House Spiders
ACHAEARANEA TEPIDARIORUM
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 through out U.S.
OVERVIEW
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.
HABITATS
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.
