10 Most Common Spiders in Texas

Ever try to go to sleep when you know there is a spider loose in your room? That freaky feeling is common to most people. Aside from people who study spiders, not many people get excited when a spider moves into their home. Texas has a lot of spiders, but in this blog, we will discuss ten of the most common Texas spiders.

Grass Spiders

These are funnel weavers and they like to make their homes in corners. Most of the time they prefer to be outside, but when the weather starts to turn cold, inside your home looks great. These small to medium-sized spiders will roam, but for the most part, they are very shy and prefer to hide in their nest. Their bite is mildly toxic and the spiders are non-aggressive. They typically run away before biting.

Orb Weavers

There are many varieties of orb weaver spiders. Perhaps the most familiar are the Black and Yellow Garden spider. Their bite is not toxic to humans. They spin enormous webs and will rarely come into the house. You may find them on your porch or anywhere where they can build their web in a breezeway.

Woodlouse Hunter

Absolutely creepy looking with a cream colored hind body and maroonish front body. They have long fangs and bright coloration. They are ground hunters, not web builders. They prey on termites, sowbugs, and earwigs. These guys will come inside and will bite if disturbed. Their venom is non-toxic to humans, but their bite feels akin to a bee sting thanks to those massively large fangs.

Carolina Wolf Spider

These are big spiders and they move quickly. It is rare for females to come indoors, but the roaming males will when looking for mates. For the most part, you have to go out of your way to get bitten by a Carolina Wolf Spider. They will bite but you must provoke them. Their venom is not a medical threat, but they do have large fangs which can cause a wasp-like sting.

Brown Widows

This lighter colored spider is fond of indoor living. It is shy and more so than its cousin the Black Widow. The venom of Brown Widows is more toxic than the Black Widow’s, but the spider injects even smaller amounts when it bites. Because of that fact, they are not considered a medical threat. They prefer undisturbed places.

Common House Spider

This is a spider that does not mind living with humans. They look freakishly like a brown widow spider. The common house spider is very shy and not very aggressive. To be bitten you must provoke the spider. Its bite is painful but not toxic. It does not often administer toxin when biting, if it does, the site may itch and swell.

The Texas Recluse

You knew there had to be a cousin and this is it. In fact, there are six separate species of recluse spiders all of which are toxic. The Texas Recluse spider prefers to live outdoors in hot areas such as Southern Texas. Antivenom is available. Texas is home to both the Texas Recluse and the Brown Recluse.

The Gray Wall Jumping Spider

A light tannish to light gray spider between a dime and a nickel in size. The males may have fancy black trim while the females are more camouflaged. Jumping spiders are a large family of spiders and perhaps the most common spider to bite humans the most often. Their bite is not usually an issue though a few people are allergic to them. They are normally found outside but on occasion may come indoors to escape the heat.

Crab Spiders

Texas has several species of crab spider most of which are found on flowers where they ambush insects. The giant crab spider is a roaming spider. These are not web builders but marauders who use strength to tackle larger insects. You may find giant crab spiders inside. They look like a cross between a tarantula and a wolf spider. Crab spiders as a whole are not toxic to humans. Their bite is similar to a bee sting.

The Longbodied Cellar Spider

These spiders are fond of living indoors. They build a decent sized web where they hang upside down. They have very long and almost translucent legs and are often mistaken for daddy long legs. It is very, very difficult to be bitten by a longbodied cellar spider. They are not harmful to humans and they are very good at catching flying insects such as mosquitoes.

Texas is home to a lot of spiders. Most are not a danger to humans. The exceptions are the recluse and the black widow spiders whose toxins are medically serious.

For the best spider exterminators in Houston, contact Preventive Pest Control.  Call us today at 281-973-5620 or contact us online.