
Living in Florida means sharing our homes with critters, with house spiders being among the most common visitors. From the long-legged cellar spider to the large and in charge wolf spider, these Florida house spiders can quickly become your next unwanted roommate.
In this blog, we’ll take a closer look at the most common house spiders in Florida. We’ll explore different species, learn how to identify them and discuss their roles in our homes. Whether you’re curious about the spiders hanging around your home or concerned about Florida’s venomous species, we’ve got you covered.
Ready to learn more about your eight-legged housemates? Let’s get started!
Common Florida House Spiders
Understanding the different types of spiders you might encounter can help you manage these sneaky pests. Here’s a look at some common spiders found in Florida homes, starting with the southern house spider.
Southern House Spider
Southern house spiders come in shades of dark brown to black, with females usually darker and larger than males. Females can grow up to 18 mm in body length, while males are smaller, around 9 mm.
You can tell them apart by looking at their legs. While both males and females have long, slender legs, which can span up to 50 mm, males have a more elongated body and longer legs compared to females.
Males tend to wander more, especially when looking for mates, so you’re more likely to see them around your home. Females, on the other hand, stay close to their webs, venturing out to eat captured prey.
These spiders are nocturnal and prefer to stay hidden during the day. They often make their homes in dark, undisturbed areas like attics, basements, crawl spaces, and garages. Southern house spider webs are messy and irregular, unlike some other spiders’ neat, symmetrical webs.
While they may cause quite a fright, southern house spiders are not aggressive and rarely bite humans. If they feel threatened, they usually retreat to their web. Their bites are not harmful and usually only cause mild pain or redness.
Cellar Spiders
Cellar spiders are easily recognizable due to their long, thin legs, which can be up to six times the length of their small, cylindrical bodies. The body is usually light gray or tan and measures about 2-10 mm long. Their legs span up to 50 mm or more, giving them a very spindly and fragile look.
These spiders are typically found in dark, damp areas like basements, cellars, garages, and crawl spaces. They build loose, irregular webs, often in corners or under furniture. You can spot them at any time of the day, hanging motionless in their webs.
Cellar spiders feed on a variety of small insects and other spiders, including more dangerous ones like the black widow. They use their long legs to capture prey, often shaking their webs vigorously when threatened to confuse predators.
Despite their somewhat eerie appearance, cellar spiders are harmless to humans. They are not aggressive or venomous, and their small fangs aren’t typically large enough to pierce through skin.
Brown Recluse Spider
Brown recluse spiders have small body lengths ranging from 6 to 20 mm. They are usually light to dark brown and have a distinctive dark violin-shaped marking on their back, just behind their eyes. This marking is one of the best ways to identify them, although it can sometimes be faint. Their legs are long, slender, and brown, with a smooth appearance.
True to their name, brown recluse spiders are reclusive and prefer to stay hidden. They are nocturnal, coming out at night to hunt for food. During the day, they hide in undisturbed places like closets, attics, basements, and behind furniture. Outdoors, they can be found under rocks, logs, and in woodpiles.
Unlike many other spiders, the brown recluse does not build webs to catch prey. Instead, they use their webs as harbourage sites for themselves and their eggs. Female brown recluse spiders prefer to stick close to their webs, only venturing out to catch small insects and other spiders.
The brown recluse spider is infamous for its venomous bite. While brown recluse spiders aren’t aggressive and will only bite when threatened or accidentally mishandled, these pests can leave a serious mark if they turn their fangs on you.
While complications are rare, these bites can lead to symptoms ranging from mild skin irritation to severe necrotic lesions. However, not all bites result in severe reactions, and many heal without complications.
Black Widow Spiders
The black widow spider (Latrodectus mactans) is one of the most well-known Florida house spiders. These pests are easily recognizable due to their shiny, black bodies and distinctive red hourglass markings on the underside of their abdomens.
Females are about 8 to 13 mm in body length, with males being significantly smaller and less conspicuous. Male black widows are usually brown or gray and lack the prominent red marking.
Black widow spiders prefer dark, secluded areas where they can build their irregular, tangled webs. They often congregate in sheds, garages, basements, and woodpiles. Outdoors, they prefer to live under rocks, in hollow tree stumps, and in other undisturbed places.
Like other spiders, black widows are nocturnal and typically stay hidden during the day, becoming active at night to catch prey. They feed on insects like flies, mosquitoes, grasshoppers, and beetles.
Black widows aren’t aggressive and usually bite in self-defense, like brown recluse spiders. But that doesn’t mean their bite won’t pack a punch. Symptoms of a black widow bite include severe pain, muscle cramps, nausea, and sweating.
While bites can be very painful, they are rarely fatal. Most healthy adults recover without serious complications, although medical attention is recommended. Children and older adults could have more severe reactions, so always consult your doctor after a spider bite.
Preventing and Eliminating Florida House Spiders
Having spiders around can help keep other pests in check, but you don’t want them taking over your home. Preventing and managing spider infestations is key to keeping your living space safe and comfortable.
Here’s what you can do at home to keep spiders at bay:
- Regularly clean and declutter storage areas like basements, attics, and garages to remove spider hiding spots.
- Fix leaky faucets, pipes, and drains. Use dehumidifiers in damp areas like basements and crawl spaces.
- Keep your home clean, store food in airtight containers, and take out the trash regularly to reduce insects that spiders prey on.
- To reduce outdoor spider habitats, regularly mow the lawn, trim bushes, and remove debris like woodpiles and leaf litter.
But what should you do when you have a serious spider infestation?
Every home is different, and so is every spider problem. Our pest control experts tailor our treatment plans to fit your specific situation. They’ll assess how bad the infestation is, identify which spiders are causing the trouble, and use effective and safe solutions for your family and the environment.
Contact us today for proven pest protection against Florida house spiders in Brevard County!