Your house can be an attractive home for spiders. They may spin a web in the corners of your ceiling because your house is warm and dry. Others may migrate to moist, dark basements and crawlspaces.
Stumbling across one in your personal space can be startling, and not just because they look scary. Some spiders can be dangerous.
So what are you supposed to do when you see one (is smashing it with a tissue even safe)? How do you get rid of them for good?
We’ve put together this guide to help you learn what type of house spiders you can expect to see in your home, which ones you should stay away from, and how to deal with them. Let’s get started!
(what they look like, where they hide, if they’re harmful)
1. American House Spider
These spiders are small and grey, often tinier than a nickel. They don’t like to be seen, so you might not notice them at first. Check for them in tight, dark corners, inside closets and cabinets, and along the windows.
Their webs look messy and tangled, but these spiders are nothing to be afraid of. They can’t hurt you.
2. Daddy Longlegs
Daddy longlegs have eight long, skinny legs that extend off a tiny, round body no bigger than a pea. For the most part, these spiders like to stay outside, but they can sometimes venture inside and make a webbed home in your garage. They may also hang out in tall corners and other dark areas.
These spiders may look creepier than many of the others on this list, but they are harmless. Contrary to what you may have heard, they don’t have any venom at all.
3. Wolf Spiders
It’s difficult to describe the size and shape of a wolf spider since there are more than 200 different species. However, they tend to be much larger than many other household spiders.
Wolf spiders go where the insects are. They are hunting spiders (and if you don’t mind spiders, keeping them around can help get rid of annoying flies and other pests around the house). Like many other spiders, these spiders prefer to stay in small dark spaces.
Despite the name, wolf spiders likely won’t hurt you. If they see you coming, they’ll run away and hide.
4. Jumping Spiders
Like wolf spiders, there are over 300 species of jumping spiders, so depending on where you live, they’ll look a little different. One of their most defining features is their large eyes, and unlike other spiders, you might notice them jumping when they move.
These spiders don’t have webs, and they’re also more active during the day. You can find them just about anywhere in your house, but they tend to stick to the walls or windows.
These spiders do bite, but the bite won’t hurt you. You may feel a slight sting, but it should go away on its own.
5. Sac Spiders
The easiest way to recognize these spiders is by the unique shape of their webs. Instead of spinning a traditional web, sac spiders create a pocket-like web they sit inside of when they aren’t hunting.
These spiders like to hang out in living rooms, bedrooms, family rooms, kitchens, etc. You can find them in the corners right against the ceiling.
Sac spiders are harmless in most cases. They can bite, but the bite won’t have any dangerous or long-lasting effects.
6. Hobo Spiders
These spiders get a bit more personal than others because they like to hide in clothing, bedding, shoes, etc. You may find one crawling on you after climbing into bed or getting dressed for the day.
Hobo spiders are considered aggressive, but don’t let that worry you. Most of them won’t bite, and even if they do, they aren’t venomous.
7. Black Widows
Black windows have a unique hourglass shape on their undersides that’s a bright red color. This makes them easy to spot, which is good because, if you see one, stay back!
One bite from a black window can cause serious pain, muscle stiffness, nausea, etc. If you get bit by one of these spiders, you should go to the hospital right away.
If these spiders get into your house, they’ll mostly stay in dark, hidden areas. However, you might see them in corners as well.
8. Brown Recluse
Brown recluses like to hide in out-of-the-way spots. You might find them underneath furniture, in small corners, in the basement, in closets, and inside clothing. They are brown and have a violin-shaped marking on their back.
Keep your distance!
These spiders are even more dangerous than black windows. A bite can lead to symptoms such as fever, chills, serious pain, chills, nausea, etc. The venom can be life-threatening, so make sure you get medical help as soon as possible.
The Fastest Way to Get These House Spiders out of Your Home
Don’t be alarmed if you see a spider in your house (unless it’s a black widow or a brown recluse). Finding one or two spiders inside every once in a while is normal, but if you start to see them more often, you can try some DIY methods to keep them away.
But don’t trust home remedies if you’re dealing with an infestation. The fastest and most effective way to get rid of house spiders is to hire a professional exterminator. They’ll kill all the spiders that live in your home and set up methods to keep them from coming back.
Not sure where to find an exterminator?
We’ve got you covered. Don’t hesitate to get in touch with us today to talk about your spider problem and how to get rid of it as fast as possible.