Common Pacific Northwest Spiders

There are 24 confirmed types of spiders that reside in the Pacific Northwest. The 11 most common types of spider species that you might find in your home include:

• The Common House Spider
• The Cross Orbweaver Spider
• The False Black Widow
• The Hobo Spider
• The Long-Bodied Cellar Spider (also known as Daddy Long-Leg)
• The Mouse Spider
• The Sierra Dome Spider
• The Western Black Widow Spider
• The Wolf Spider
• The Northern Yellow Sac Spider
• The Zebra Jumping Spider

Get Professional Exterminators To Help You Identify Spiders In Your Home

The Common House Spider (Parasteatoda tepidariorum)

The most common kind of spider by far is the common House Spider. They are typically brown or gray in color and have darker markings along their bodies. Because of their common features and color, they can easily be confused with other spiders. The common house spider is usually very small, less than 1/4 inch long.

This prolific spider is named for the fact that this is usually the spider most often seen indoors. Though they have better survival rates outside (more insects available for food), this type of spider is extremely good at home invasion. It is a nuisance pest, probably more because of its webs than the spider itself. Its webs are in corners of rooms and are easy to miss. This spider is found worldwide and is common throughout the United States and Canada.

The Western Black Widow Spider (Latrodoctus hesperus)

Probably the most famous but also most reclusive spider is the Western Black Widow. Adult females have very dangerous venom, but will often try to run away rather than confront or bite. They usually are shiny black with a red hourglass marking on their belly, but the belly marking can also be yellowish-orange, and it might be in the shape of an hourglass, two distinct marks, or just a spot. The body of the female is about 1/2 inch long.

Their favorite sites for webs are usually in dark, undisturbed areas like woodpiles, piles of rubble, stacks of hay bales, water meter boxes, under eaves, and on fences. The typical web of a black widow is very messy looking – not an organized or “pretty” web – and is made of strong, sticky silk.

The Hobo Spider (Eratigena agrestis)

Sometimes known as the American Funnel Web Spider because of their distinctive, funnel-shaped webs, Hobo spiders are very shy. They retreat when disturbed and don’t like to bite. Adults are dark brown with distinctive yellow markings on their abdomens. They are moderately large, having a body length ranging from 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch.

Hobo Spiders catch their prey by building funnel webs in recessed corners, holes, or cracks. They prefer dark and slightly damp areas, hiding around retaining walls, woodpiles, house foundations, under stones, or garden ornaments. The males tend to wander looking for mates in the late summer and early fall. Because of this, they’re often found in homes and garages in the months of August through September.

The Wolf Spider (Family Lycosidae)

These larger, speedy hunters are known for pouncing on prey as they find it or even chasing down prey for short distances. Wolf Spiders mostly live and hunt alone, and they don’t spin webs. Though they look very similar to nursery web spiders, the wolf spider is easily distinguished by its two larger and more prominent eyes, whereas the nursery spider’s eyes are all the same size.

The Wolf Spider’s favorite hunting grounds include wooded areas, coastal forests, alpine meadows, suburban gardens, shrublands, and homes. Though they do not climb very well, they do run very fast. They prey on insects that are walking or resting on the ground. During the warmer summer months, the Wolf Spider will try to escape the hot weather and move inside homes or structures where they can find dark places and cool temperatures.

The Northern Yellow Sac Spider (Cheiracanthium species)

The Yellow Sac Spider, though often not yellow, is found in eastern Washington and in the Seattle area. These spiders are a growing nuisance for homeowners. They are named for the small cocoon-type webs or silk sacs they weave and sleep in. They prefer the outdoors and are mainly garden-dwelling spiders in the warm season. They actively hunt at night and often make their way indoors in the fall. They are great climbers and are usually spotted along walls or on the ceiling. Yellow Sac Spiders are also more tolerant of colder weather and may still wander outdoors when the temperature drops.

How to Get Rid of House Spiders

Because of their web site selection by trial and error, many webs may be constructed in several days. Dust collecting on these webs accentuates their presence. This situation is unacceptable in most households, not to mention offices and other working environments.

If you have a house spider infestation that you urgently need to be removed, Eastside Exterminators can help. Our Seattle pest exterminators use the latest spider control methods to clear them and keep them out of people’s homes. To schedule our services to get rid of the PNW spiders, call us at 425-318-7912 today.

FAQ About Spiders in Washington State

Here are a few questions we commonly get about spiders in the Seattle area.