Southern House Spider

Southern House Spiders in Mid-South TN

Southern house spiders, sometimes referred to as crevice spiders, are commonly found in Mid-South TN. They are frequently mistaken for brown recluse spiders, however, males have eight eyes squeezed together, and females are velvety black and look more like small tarantulas. Yet both sexes are frequently mistaken for recluses. Southern house spiders make a cottony web on a flat surface where they hide in a hole, waiting for prey.

Southern House Spider Habitat

The southern house spider is partial to spaces within the masonry of buildings; especially dark recesses of window sills, shutters, and overhangs. Females and juveniles make specialized webs that are occasionally found under tree bark but are frequently seen on houses, barns, bridges, and other man-made structures. Southern house spiders will build webs in high places, and typically in the cracks and crevices of homes, garages, and sheds. These spiders will also spin their webs outside, in plants, cactus, and vegetation. The webs of this spider are flat and tangled, having a woolly texture.

Southern House Spider Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

While they look similar to the dangerous recluse spider species, southern house spiders are harmless to humans. They are reluctant to bite, and their venom is not medically significant. They do, however, have an unnerving tendency to crawl across anything in their path. Male southern house spiders sometimes appear aggressive, but they do not bite unless trapped and their mouthparts are too small to easily penetrate human skin. The southern house spider can be a particular pest during the winter, building up populations in unkept areas of houses, outbuildings, warehouses, and similar structures in addition to outdoor habitats.

If you are dealing with southern house spider problems on your Mid-South TN property, contact your local spider exterminators.