻
Everything In Between Comedy Showcase | Fri., Sept. 16 | 7-9 p.m. | The 4th Wall PDX, 1445 SE Hawthorne Blvd. | $10 | This femme-forward comedy showcase features local comics who don’t identify as straight white men. 🎙️

Saturday

Poppy & Finch Opening Party | Sat., Sept. 17 | 1-6 p.m. | 724 NE 22nd Ave. | Free | Celebrate three woman-owned businesses that share one space — Poppy & Finch, Amy Olson Jewelry, and Yo Soy Candle — and enjoy special in-shop discounts. 🌱
Managing Soils in the Garden Workshop | Sat., Sept. 17 | 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | PCC Rock Creek, 17705 NW Springville Rd. | Free | Join the Washington County Master Gardeners to learn about techniques to care for your garden soil.
CouveCon | Sat., Sept. 17 | 11 a.m.-7 p.m. | Vancouver Mall, 8700 NE Vancouver Mall Dr. | Free+ | Celebrate all things pop culture and meet Nikola Djuricko of “Stranger Things” + Holland Roden of “Teen Wolf.” 🦹

Sunday

King Farmers Market | Sun., Sept. 18 | 10 a.m.-2 p.m. | Northeast Seventh Avenue + Wygant Street | Free | Find breakfast + lunch options and enjoy live music while browsing items from 30 farmers and food artisans. 🍅

Monday

Bird Watercolor Painting Class | Mon., Sept. 19 | 2-4 p.m. | Online | $30 | Learn how to paint a Northern pygmy owl with Portland artist and bird enthusiast Ronna Beth Fujisawa. 🦉
The Avalanches | Mon., Sept. 19 | 8 p.m. | Roseland Theater, 8 NW Sixth Ave. | $43+ | The Australian-based electronic music group will transport you into a reflective head space with their ethereal, cosmic melodies. 🎶

We have a monthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.

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100+ MORE EVENTS

Weather

74º | Partly cloudy skies | 6% chance of rain

Sunrise + Sunset

Rise: 6:49 a.m.
Set: 7:21 p.m.

State

Oregon state officials will allow landlords to increase rents for units 15+ years old by up to 14.6% starting Sun., Jan. 1, 2023. A one-bedroom home in Portland currently costs an average of $1,500 a month; the price could climb to $1,719 under the new rent increase cap. 🏘️ (OPB + Zumper)

Environment

A portion of Fanno Creek near Southwest Bertha Boulevard mysteriously turned milky white earlier this month, prompting a City of Portland response team to investigate. They reportedly found a non-toxic cleaner used to remove underground pollutants (BAC-9) had spilled into the creek from a nearby pollution remediation project. 💧(KOIN)

Coming Soon

Slim Chickens, a fast-casual chain of restaurants based in Arkansas, plans to open 14 locations in the Portland area. The chain is looking for new franchisers to operate the locations, which will serve chicken sandwiches, tenders, salad, chicken + waffles, and more. 🍗 (Portland Business Journal)

Eat

In our humble opinion, Portland takes the crown when it comes to food cart towns. This week, The Oregonian revealed its three favorite new cart pods: ArborLook Carts at 5916 N. Greeley St., Books with Pictures at 1401 SE Division St., and Hinterland Bar & Carts at 2216 SE 50th Ave. 🍽️ (The Oregonian/Oregon Live)

Plan Ahead

Bi-Zi Farms in Vancouver is celebrating its 150th anniversary this weekend + everyone is invited. RSVP online to enjoy guided tours, kids’ activities, free cake, and meet the fourth- and fifth-generation farmers this Sun., Sept. 18 from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. 🚜 (KOIN)

Theater

“Some shows you see. This show you feel.” The emotional roller coaster that is life takes center stage in the musical production of “Jagged Little Pill,” running Tues., Nov. 15-Sun., Nov. 20 at Keller Auditorium. Buy pre-sale tickets now through Sun., Sept. 18 using promo code “BIP.” 🎟️

List

Say “I do” to meals on wheels. Eater Portland found 13 local food trucks that can prepare + serve meals on-site at weddings, adding a truly Portland touch (and often cheaper alternatives to catering) to the party — from Mexican cuisine and Southern comfort food to donuts and boozy popsicles. 💍 (Eater Portland)

Community

Tabletop game enthusiasts could once see + play thousands of rare and unique games at the Museum of Gaming until it closed in 2020 after a decade of operation in Washington County. Organizers hoping to reopen such a space are looking for new leadership, financing, and a location before they can pass go. 🎲 (OPB)

Real Estate

Portland, OR + Cambridge, MA are a couple of the cities and towns that made the list of “Best Cities for Families.” Opendoor’s list is based on the top family-friendly features, including parks, picnic sites, swimming pools, and proximity to schools. 📚 *

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Food

Wanted: Portland restaurant recommendations

A wooded bar runs parallel to a wall with floor-to-ceiling windows, tropical plants, and hanging pendant lights inside Portland restaurant Eem.

Eem, Portland Monthly’s 2019 Restaurant of the Year, serves Thai barbecue in a tropical, trendy atmosphere. | Photo by @miriam.chao

Can you help a professional basketball player find some good grub off the court? Portland Trail Blazers player Josh Hart tweeted this week, “Best restaurants in PDX? Got to try some new spots.”

Dozens of people chimed in with suggestions, including Lechon, Bamboo Sushi, Piazza Italia, Hat Yai, Farmhouse Kitchen Thai Cuisine, Screen Door, Akadi, Quaintrelle + Eem.

Do you have a favorite spot to put on Hart’s radar? Pass him the ball on Twitter. 🏀

THE WRAP

Today’s edition was written by Cambrie.

Editor’s pick: If you subscribe to the motto that “being normal is vastly overrated,” mark your calendars for the Spirit of Halloweentown. The annual celebration in St. Helens begins Sat., Sept. 17 and runs through Mon., Oct. 31, as an ode to the 1998 film “Halloweentown” that was filmed in the small Columbia County town some 28 miles north of Portland.

Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Explore a natural landmark that towers above the Columbia River Gorge.

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Editorial: Cambrie Juarez, Ben McBee, Trevor Peters, Britt Thorson, Ashlea Hearn, Emily Shea | Send us a scoop, question, or feedback.

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