National Pest Management Association Inc.
Black widow spiders are most recognized for the red hourglass shape under their abdomen. Contrary to legend, female black widow spiders rarely devour the male black widow spider after mating.
Brown recluse spiders have a characteristic dark brown violin marking on their back.
Cellar spiders are commonly referred to as “daddy-long-legs” because of their very long, thin legs and as their name implies are found in dark and damp places. There are about 20 species of cellar spiders in the United States and Canada.
This is usually the spider most often encountered indoors. It is a nuisance pest, probably more because of its webs than the spider itself. This spider is found worldwide and is common throughout the United States and Canada.
The common name comes from their jumping ability and habit which they use to capture prey. They are an occasional nuisance pest indoors, and some colored species may cause concern when people mistake them for Black Widow spiders. About 300 species of jumping spiders are found in the United States and Canada.
Wolf spiders are hunting spiders and will chase their prey. These spiders are often big and hairy which alarms some people, but they are primarily nuisance pests. Over 100 species occur in the United States and Canada.