Photo: Adrian Tync, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Kansas City Pest Identification
Parasteatoda tepidariorum (American house spider)Common House Spider Identification
The little brown cobweb spider behind most of the dusty webs in garage corners, window frames, and basement ceilings. Harmless, and a sign there are insects to eat.
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How to Identify It
Small, dull brown with a round abdomen mottled in gray and brown and faintly banded legs. Hangs upside down in a tangled, irregular cobweb; egg sacs are brown and teardrop-shaped.
Size: Body 4–8 mm
Commonly Confused With
Sometimes mistaken for a brown widow or a young black widow because of the round abdomen. House spiders are dull, never glossy, and have no hourglass.
Why It Shows Up
Insects around lights and windows. They set up where prey collects and stay if it keeps coming.
Where Homeowners Find It
Window and door frames, garage and porch corners, basement ceilings, under eaves, and around exterior light fixtures.
Seasonal Activity in KC
Year-round indoors; more noticeable in late summer and fall.
Risk Level
None to speak of. Bites are extremely rare and minor. The webs are the only real complaint.
What You Can Do Yourself
- • Knock down webs regularly; the spider moves on if it keeps losing its web.
- • Reduce outdoor lighting or switch to yellow LEDs.
- • Fix screens and seal the gaps insects use to get in.
What Professional Treatment Involves
Web removal and an exterior treatment around windows, doors, eaves, and lights as part of a general spider or quarterly service. This is not a species that needs a dedicated program.
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Common Questions
How do I tell a common house spider from something that looks similar?
Sometimes mistaken for a brown widow or a young black widow because of the round abdomen. House spiders are dull, never glossy, and have no hourglass.
Do I need professional treatment for common house spider?
Web removal and an exterior treatment around windows, doors, eaves, and lights as part of a general spider or quarterly service. This is not a species that needs a dedicated program.