While most spiders are harmless, it is not necessarily a pleasant experience when they are roaming through your home. There are a variety of common household spiders in Texas that you might come across. SafeHaven Pest Control can help you quickly identify and eliminate spiders and insects in your home.
How to Identify Spiders
Spiders are easy to differentiate from insects because they are arachnids and have eight legs and two body segments. However, spiders are likely to enter your home because they are following the food source, so if you're looking to rid your home of the ten most common spiders in Texas, you can find the right pest control options with SafeHaven Pest Control.
1. Grass Spiders
You will recognize the web of a grass spider by its sheet-like webs in the grass and weeds. They prefer the outdoors, but cooler weather may drive them indoors. They have distinctive yellow and black markings on their abdomens.
2. Orb Weavers
While there are many varieties of orb weavers, the Black and Yellow Garden spiders are very common. They rarely make their way inside, but you'll often find them along the eaves of your house, outbuildings, or in tall vegetation, and you cannot miss their giant webs.
3. Woodlouse Hunter
The woodlouse hunter has six eyes, a dark red front, and a cream-colored hind body. They are ground hunters, and you will often find them in warm places under logs, leaf litter, and other natural debris. They may bite if disturbed, and their long fangs may make it feel like a bee sting, but they are non-toxic to humans.
4. Carolina Wolf Spider
These are large spiders with stocky bodies, and they move quickly, but they are poor climbers and are found on the ground. They are hunters and do not spin webs. Wolf spiders have eight eyes. They have to be provoked to bite, but it may feel like a wasp or bee sting when they do. Reactions in humans vary greatly, but there have been cases of necrosis lesions.
5. Brown Widows
Brown widows are light-colored, are shyer than their cousin the Black Widow, and prefer quiet, undisturbed places. The Brown Widow is actually more toxic but injects less venom when it bites and is not considered a medical threat.
6. Common House Spider
True to its name, one of the most common house spiders in Texas is actually the common house spider. Their color patterns and size vary widely, but they are often yellowish-brown with a dark chevron pattern. They are comfortable indoors and will often build webs in the corner of the room to wait for their prey. They are shy and generally must be provoked to bite, and when they do, they inject a toxin which may cause itching and swelling.
7. The Texas Recluse
The Texas Recluse is a cousin of the Brown Recluse, and is often identified by the “violin” shaped pattern on the top of its body. While it prefers to live outdoors, it's not unusual to come across them around the home. They are toxic, and antivenom is available.
8. The Gray Wall Jumping Spider
The gray wall jumping spider is a light tan to light gray color, with the males having black trim. They are covered with dense hairs or scales and can vary from dime to nickel. You will typically find them in grassland or prairie environments, but they are also found in yards, even indoors. Unless you are allergic to them, their bites are unlikely to cause issues.
9. Crab Spiders
There are several crab spider species in Texas, and they are aptly named for their crab-like movements and appearance. They camouflage and change body colors depending on their background. They don't build webs but lie in wait for their prey.
10. The Longbodied Cellar Spider
The longbodied cellar spider can often be found indoors, hanging upside down from their webs. They are great at catching flying insects. They have long, nearly translucent legs and are sometimes mistaken for daddy longlegs. It is very difficult to be bitten by this spider, and they are not harmful.
Where Do Spiders Like to Hide?
The species of spider will usually determine where you will find them. House spiders spin in corners of rooms, eaves, and anywhere you might have insects. It's common to find spiders in attics, basements, or crawl spaces. It's important to check your shoes before putting them on because some spiders, especially the recluse, prefer closets and storage areas that aren't disturbed often.
Removing Common House Spiders
There are a lot of common house spiders in Texas, but fortunately most of them do not pose a medical danger to humans. However, some spiders can be dangerous, and most can be a nuisance For the best spider exterminators in Dallas, TX, contact SafeHaven Pest Control today!
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