Spiders are among the most beneficial cohabitants a home can have. They prey on flies, mosquitoes, cockroaches, moths, and a host of other household pests, quietly providing a pest control service that requires no chemicals and no effort on our part. Most house spiders are completely harmless to people, and the vast majority of bites attributed to spiders are caused by other insects or skin conditions entirely. Learning to identify the spiders sharing your home is the first step toward appreciating rather than fearing them. The 35 spiders below are the most commonly encountered house and building spiders across North America, Europe, Australia, and beyond.
Common House Spiders
American House Spider
The American house spider is the most commonly encountered spider inside homes across North America and is responsible for the vast majority of the messy, irregular cobwebs found in corners, basements, and windowsills. It is a small, round-abdomened spider — the female roughly the size of a pea — in mottled shades of brown, tan, and dirty white with darker chevron markings on the abdomen. The cephalothorax is tan to orange-brown with a dark central stripe. Identified by its messy, tangled, three-dimensional cobweb built in sheltered, undisturbed corners, often with a small, round egg sac attached. It is completely harmless and shy, dropping from its web and feigning death when disturbed.
Common House Spider (European)
The European house spider is a large, fast-moving, brown spider that is one of the most frequently encountered spiders in homes across Europe and has been introduced widely in North America. The female is notably large — up to three-quarters of an inch in body length — with long legs and a robust, elongated brown abdomen with a distinctive herringbone or chevron pattern of pale and dark markings. It is identified by its large size relative to most indoor spiders, its speed when disturbed, and the large, flat funnel web it constructs in corners, behind furniture, and in undisturbed areas. The males wander in autumn in search of females and are frequently found in bathtubs and sinks, having slipped down the smooth sides while seeking moisture.
Daddy Long-Legs Spider (Cellar Spider)
The daddy long-legs spider — not to be confused with the daddy long-legs harvestman, which is not a spider — is one of the most familiar of all house spiders worldwide, identified immediately by its tiny, pale, round-to-oval body suspended on extraordinarily long, thread-like legs that may span two inches or more. It builds a loose, irregular, three-dimensional web in corners, ceiling junctions, cellars, and the undersides of furniture and shelving. When disturbed it vibrates its body rapidly in the web, blurring itself into near-invisibility. Despite persistent internet myths, it is not dangerous to humans — its venom is weak and poses no medical threat whatsoever.
False Widow Spider
False widow spiders are medium-sized, dark brown to purplish-black cobweb spiders increasingly common in homes across Britain, western Europe, and parts of North and South America, where they have spread from their native Canary Islands and Madeira. The female is identified by her smooth, round, dark brown to reddish-brown abdomen with a distinctive cream or off-white pattern of markings — often likened to a skull shape — on the top of the abdomen. She builds a sticky, three-dimensional cobweb in sheltered corners, under windowsills, and in wall crevices. While bites can occasionally cause localized pain and swelling, serious reactions are uncommon, and she is far less dangerous than the true black widow she superficially resembles.
Brown Recluse
The brown recluse is one of the most medically significant house spiders in North America, native to the south-central United States. It is identified by three key features: its uniformly sandy-brown to golden-brown coloring with no distinctive abdominal markings, its distinctive violin or fiddle-shaped marking on the top of the cephalothorax — the dark “neck” pointing toward the abdomen — and its six eyes arranged in three pairs of two rather than the standard eight eyes of most spiders. It is a true recluse — shy, nocturnal, and found in undisturbed areas such as cardboard boxes, folded clothing, unused shoes, and dark closet corners. The bite can cause necrotic tissue damage in some cases.
Black Widow
The black widow is the most medically significant spider commonly encountered in and around homes in North America, particularly in garages, outbuildings, woodpiles, and garden sheds in the warmer and western regions of the continent. The female is identified by her glossy, jet-black, spherical abdomen bearing the unmistakable bright red hourglass marking on the underside — visible when she hangs upside down in her web, as she typically does. The web is irregular, sticky, and built low to the ground in dark, sheltered spots. She is not aggressive and bites only when trapped or disturbed. The male is much smaller, brown, and of little medical concern.
