What is that creepy, crawly thing in your house? Is it a common spider? Is it poisonous?
Spiders can have a bad rap, but some are indeed dangerous. With more than 40,000 species worldwide, it can be confusing if that spider you see is harmless or not.
Keep reading to find out about the different types of house spiders and learn how to tell if you see dangerous spiders.
Long-Bodied Cellar Spider
These spiders are sometimes confused with daddy longlegs. Even though these are not the same as daddy longlegs, it also has long legs and a long body section. Most spiders have two body sections.
These spiders often build their webs in crawl spaces, cellars, basements, and other dark places.
They are light brown, grey, or beige in color. They have long, skinny legs and a round body.
Cellar spiders are not venomous.
American House Spider
American house spiders are part of a group called cobweb spiders. They typically build messy webs in basements, crawl spaces, and closets.
They are typically either tan, brown, or grey with dark brown patterns. They are small to medium in size—think about the size of a nickel, including legs. They also have a round abdomen.
American house spiders are harmless.
Jumping Spiders
You can see jumping spiders on doors, walls, window sills, or any other exposed surface in the daylight. They hunt for their prey during the day.
These spiders move with small, quick jumps.
They range in color from beige, tan, brown, black, and grey. They are smaller spiders and are typically about an inch long. They have front legs that are longer than their other legs and also have dense hairs.
If you get bit by a jumping spider, it will feel similar to a bee sting. Don’t worry—they are normally harmless unless you have an allergic reaction, which is not too common.
Wolf Spider
Wolf spiders are typically black, brown, and grey because they depend on blending in with the environment. They are relatively large spiders, ranging from half an inch to an inch and a half.
They are quick spiders and can get confused with other similar spiders, like brown recluse spiders or tarantulas. These spiders are usually hairy.
Wolf spiders do not build webs because they prefer to live in burrows. You can find these spiders in fields, woods, and gardens. They tend to come into a home during the fall as they look for a warmer habitat.
Wolf spiders do not bite unless provoked. Although they are not poisonous, their bites can cause redness, pain, and itchiness.
Hobo Spider/Funnelweaver
The hobo spider is often confused with the wolf spider or a brown recluse spider because they are similar in color. They are typically brown or tan in color.
These spiders build funnel-like webs. These spiders are normally a solid color and have no markings.
You can find these spiders in dark areas like woodpiles or basements.
They can be aggressive and bite. However, they are not dangerous. You may experience a little irritation around the bite site.
Learn more about Hobo Spiders at https://www.altuspest.com/pest-control/spider/hobo-spider/.
Sac Spiders
Sac spiders also do not make webs. If these spiders are in your home, you can find them in higher areas on the wall, near the ceiling. They are active year-round, and mostly at night.
Their color is pretty distinct. These spiders are usually light yellow or beige with an oval body. They are about a half-inch long.
Sac spiders are not poisonous.
Brown Recluse
Now, we are going to move on to the two more common poisonous spiders in the U.S. The brown recluse is found across the country in all different types of climates.
It is brown or grey in color with an oval body. The distinctive marking of a brown recluse is a violin-shaped marking on its body, so this is why the spider is sometimes known as a Fiddle Back Spider. This dark violin shape is typically in the topmost leg area with the tip pointing down.
These spiders like to hide in dark spaces like attics, basements, in furniture, crawl spaces, and sometimes in clothing.
The brown recluse’s venom has cytotoxin, which affects the tissue at the site of the bite. You will need to get medical treatment to make sure you do not have a dangerous reaction. These symptoms include pain, nausea, fever, chills, and rash.
Black Widow Spider
Black widow spiders are also poisonous. They are about half an inch long and are shiny black with a red hourglass mark under their stomach area.
These spiders like to hide in dark spots, so be careful in areas like:
- Garages
- Hollow stumps
- Under wood or rubble
- Sheds
- Basements
- Crawl spaces
- Underneath stones
Black widow spider bites immediately affect the nervous system, so they are some of the most dangerous spiders. If you get bit, you may experience severe symptoms like nausea, headache, fever, increased blood pressure, and abdominal pain.
The good news is that these spiders only bite when they are disturbed.
Getting Rid of These Types of House Spiders
Luckily, most of these types of house spiders are not a threat to humans. However, that doesn’t mean that you want to share your home with them.
There are ways to get rid of spiders, but if you are worried about an infestation, it’s best to contact a local spider pest control. You can also spray for spider prevention.
Want more home advice? Keep checking out our site to keep your home clean and tidy—and free of spiders!
