Community identification
Common house spider (likely)
Parasteatoda tepidariorum
- Order & Family
- Araneae; Theridiidae (cobweb spiders)
- Size
- Adult body length is about 4–8 mm; females are generally larger than males, with legs extending the overall span.
Natural Habitat
Common indoors in corners, basements, garages, and around windows; also found outdoors near buildings and vegetation.
Diet & Feeding
Predatory, feeding on flies, mosquitoes, moths, and other small arthropods caught in irregular cobwebs.
Behavior Patterns
Builds tangled, three-dimensional webs and immobilizes prey with silk before biting. Females produce small silk egg sacs and may remain near developing young.
Risks & Benefits
Usually harmless to people, with medically insignificant bites being uncommon. Beneficial as a household predator of nuisance insects; the image’s low resolution makes exact identification uncertain.