| Pest Stats |
| Color: |
Yellowish brown, abdomen dirty white with a few dark spots (sometimes with a black triangular spot in the center) to almost black, with several dark stripes meeting at angle above tip of abdomen; legs |
| Legs: |
8 |
| Shape: |
Elongated abdomen |
| Size: |
3/16 – 5/16“ (female) 1/8 – 3/16” (male) |
| Antennae: |
No
|
| Region: |
Found throughout U.S. |
The common house spider 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.
Habits
The house spider randomly selects its web sites and creates a
tangled web. If a web does not yield prey it is abandoned, another
site is selected, and a new web is built. Survival is low in modern
homes with low humidity and few insects, higher in garages, sheds,
barns, warehouses, etc. because of more prey and generally higher
humidity, and highest outdoors in protected places.
Habitat
Inside structures, house spiders are most likely to be found in
upper corners, under furniture, in closets, angles of window
frames, basements, garages, and crawl spaces. Outside they are
often around windows and under eaves especially near light sources
which attract prey.
Threats
House spiders are nuisance pests but pose no threats to
humans.