Common House Spiders

What do house spiders look like?

House spiders get their names from the simple fact that they are the spiders you’ll most likely see in your home. Females and males are close in size, with females growing just slightly larger than males. They can grow to a bit over a quarter of an inch in length.

The coloring of house spiders varies, but is often light brown, with yellow or white markings. Females have round bodies, while male house spiders have bodies that are slightly more elongated. Both male and female house spiders have eight long, thin legs and eight eyes.

What do house spiders eat?

Like most spiders, common house spiders eat a variety of insects and other small bugs. Flies, moths, ants, and more are all common prey for house spiders.

Where do house spiders build webs?

House spiders build their webs in a variety of locations. They do this somewhat randomly by choosing a location, and then waiting to see if that location is a good place to catch food. If the web catches bugs that they can eat, they’ll stay in that area. If it doesn’t, they’ll move to a new location and build a web there, repeating the process as necessary in order to get the food they need to survive.

As homes have gotten more energy-efficient, and therefore less humid and less likely to have pests inside, house spiders have become more likely to build their webs in outbuildings, such as garages, basements, sheds, and other areas. In these locations, their chances of finding food are more likely because other pests are more easily able to access and survive in these places. However, you are still likely to find house spiders in your home in the Woodlands on occasion.

When they get into or around your home, house spiders will build their webs in the corners of ceilings and windows, around boxes and clutter in basements or storage areas, under furniture, in closets, under eaves, around outdoor lights, and in other out-of-the-way locations.

How do house spiders get inside?

House spiders can get into your home with ease. These spiders are not large and are able to fit through any small opening they find around the outside of your house. Whether they find an open door, a tear in a window screen, or a crack in your siding, they don’t have any trouble getting inside. Once indoors, they will move around until they find an area where they can build a web without being disturbed.

What are the signs of a house spider infestation?

The most common sign of a house spider infestation is seeing the spiders themselves.  Although you may only see a few spiders, the trouble with house spiders is that they can breed rapidly. If even just one or two house spiders have gotten into your house, the problem could quickly multiply. A female house spider can lay up to 250 in one egg sac, and some house spiders create more than one egg sac at a time. Over the lifetime of a female house spider, she can lay over 3500 eggs.

In addition to seeing the spiders themselves, the other most common sign of a house spider infestation is seeing their webs. These are most likely to be found up high along your walls and ceiling, in the corners of windows, under furniture, or in out-of-the-way areas, such as your basement, garage, or eaves.

You may find spider egg sacs or tiny, newly hatched spiders as well. House spider egg sacs are small and spherical, and are made from the spider’s silken threads. They are often a brownish color.

How do you get rid of house spiders?

If you’ve discovered ugly webs in your home or have noticed house spiders or other arachnids lurking about, contact Marathon Pest Control for help getting rid of spiders and the bugs they feed on. Our year-round home pest control services are the best way to eliminate and prevent pests from taking over. 

How can I prevent house spiders from entering my home?

Keeping house spiders out of your house is possible if you’re willing to take the time to put some preventive measures in place. The good news is that these prevention tips also help you prevent other pests from getting into your house.

• Seal cracks in your foundation
• Fill gaps around windows and doors
• Replace torn window screens and damaged weather-stripping
• Use yellow bulbs in outdoor lights so you don’t attract bugs at night
• Eliminate clutter inside and outside your house
• Reduce humidity and moisture in and around your house

If you find house spiders inside, you can use your vacuum cleaner to remove them and their webs. Make sure to empty the vacuum immediately afterward and take the trash out to avoid allowing the spiders to return. If you continue to find house spiders inside, you may need to take further action with the help of Marathon Pest Control.