House Spider

Parasteatoda tepidariorum

House Spiders are friendly spiders that like to live in our homes. They help keep other bugs away!

Habitat: Inside homes

Appearance

The House Spider has a compact, rounded body that is typically yellowish-brown to dark grey, often with subtle chevron patterns on its abdomen. Its eight long, slender legs are usually banded with a darker shade, giving it a somewhat striped appearance.

KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassArachnidaOrderAraneaeFamilyTheridiidaeGenusParasteatoda

House Spider

Interesting facts

A house spider's silk is super strong, even stronger than a steel thread of the same thickness!

Female house spiders can lay hundreds of eggs at once inside a protective, silky egg sac!

Some house spiders can regenerate lost legs after molting, like growing a brand new limb!

Spiders are very clean and spend hours grooming their eight legs and fangs.

Special abilities

House Spider can spin incredibly strong, sticky silk to build intricate webs that help them trap unsuspecting prey.

House Spider has tiny hairs on its legs that detect vibrations in its web, helping them locate prey or danger.

House Spider can walk upside down on smooth surfaces because of tiny claws and sticky hairs on its feet.

Measurements & details

Size: 3-8 mm
Lifespan: 730-1095 days
Leg Count: 8

Diet & Feeding

Tiny predators that capture insects in their sticky webs for a meal.

Primary Foods

flies
mosquitoes
small moths
ants
silverfish

Foraging Method

Ambush

Ecological connections

hunts

House Fly

Musca domestica

Traps and eats common house flies.

hunts

Common Mosquito

Culex pipiens

Catches mosquitoes in its sticky web.

eaten by

House Centipede

Scutigera coleoptrata

Can be prey for larger house centipedes.

eaten by

Wolf Spider

Geolycosa missouriensis

Larger wolf spiders might prey on them.

Traits

Wildlife

Step into the incredible world of wild animals and plants living freely in nature. From tiny insects to towering trees, it's all part of the wild wonders around us!

Solitary

Meet animals that enjoy their independence! These creatures prefer to live by themselves, finding food and shelter on their own.

Web Builder

Witness the incredible artistry of creatures that weave intricate, silken structures right before your eyes. They create amazing traps and homes using their own unique silk.

Insectivorous

Discover clever creatures that specialize in munching on insects, playing a super important role in keeping bug populations in check. They are nature's tiny bug vacuums!