Bug Identifier
Household Thread-waisted Spider (likely a Pholcid variant)
Community identification

Household Thread-waisted Spider (likely a Pholcid variant)

Pholcus phalangioides

Order & Family
Araneae: Pholcidae
Size
Body length 7-9 mm; legs can span up to 50-60 mm.
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Indoor environments, particularly dark, undisturbed corners of houses, basements, and attics.

Diet & Feeding

Feeds on small insects, other spiders, and household pests like flies or mosquitoes.

Behavior Patterns

Known for creating irregular, messy webs. They exhibit a 'vibrating' behavior when threatened, spinning rapidly in their web to blur their outline.

Risks & Benefits

Benefits humans by eating pest insects. They are generally harmless to humans as their fangs are rarely able to penetrate human skin and their venom is not medically significant.