# House Spider (*Parasteatoda tepidariorum*)

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

- **Category:** [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/insect)
- **Rarity:** Common
- **Danger:** 2/5 · Low
- **Snaps:** 1
- **Habitat:** Inside homes
- **Also known as:** Common House Spider, Domestic House Spider

![House Spider](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771425959/objects/5572.jpg)

## 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.

## Taxonomy

- **Kingdom:** Animalia
- **Phylum:** Arthropoda
- **Class:** Arachnida
- **Order:** Araneae
- **Family:** Theridiidae
- **Genus:** Parasteatoda

## 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

- **Sticky Silk Slingers:** House Spider can spin incredibly strong, sticky silk to build intricate webs that help them trap unsuspecting prey.
- **Silent Stalker Sensors:** House Spider has tiny hairs on its legs that detect vibrations in its web, helping them locate prey or danger.
- **Gravity-Defying Grips:** 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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/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](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats.
- [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
- [Web Builder](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/web-builder): This trait characterizes organisms that construct elaborate silken webs for catching prey, shelter, or reproduction.
- [Insectivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/insectivorous): This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates.
- [Urban Friendly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/urban-friendly): This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces.
- [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day.

## Collections

- [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects)
- [Insects](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/insects-and-bugs)

## Safety

**Danger:** 2/5 · Low

Do not touch or pick up. Some insects sting or bite. Ask an adult for help.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### How to identify House Spider?

Compare body proportions, leg shape, abdomen markings and the web, if there is one. Eye arrangement can be decisive but rarely shows up in a casual phone photo. A web is a supporting clue, not proof of who built it. Spider Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details.

### How big is House Spider?

3-8 mm

### How long does House Spider live?

730-1095 days

### What does House Spider eat?

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

### Where is House Spider usually found?

Inside homes

### How does House Spider hunt?

Ambush

### How many legs does House Spider have?

8

## Where to spot

- [Concord](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/concord) — Tennessee, US · Neighborhood

## More Insects

- [Common Eastern Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/common-eastern-bumble-bee) (*Bombus impatiens*)
- [Spotted Lanternfly](https://www.snappit.app/explore/spotted-lanternfly) (*Lycorma delicatula*)
- [Brown-belted Bumble Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-belted-bumble-bee) (*Bombus griseocollis*)
- [Eastern Carpenter Bee](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-carpenter-bee) (*Xylocopa virginica*)

---

Source: [House Spider: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/house-spider)