The common house spider. Spiders are invertebrates that belong to a class of joint-legged arachnids known as arthropods (this also includes scorpions, ticks, mites, etc). The spider is the largest order in the class and is described to have 8 long/short legs depending on the specie of spider involved.
There are over 45, 000 known species of spiders in the world, some of which choose to live in human dwellings (the common house spiders) (wow, that’s creepy!).
Even though you rarely hear much about these spiders, do you know that spiders can be found in almost every habitat & continent except 1? Then which of these continents is uninviting to these insects? of course, you guessed right, it’s Antarctica!
Well, most of you guys obviously didn’t know this right? then read on to clear your doubts about the Common house spiders!
We normally get calls and complaints from people: hello, pestclue I think I’ve got an ant infestation in my home, but I don’t really know what species it is, or is it a common house spider? I’m really not sure. Pestclue as an organization is set up to assist individuals to identify these spiders, know more about them, and help get rid of them.
What do these spiders look like? where do they live in the house? what are they? what brings these uninvited guests to my home? these and many more questions are what this mind-blowing article is set to answer.
We hope to give satisfying facts to our readers and ensure you leave with satisfaction in mind, and peradventure you’re asked: “hey, what is that in your house?” you’ll give a bold answer: Alas! it’s a common house spider.
Read also: Golden Orb Spiders; Facts, Behavior, Identification & Control
Interesting Facts About the Spiders
Before getting to know the common house spiders, you should have a little knowledge about these creepy crawling creatures in general. Below are amazing facts to be noted about the spiders:
- How Many Spiders Have Been Discovered on Earth?
As freaky as it sounds, research has shown that spiders are just about anywhere at any given time, at least not 12 feet away from you. But not to worry as they won’t bother you if you’re minding your business.
Presently there are over 35, 000 species of spiders in the world and still more to be discovered. Wow, that sends a chill!
- Do Spiders Bite?
It’s true that spiders bite, and release their venom into your body causing serious health complications. But luckily, not all spiders bite at least a majority of them don’t and even if they do, they may not even inflict damage.
Are common house spiders part of these venomous creatures? why don’t you read on to find out?
- Do Spiders Shoot Webs?
Obviously they do, who doesn’t know that (smiles).
Well, what you obviously didn’t know is that “a spider’s web as thick as a pencil can stop a moving plane”. Wait, are you for real?
- What Coloration Does The Spider’s Blood Have?
Unlike humans or other animals, spiders have blue blood.
But why is this? should I go and ask God? no, you shouldn’t (smiles) it’s very simple:
| A Simple Explanation of This Phenomenon | |
| In Humans | In Spiders |
| In humans, oxygen (O) is bound to a molecule containing iron (Fe) and this gives our blood that red color | But in spiders, the case is different as the molecule that oxygen is bound to contain copper, giving their blood a blue color. |
- Spiders Date by Giving out Gifts
It’s weird but true!
Most spiders do not only dance with their partners, but they also offer wrapped gifts to their loved ones to try and sweet talk their way into a date.
Most spiders act cheap sometimes by stooping so low to offer scraps of leaves or less valuable gifts to their females instead of offering gifts such as flies and other insects.
- Spiders are muscular.
- Spiders dance!
- Jumping spiders can see through ultraviolet light.
- Unlike Humans, Spiders have 8 eyes.
Read also: Are Wolf Spiders Dangerous? A Detailed Insight into Wolf Spiders
How do I Identify a Spider?
Before getting to know about the common house spiders, there are certain identities that all spiders share. Below are various body parts that can be seen visibly and help in your identification of these guys. Alas! it’s a spider:
- The Mouthpart of a Spider
The mouth of a spider is located on its head, along with its chelicerae (jaws with sharp edges) , pedipalps, and eyes. Spiders lack mandibles for chewing so they use their chelicerae as mouthparts. Its appendages are similar to fangs. Spiders use their chelicerae to seize their prey and inject the venom since the chelicerae are attached to their venom glands. Amazingly, spiders also have tiny mouthparts (the labrum and the labium) behind their chelicerae. The extra mouthparts in conjunction with the chelicerae are responsible for aiming food into the spider’s mouth for consumption.
