Bug Identifier
Common House Spider
Community identification

Common House Spider

Parasteatoda tepidariorum

Order & Family
Araneae: Theridiidae
Size
Body length 5 to 6 mm for females, 3.8 to 4.7 mm for males.
See this bug in the Encyclopedia

Natural Habitat

Commonly found in and around human dwellings, particularly in corners, garages, basements, and under furniture.

Diet & Feeding

Mainly small household insects and other spiders. They use sticky webs to entangle prey.

Behavior Patterns

They are nocturnal hunters that spend most of their time in their tangled webs. They are known for building 'messy' cobwebs and may abandon them to build new ones if prey is scarce.

Risks & Benefits

Benefits the ecosystem by controlling indoor pests like flies and gnats. They are generally harmless to humans and rarely bite unless provoked, with bites typically causing only minor swelling or itching.