Theridiidae (cobweb weavers)
The Common House Spider
Parasteatoda tepidariorum
Harmless
All species
Photo: Adrian Tync · CC BY-SA 4.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Family
Theridiidae (cobweb weavers)
Size
Body 5–8 mm
Region
Worldwide
Habitat
Corners of rooms, garages, sheds and window frames.
Overview
The spider you most often meet indoors. It builds tangled cobwebs in quiet corners and is completely harmless to people.
How to identify it
- Round, bulbous abdomen with mottled brown and cream patterning
- Builds an irregular tangle web (cobweb), not a neat orb
- Long, thin legs banded with light and dark rings
- Often seen hanging upside-down in its web
Standout fact
A single female can produce up to 17 egg sacs in her lifetime, each holding 100+ eggs.