They mulch their foods using digestive substances and sometimes insert the substances inside their prey as a means of dissolving the inside organs of their prey’s bodies. Doing this enables them to easily feed with their chelicerae. Not all spiders (cobweb spider) can eat food in solid form but in its liquid form while some can.
- The Legs of a Spider
Spiders typically have 8 legs for walking and the pair of appendages in front of the legs are called “pedipalps”. The legs of a spider are divided into 7 segments, namely:
- The Coxa,
- The Trochanter
- The Femur
- The Patella
- The Tibia
- The Metatarsus
- The Tarsus
The tip of the tarsus bears claws that vary in size and number. Some spiders have 3 claws and these are spiders that spin webs; with the middle claw being small while hunting spiders have only two claws. Since they do not have antennae they use a specialized and bristle-like sensor on their legs to pick up scents, sounds, vibrations, and even air currents.
Read also: Crab Spiders; Fact, Identification, Behavior & Control
Where is the Habitat of a Spider?
As stated earlier, these guys can be found just about anywhere and everywhere. They have been known to thrive in all continents of the world, except Antarctica.
Hey, that’s enough with spiders, now let’s know about the common house spiders.
Read also: What is a Group of Ducks Called? Facts about Duck Group
The Common House Spider
Most of us reading this article are damn scared of the creepy-looking spiders and may not even want to go to a place where these guys are spotted. You will probably find these creepy-crawly insects in your home especially when outside is a bit cold (they usually inhabit warm habitats).
The common house spider may occupy your attics, basement, bathrooms, and even living room, and will keep increasing in number if they’re not quickly stopped (controlled). Matter of truth is, not all house spiders are dangerous and not all are good or safe to live within your homes. Below are a few reasons why spiders are safe to have in your home:
| Why Should I Have Spiders in My Home? | Why Should I Not have Spiders In My Home? |
| Well, this spiders can help get rid of some dangerous pests (millipedes, flies, roaches, etc) | Even though spiders are safe to have in the house, not all of them are as they may be dangerous venomous. |
What Are The Common House Spiders I Should Know?
The Black Widow
Is this spider actually a widow? (smiles), obviously not. Below are things you should know about the black widow:
- What are they?
Black widow is a spider known for its shiny black color and red hourglass-shaped marking on the underside of its abdomen. They may also have various types of red markings on their backs, depending on the species involved.
- How Poisonous are they?
Black widows are very poisonous, as they are known to be the most poisonous spiders in the North American region. Only female black widows are this poisonous.
- What’s their population in North America?
Although there’s no actual figure for the population of black widow spiders in North America, there are 5 known species of black widow spiders in this region. Imagine having all these 5 species in your home alone! Woah, that’s creepy.
- What is their body size?
Wow, so you mean these small creatures are capable of causing a great amount of damage? Black widows can grow to a size of 8mm to 10mm. Imagine this spider as a giant injecting venom into you (yuk!)
- What is the black widow’s Diet?
The black widow may feed on beetles, flies, grasshoppers, moths, and other spiders (phew, luckily humans are not on the menu). The Black Widow has unfairly earned a bad reputation for wanting to eat her mate (cannibalism) when she mistakes him for a meal!
- How many eggs will a black widow lay?
Amazing, but true: The black widow can lay up to 400 eggs at a time. You obviously wouldn’t like all this laying in your home, would you?
- What has the black widow on its menu?
Even though the black widow seems to be dominant over a bunch of prey, some insects/animals won’t easily agree with that. Here’s a list of predators that would happily have the black widow on their menu:
- The Praying Mantis
- Birds
- The Wasps.
- Are these spiders dangerous to humans?
Yes, they are dangerous to humans. They’re part of the list of spiders you won’t ever want to have in your home. Its bite is very severe as you may experience intense pain, stiffness of the muscle, and vomiting, usually within a few hours after the bite.
- Where can you find these spiders in your home?
- In mailboxes.
- Garages.
- Tall grasses.
- Corners & edges of your house.
Daddy Long Legs
Wow, what a weird name for a spider. Below are brief facts about this spider:
- What are they?
Hmm, doesn’t this spider sound friendly? well, the daddy long leg is known for its very long, thin legs that protrude from their bodies.
- Are they really spider?