Hobo Spider
The hobo spider is a large, brown funnel-web spider of the American Pacific Northwest, closely related to European house spiders and once considered medically significant before more recent research questioned its venom’s necrotic properties. It is identified by its large size, uniformly brown coloring without the leg banding of many similar spiders, a distinctive herringbone pattern of pale chevrons on the abdomen, and the flat, horizontal funnel-shaped web it constructs in low, dark, sheltered locations — under logs, in woodpiles, around foundations, and occasionally inside homes in basements and crawl spaces. Males wander in late summer and autumn seeking females.
Sac Spider (Yellow)
Yellow sac spiders are small, pale yellow to pale green or cream-colored spiders extremely common in homes across North America, Europe, and Asia, responsible for the small, flat, silken sac retreats found along the junctions of walls and ceilings and under furniture. They are identified by their uniform pale coloring — no distinctive pattern — a slightly darker stripe along the top of the abdomen, and their habit of hunting actively at night rather than in a web. The front legs are noticeably longer than the others. They are nocturnal wanderers and are the most common cause of indoor spider bites in North America, though the bite causes only minor, transient discomfort.
Jumping Spider (Bold or Daring)
Bold jumping spiders are small, compact, velvety-black spiders with white spots or bands on the abdomen and strikingly iridescent, metallic blue-green chelicerae that flash brilliantly in light. They are among the most commonly encountered jumping spiders indoors in North America, often seen on sunny windowsills and walls, where their excellent vision — provided by four forward-facing eyes, with two being large and principal — allows them to track movement with alert, almost human-like attention. They stalk prey with deliberate, feline precision before leaping. Identified by their compact, stocky shape, jerky movement pattern, and habit of turning to face and observe whatever draws their interest.
Wolf Spider (Indoor)
Wolf spiders encountered indoors are typically large, fast, ground-hunting spiders that enter homes through gaps at ground level, particularly in autumn. They are identified by their robust, hairy build, long legs, and distinctive eye arrangement — four small front eyes in a row, two large middle eyes pointing forward and upward, and two large side eyes. They are typically brown or gray with darker mottled, striped, or chevron markings. Unlike web-building house spiders, wolf spiders are active, free-running hunters that chase down prey. The female carries her round, silken egg sac attached to her spinnerets and the hatched spiderlings on her back — a reliable identification feature if she is carrying young.
Zebra Jumping Spider
The zebra jumping spider is one of the most commonly encountered and easily identified jumping spiders on the exterior and interior walls of buildings across Europe, North America, and beyond. It is identified by its distinctive black-and-white striped pattern — bold white stripes on the abdomen alternating with black, with white facial markings — that gives it its zebra name. It is small and compact with the characteristic large front eyes of all jumping spiders. It is often seen on sunny exterior walls, windowsills, and fences, hunting small insects with its excellent vision. Entirely harmless and remarkably curious and bold around people.
Orb Weaver (Garden Spider Indoors)
Several orb weaver species — including the cross orbweaver and the shamrock orbweaver — commonly build their large, circular, precision-engineered webs in windows, doorframes, porch corners, and the eaves of buildings, particularly in late summer and autumn when the females are at their largest. They are identified by the classic, spiraling circular web with evenly spaced radial threads and a central hub where the spider sits or hides in a rolled-leaf retreat nearby connected by a signal thread. The female is typically large, boldly patterned in brown, yellow, and silver, and entirely harmless. Males are much smaller and rarely noticed.
Long-Bodied Cellar Spider
The long-bodied cellar spider is a close relative of the daddy long-legs spider but has a distinctively elongated, cylindrical abdomen rather than the round abdomen of the daddy long-legs. It is pale tan to gray in color and builds loose, tangled webs in garages, basements, cellars, and the dark corners of buildings. Like its relative, it vibrates rapidly when disturbed, becoming a blur in its web. It is identified by the combination of long, slender legs, tiny cephalothorax, and the distinctive elongated, cigar-shaped abdomen. It is found across North America, Europe, and worldwide in temperate buildings and is completely harmless.
