Common House Spider
Scientific Name: Parasteatoda tepidariorum
Order & Family: Araneae: Theridiidae
Size: Females are about 5–6 mm long; males are smaller at 3.8–4.7 mm, with leg spans up to 25 mm.
Natural Habitat
Found worldwide, typically in or around man-made structures such as sheds, barns, under eaves, and inside homes near light sources.
Diet & Feeding
Carnivorous; they eat a variety of small household pests like flies, mosquitoes, ants, and sometimes other spiders.
Behavior Patterns
Tangle-web weavers that create messy, irregular webs. They are generally reclusive, staying in their webs and often hiding in a corner or retreat during the day.
Risks & Benefits
Benefits the ecosystem by controlling pest populations. They are not considered dangerous to humans as they are non-aggressive and their venom is not medically significant.
Identified on: 2/23/2026