Lots of people mistake these guys for spiders, but they’re not. Yes, they are arachnids but:
| Spider | Daddy Long Leg |
| · They produce silk | · Unlike spiders, these guys do not produce silk |
| · Spiders have more than one eye. | · Daddy long legs have only one eye. |
| · Spiders have a narrow waist between their front and rear | · They have a fused body. |
- How many names do they have?
Of course, these spiders are called “daddy long leg” because of their very long, thin legs. They are called these names due to their body structures, pungent odor, etc. In Europe, they’re referred to as “the shepherd spiders” & “the harvestmen”.
- Where can they be found?
Just like spiders, these arachnids can be found on every continent except Antarctica. “They’re usually found in humid areas, such as under rocks, in leaf litter, and inside caves.
It is believed that different regions of the world have their own particular daddy longlegs, and some of the most common ones are small and out of sight that they may not be seen by the average person. Hmm!
- They have Camouflage abilities which makes it difficult for most predators to prey on them.
- What creatures would want to feed on these arachnids?
- Birds
- Frogs
- Lizards
- They’re legs never grow back.
- They’re boring creatures as they will come out from their crevices and sit on a particular spot till in the evening when they return back to their cave.
Read also: Types of Fish to Eat? List of Fishes and How to Prepare
Hobo Spiders
- What are they?
Hobo spiders are brown spiders with a mottled-like back and dark and light spots. They are hairy and have spiny hairs coming off their legs.
- How dangerous are they?
These spiders are extremely harmful to humans as they can inflict a painful bite that may result in swelling and pain in the bitten area. An affected person will obviously feel better within 24 hours after applying painkillers and ice to the affected area.
- Where will you find these spiders?
While they’re mostly seen outside, they sometimes venture indoors. You can find these creatures:
- In clothing.
- Beds.
- Shoes, etc.
American House Spider
- What are they?
These spiders are grey with white markings and have a round abdomen. They are about the size of a nickel and have webs that often look tangled and messy.
- How dangerous are they?
Nothing to be afraid of as these spiders are not in any way harmful to humans.
- Where do these spiders live?
You will find these spiders hanging around in the dark. They hide in wall edges, cabinets, windows, basements, etc. wow, they’re shy indeed, aren’t they?
- Although they feed on a variety of insects, their favorite bugs are the flies.
Wolf Spiders
Although their names sound BIG, do you think they’re dangerous? well, let’s find out.
- What are they?
These are big, hairy spiders usually grey, brown, or black in color. They are sometimes mistaken for tarantulas, but no they’re not as they do not spin webs to trap their prey like the tarantulas but hunt them down instead.
- How poisonous are they?
Well, as scary as their names sound, these spiders do not hurt humans but would rather hide away from danger than bite.
- What is their body size?
These spiders may sound huge but they’re not as their sizes range from about 1 and a half inches in length.
- Where can I find these spiders?
| OUTSIDE | INSIDE |
| Outside these spiders can be found hiding in cracks on the walls of houses, debris, and under boards | Inside the house, these spiders can be found hiding in basements, sheds, or garages where insects are known to reside in. |
How do I Control These Common House Spider?
Although not all these spiders are dangerous, some peeps still do not want them hanging around their houses. In case you still want to stop these guys from wandering about your environment, below are ways of getting rid of them:
- Keep your house and environment tidy to avoid some nasty insects from coming into your home, as this will attract these spiders to your home. Cleaning your home will help reduce their population, as there will be a low population of prey.
- If you spot any of these spiders in your home, use a long stick to swirl around its web and place it on any flower you want to be protected from insects attack (this can still stand to your own advantage).
- Finally, you can make use of insecticides to get rid of them. But you don’t have to as they mean no harm (some). (smiles)
Final Thoughts
There are a lot of mistakes people make when it comes to nature such as the case of the common house spider. People often mistake the Hobo spider to be a black widow, they are not sure if its a daddy long leg or an American house spider, and they are sometimes confused if these spiders are dangerous. But luckily this article has been able to answer one of these many questions, is this common house spider dangerous? Alas, it is/is not!
For more info, contact us @pestclue and make your contributions or queries. We’re glad to have been of help to you and do well to subscribe to get more info about pests, pets, and animals as well. Thank you!
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