Spitting Spider
The spitting spider is a fascinating and entirely harmless small spider found inside homes across Europe, North America, and warmer regions worldwide, often in bedrooms and living rooms where it hunts other small spiders and insects at night. It is identified by its distinctive high-domed, hump-backed cephalothorax, six eyes arranged in three pairs, and its mottled yellowish-brown and black spotted pattern. It moves slowly and deliberately, and when within striking range of prey it spits a zigzag stream of venomous, sticky silk that pins the victim instantly. Despite its dramatic hunting method, it is entirely safe for humans and provides a genuinely useful pest control function indoors.
Common Cobweb Spider (Achaearanea)
Common cobweb spiders of the genus Parasteatoda and Achaearanea are small, round-abdomened spiders — the females roughly the size of a match head — that build the familiar, sticky, three-dimensional tangle webs found in undisturbed corners of rooms, garages, and garden structures. They are identified by their small size, round, often off-white to tan abdomen with variable dark patterning, and the characteristic egg sacs — round, tan, papery spheres — suspended in the web alongside the spider. They are entirely harmless and highly beneficial, trapping large numbers of insects including mosquitoes and flies throughout the year.
Triangulate Cobweb Spider
The triangulate cobweb spider is a small but striking cobweb spider common in homes across North America and Europe, identified by the distinctive triangular pattern on the top of its pale, cream-to-white abdomen — a network of reddish-brown, orange, or purple geometric markings that give it one of the most decorative abdominal patterns of any house spider. It builds small, irregular, three-dimensional webs in the corners of rooms, windowsills, and the junctions of walls and ceilings. The distinctive triangular abdominal pattern makes it one of the easiest small house spiders to identify. It is completely harmless and is a close relative of the American house spider.
Giant House Spider
The giant house spider is the largest spider commonly found indoors in Europe and one of the largest spiders on the continent overall — females can have a leg span exceeding three inches. It is identified by its very large size, its uniformly dark brown to orange-brown, hairy legs, its elongated brown abdomen with a pale central stripe and chevron markings, and the large, flat funnel-shaped web it builds in low corners, beneath furniture, and in garages and sheds. Males are frequently encountered wandering across floors and appearing in bathtubs in late summer and autumn during their mating season. Despite its alarming size, it is harmless and actually outcompetes hobo spiders for territory.
Funnel Weaver Spider
Funnel weaver spiders build the flat, horizontal, trampoline-like sheet webs with a distinctive tubular funnel retreat at one end that are commonly found in low corners of rooms, across grass in gardens, and in dense vegetation near buildings. The spider hides in the funnel and rushes out to grab insects that trip over the vertical knockdown threads above the sheet and fall onto it. They are identified by their flat, horizontally extended sheet web, the funnel retreat, their long, fast legs adapted for rapid movement on flat surfaces, and their brown or gray-brown coloring with two dark stripes along the cephalothorax. They are entirely harmless and very common.
Domestic House Spider (Tegenaria)
The domestic house spider of the genus Tegenaria is one of the most widespread and familiar house spiders across Europe and introduced parts of North America, closely related to the hobo and giant house spider. It is identified by its medium-to-large size, long legs, orange-brown cephalothorax with two darker central stripes, and the mottled, pale-and-dark chevron pattern on the elongated abdomen. It constructs a large, flat sheet web with a tubular funnel retreat in low corners and undisturbed areas of homes. Females are long-lived — sometimes surviving three or more years — and maintain their webs indefinitely. The male is a frequent wanderer in autumn.
Running Crab Spider (Indoor)
Running crab spiders are flattened, fast-moving hunters that enter homes in search of prey and are often found on walls, ceilings, and window areas. They are identified by their somewhat flattened body, legs that extend sideways rather than forward, and their ability to move sideways as fluidly as they move forward or backward. Most are pale tan, cream, or gray with variable markings, and they do not build a web. They belong to the family Philodromidae and are among the most frequently misidentified house spiders, often confused with larger crab spiders or even small wolf spiders. They are harmless and effective predators of small flies and insects.
Mouse Spider (Indoor)
Not to be confused with the dangerous Australian mouse spider, the indoor mouse spider of Europe — Scotophaeus blackwalli — is a harmless, velvety, uniformly dark brown to gray-brown spider with a distinctively smooth, mouse-like texture to its abdomen that gives it its name. It is a ground hunter that does not build a web but roams the floors and lower walls of homes at night in search of insects. During the day it rests in a small silken retreat under furniture, behind skirting boards, and in similar sheltered spots. It is identified by its uniformly dark, velvety coloring, smooth texture, and lack of any distinctive markings. Entirely harmless.
