
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.
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.