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They creep, crawl and even sprint across the ground hunting prey. San Diego is home to a surprising variety of spiders, including the Orb Weaver and Wolf spiders, Black Widows, Brown Recluse and even those hairy tarantulas! Most of us spot them and jump back, maybe even scream, but County Agricultural Scientist Tyler Tkachuk actually enjoys them. And we’re not talking about the giant 10-foot plastic spiders adorning front yards during the Halloween season.
His curiosity doesn’t stop at spiders. Tyler brings live Madagascar hissing cockroaches to community events and lets them scurry about in his hands. You can imagine the reaction from school kids when those giant insects start moving.
This fearless interest in all things crawly, jumpy or flying is essential when you work in an entomology lab. While spiders themselves are not a crop concern to growers or nurseries, many other pests can devastate agriculture. Detecting and studying those harmful species is a top priority for County agricultural scientists. Their research, testing and documentation help protect area farmers, and our food supply.
You can play a part in protecting San Diego County’s agricultural environment. If you suspect an invasive pest species, report it to CDFA Report a Pest Hotline 1-800-491-1899 or send photographs to Labs.AWM@sdcounty.ca.gov.
The AWM Lab does not handle residential plant, insect, weed, seed, or similar samples. For home garden issues or questions, contact the University of California Cooperative Extension (UCCE) Master Gardeners Program.
The County’s regulatory lab works closely with the California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) and with County Apiary, Integrated Pest Management, Nursery Inspection, Pest Detection, Pierce’s Disease Control, Pest Exclusion, and Quarantine programs. Together, these teams rapidly detect, identify, and respond to invasive species that threaten regional agriculture.