Comb-Footed Spider
Comb-footed spiders — members of the family Theridiidae, the same family as black widows — are a huge group of small, round-abdomened cobweb-building spiders that includes many common house species beyond the black widow. They are named for the comb-like row of curved, serrated bristles on the hind legs used to throw silk over prey. Common species include Steatoda triangulosa — identifiable by its distinctive purple-brown coloring and pale geometric abdominal pattern — and various Parasteatoda species. They are found in the corners of rooms, crawl spaces, garages, and undisturbed areas worldwide. Most are completely harmless, though larger species can occasionally cause minor irritation if they bite.
Spotted Orbweaver (House Exterior)
Spotted orb weavers are common large spiders found on the exterior walls of buildings, in window frames, and around porch lights, where they position their webs to intercept the insects attracted to artificial light at night. They are identified by their large size — females with a leg span up to an inch — their distinctively humped, abdomen bearing large, variable spots and blotches in orange, yellow, brown, and white on a brown background, and their classic, large, circular orb web. They take down and consume their webs each morning and rebuild each evening. They are entirely harmless and a highly effective form of natural insect control around buildings.
Woodlouse Spider
The woodlouse spider is an unusual and immediately recognizable spider commonly found in homes, gardens, and buildings worldwide, identified by its striking, distinctive two-tone coloring — a deep, brick-red to orange-red cephalothorax and legs contrasting with a silvery-gray, shiny, hairless abdomen. It is a specialist predator of woodlice (pill bugs), possessing unusually large, powerful chelicerae capable of piercing the tough exoskeleton of its armored prey. It does not build a capturing web but lives in a silken retreat under stones, logs, and debris in damp spots. Found under the edges of steps, behind baseboards, and in damp cellar areas. The bite can cause localized irritation.
Hacklemesh Weaver
Hacklemesh weavers build a distinctive layered web combining a flat sheet web with a tubular silk retreat and an overhead tangle of threads, found in dark, undisturbed corners of basements, crawl spaces, and garden structures. They are identified by their medium size, dark brown to reddish-brown coloring, robust build, and the characteristic multi-layered web system. The female spends most of her time in the silk tube, rushing out to subdue prey caught in the sheet below. Common across North America and Europe, they are one of the most frequently encountered spiders in basements and older buildings and are completely harmless. The web often accumulates significant debris over time.
Long-Legged Sac Spider
Long-legged sac spiders are slender, pale tan to yellow spiders with notably long, thin legs — the first pair significantly longer than the others — that are active hunters inside homes, found running on walls and ceilings at night. They are identified by their pale, almost translucent coloring, lack of distinctive markings, long front legs, and the habit of building small, flat silken retreats — sacs — in sheltered spots such as leaf rolls, corners, and under furniture. They are closely related to the yellow sac spider and are equally common indoors, particularly in warm climates. Nocturnal and fast-moving, they are often seen briefly at night and are harmless.
Daddy Long-Legs Harvestman (Opiliones)
While technically not a true spider — harvestmen have a fused, one-piece body and no silk glands or venom — they are so commonly confused with spiders and found in the same household environments that they deserve inclusion here. They are identified by their single, oval, undivided body with two tiny eyes on a central turret, and their extraordinarily long, fragile, hair-thin legs. They are scavengers rather than predators, feeding on decaying organic matter, small insects, and fungal material. Found in basements, garages, and damp corners of buildings, they are completely harmless and are actually important decomposers in household ecosystems.
Cross Orbweaver
The cross orbweaver — also called the garden spider or diadem spider — is one of the most recognizable and frequently seen spiders on the exterior of homes and in gardens across Europe and North America. It is identified by its large, rounded, brownish-gray abdomen bearing a distinctive pattern of white dots forming a cross or crucifix shape on the top — the feature that gives it its common name. The female is significantly larger than the male and builds a large, classic, spiraling orb web in shrubs, windows, and door frames. In autumn, females are at their largest and most visible, and egg sacs of yellow-gold silk are attached nearby. Entirely harmless.
