Common house spiders in Kentucky and Illinois
Published Updated
By John Stopka, Co-Founder & CEO · Reviewed by John Stopka
Most spiders in a Kentucky or Illinois home are one of a few harmless kinds: the common house spider, cellar spiders, funnel weavers and grass spiders, wolf spiders and jumping spiders. University of Kentucky entomologists say wolf, grass, cellar and house spiders make their way into almost every home in Kentucky, and that none of them is normally dangerous [2]. Two are worth knowing on sight, the brown recluse and the black widow, and the web is usually the quickest way to tell what you have.
What are the common house spiders?
- Common house spider. Small, brownish and mottled, with a round abdomen. It builds messy, tangled cobwebs in corners, around windows, and in basements and garages, and hangs in the middle of them. It is harmless to people.
- Cellar spiders. A tiny body on very long, thin legs, in loose webs on basement and ceiling corners. They shake their web rapidly when disturbed. Harmless.
- Funnel weavers and grass spiders. Brown with darker stripes, fast, building sheet webs that narrow into a funnel. Common near foundations and in garages in late summer and fall.
- Wolf spiders. Bigger, hairy and fast, hunting on the floor without a web [1].
- Jumping spiders. Small, compact and fuzzy, with two large eyes facing forward, hunting in daylight on window sills, siding and porches.
What is a "brown house spider"?
It isn't one species. People use the name for whichever brown spider they found: a common house spider, a funnel weaver or grass spider, a wolf spider and, sometimes, a brown recluse.
Two quick checks rule out a brown recluse: a spider sitting in a web it built to catch food is not a recluse, and neither is one with banded or patterned legs. If neither check settles it, our brown recluse article shows what to look for.
Why are there so many spiders in my house?
Most spiders found indoors are "accidental invaders" that have entered around doors, windows, or other openings [1]. Those that like dark, quiet places can settle in for good in basements and cellars [1].
Fall is when people notice them most. Spiders have had all spring and summer to grow and build bigger webs, and wandering hunters like wolf spiders turn up indoors more often as the season turns.
Spiders indoors are following insects, so a house with a lot of spiders usually has a lot of something for them to eat.
What does the web tell you about the spider?
- A round, wheel-shaped web outdoors, on porches, shrubs and around lights: an orb weaver. Harmless, and usually gone after the first hard frost.
- A messy tangle in a corner, window or basement: a common house spider or another cobweb spider.
- A loose, floppy web with a pale, long-legged spider hanging upside down: a cellar spider.
- A flat sheet narrowing into a funnel, low on the ground or in shrubs: a funnel weaver or grass spider.
- A tough, irregular tangle low to the ground, in a woodpile or shed: possibly a black widow — see our black widow article.
- No catching web at all, just a small, off-white irregular web in a hidden spot: the brown recluse, which hunts rather than traps.
What do spider eggs look like?
Spiders lay their eggs inside a silk egg sac, not loose. Most sacs are round or teardrop-shaped, from the size of a BB to the size of a pea, and white, cream, tan or papery brown. The common house spider hangs a brownish, pear-shaped sac in its cobweb; cellar spiders carry a small bundle of eggs in their jaws; wolf spider females carry a round sac attached to the rear of the body; and black widows hang a papery, cream-to-tan sac in their tangled web. A brown recluse's sac is an off-white, flattened disc hidden in its retreat.
One sac can hold dozens to hundreds of eggs, so removing sacs along with webs is worthwhile.
Are house spiders dangerous?
The common ones aren't. UK Entomology says the wolf, grass, cellar and house spiders found in Kentucky homes are not normally dangerous [2], and a University of Illinois Extension entomologist notes that most Illinois spiders are incapable of biting humans and injecting venom [4]. The brown recluse and the black widow are the two exceptions worth knowing.
Anyone concerned about a spider bite should contact a healthcare provider.
How does Liberty handle spiders?
Spiders are a plan pest, handled on regular pest control visits. Every Liberty pest control plan covers spiders, and your Service Specialist clears spider webs as part of your visits. Your Service Specialist knocks down spider webs and wasp nests around eaves, porch ceilings and window frames. Outside, they apply a perimeter barrier around your home's foundation for crawling insects, to help keep spiders and the insects they feed on outside.
The brown recluse is the exception: it isn't part of Liberty's plans and starts with a free inspection.
When to call a professional
Call when you're finding spiders in living areas week after week, when webs keep coming back faster than you can clear them, or when you think you've found a brown recluse or a black widow.
Common questions
What is the most common house spider?
In Kentucky homes, wolf spiders, grass spiders, cellar spiders and house spiders are the ones people find most [2].
Are house spiders poisonous?
Nearly all spiders have venom, but the common house spiders aren't dangerous to people [2][4]. The brown recluse and the black widow are the exceptions.
Why do I see more spiders in the fall?
They've had all spring and summer to grow and build bigger webs, so they're easier to notice, and wandering hunters like wolf spiders turn up indoors more often.
What do spider eggs look like?
A silk sac, usually round or teardrop-shaped, from BB-size to pea-size, in white, cream, tan or papery brown.
Are spiders covered by my plan?
Yes. Every Liberty pest control plan covers spiders. The brown recluse isn't part of the plans and starts with a free inspection.
Sources
- University of Kentucky Entomology. Lee Townsend and Ken Yeargan. "Common Spiders Found Around Homes and Buildings" (ENTFACT-622). https://entomology.mgcafe.uky.edu/ef622 (opens in a new tab)
- University of Kentucky Cooperative Extension. "Managing Insects and Spiders in the Home" (HENV-401). https://publications.mgcafe.uky.edu/sites/publications.ca.uky.edu/files/HENV401.pdf (opens in a new tab)
- University of Illinois Extension. Rhonda Ferree. "Spiders: fascinating, yet frustrating" (2018). https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/ilriverhort/2018-07-23-spiders-fascinating-yet-frustrating (opens in a new tab)
- University of Illinois Extension. "Eight-Legged Jumper Not Such a Threat" (2019). https://extension.illinois.edu/blogs/flowers-fruits-and-frass/2019-10-25-eight-legged-jumper-not-such-threat (opens in a new tab)