Tube Web Spider
Tube web spiders are large, impressive, fast-moving spiders introduced from Europe to parts of North America, identified by their very large size — among the biggest spiders found in temperate buildings — their striking metallic, iridescent green chelicerae, uniformly dark brown to black coloring, and the distinctive, star-shaped web entrance they construct in wall crevices, gaps around window frames, and holes in brickwork. Radiating silk threads spread out from the circular tube entrance like spokes, and the spider darts out to seize insects that touch the threads. The bite is reportedly quite painful but not medically dangerous. Its large size and iridescent chelicerae make it unmistakable.
Cellar Spider (Short-Bodied)
The short-bodied cellar spider is a compact, short-legged relative of the classic daddy long-legs cellar spider, with a more rounded abdomen and shorter legs that it holds tightly against its body when at rest. It is pale tan to light brown and builds a loose, irregular web in basements, crawl spaces, and low sheltered corners of homes. Like its longer-legged relative, it may shake rapidly in its web when disturbed. It is identified by its small size, round pale abdomen, and the distinctly shorter, less thread-like legs that immediately distinguish it from the classic long-bodied cellar spider. It is found worldwide in buildings and is completely harmless.
Grass Spider (Indoor)
Grass spiders regularly enter homes through gaps around doors and windows, particularly in late summer and autumn, where they may be found running on floors and low walls. They are identified by two dark brown stripes running along either side of the top of the cephalothorax with a pale central stripe — the most consistent identification mark — a long, slender abdomen with faint chevron markings, and their long, thin legs adapted for speed on flat surfaces. In gardens they build flat sheet webs with a funnel retreat in lawns and low vegetation. Indoors they are wanderers rather than web builders. They are harmless but fast — capable of moving surprisingly quickly when startled.
Parson Spider
The parson spider is a small, fast, ground-hunting spider common in homes across North America, identified by its distinctive abdominal pattern — a gray, zigzag or wavy white stripe running down the center of a dark brown to black abdomen, said to resemble the white cravat worn by a parson or clergyman. The cephalothorax is dark brown to black and the legs are reddish-brown. It is a nocturnal hunter that does not use a web, roaming floors and walls at night in search of small insects. It often enters homes in autumn and is frequently found running across floors and countertops. The bite can cause minor irritation and occasional allergic reactions in sensitive individuals.
Cupboard Spider
The cupboard spider — Steatoda grossa — is a common indoor spider across North America and Europe, found in the dark, undisturbed recesses of cupboards, wardrobes, under furniture, and in garages and sheds. It is identified by its smooth, round, dark brown to purple-black abdomen with faint, pale cream banding or spots, its shiny appearance, and the sticky, irregular cobweb it builds in sheltered corners. It closely resembles a small black widow and belongs to the same family. While its bite can occasionally cause mild discomfort resembling a minor black widow bite — a condition called steatodism — serious reactions are uncommon. The funnelweb antivenom is effective if needed.
Spiny Orbweaver (Crab Spider Exterior)
The spiny orbweaver is one of the most distinctive and memorable spiders found on the exterior of homes across the American South, Southeast, and tropical regions worldwide. It is identified immediately by its striking, crab-like, highly flattened, white or yellow abdomen bearing six prominent, spike-like projections along the edges, with bold red or black markings. No other spider looks remotely like it. Despite its alarming, alien appearance, it is entirely harmless, builds a classic circular orb web in shrubs, eaves, and garden vegetation, and is actually a sign of a healthy garden ecosystem. The bizarre spiny abdomen is thought to deter bird predators.
Barn Funnel Weaver
The barn funnel weaver is a large, brown funnel-web spider extremely common in homes, barns, sheds, and outbuildings across North America and Europe, closely related to the hobo and giant house spider. It is identified by its medium-to-large size, brown to gray-brown coloring with two distinct dark stripes on the cephalothorax and a pale, mottled, chevron-patterned abdomen, and the large, flat, horizontal sheet web with a distinct tubular funnel retreat it constructs in dark, low, sheltered areas — behind stored equipment, in wood piles, around window ledges, and in the upper corners of outbuildings. It is harmless and one of the most abundant spiders in rural and suburban structures across the Northern Hemisphere.