Common House Spider

The common house spider is also known as the American house spider. It forms tangled webs in human dwellings, particularly between loose walls, as well as at the back of open doors and attic windows.

The common house spider is also known as the American house spider. It forms tangled webs in human dwellings, particularly between loose walls, as well as at the back of open doors and attic windows. It is similar to a cobweb spider and catches a prey after detecting disturbances created by the insect or pests on the web. The movement of the prey is important because it guides the common house spider to the entangled insect. This is because American house spiders have poor vision. Before the entangled prey is eaten, it is paralyzed by the spider’s bite. The favored insects for food of a common house spider are mosquitoes, flies, wasps and ants.

Genus

The common house spider is a spider species belonging to the genus Parasteatoda, which is indigenous to  the Americas and the Atlantic and Pacific Oceanic islands. This kind of species can survive for more than a year after maturity. An egg sac produced by a single female can contain about 100 to 400 eggs while a single female can bear up to 17 egg sacs. The hatchlings are made to stay in the web of the mother spider for a number of days.

Color to Camouflage

An American house spider has a dull brown color and includes patterns with different shades that form vague spots in the legs. The color of this spider allows it to blend in with the background and remain unnoticed by its preys.

The average body size of this kind of spider is 6 mm in length and 2.5 cm across when legs are outspread.

The male and female American house spiders usually share the same web, while females sometimes fight during an encounter.

Common House Spider Bite Symptoms

A common house spider is not an aggressive biter and usually bites humans only to defend itself mainly when grabbed or squeezed. A typical bite of this spider is dry and is just as painful as a bee sting.

Some female American house spiders can deliver a spider bite which is sharp and venomous. This kind of bite can cause swelling and itching around the punctured area of the skin and can also trigger antibody allergies in some cases.

This is not something to worry about. A good rest can help in eliminating bite symptoms at a faster rate. The neurotoxin or venom of the spider is similar to that of the black widow but not as potent. However, neurotoxin from common house spider is valuable since it can be used as an insecticide for farm use.

2 thoughts on “Common House Spider”

  1. Have a spider bite on my butt that’s been there for two years and I’ll squeeze it and I get all kinds of infection out. It goes away and comes back. I think I was bit by a jumping spider but not sure. It was the only thing I saw when I was bit. Any home remedies I can do

    Reply
    • Two years seems like a long time for a spider bite to heal unless it was a poisonous bite. That might not be a spider bite at all. There’s a good chance it could be a epidermoid cyst or sebaceous cyst, which many people confuse with bug bites or pimples that go away only to come back repeatedly in the same spot. With these types of cysts people often treat them themselves the way you described. They are usually reoccurring and basicly harmless unless they get infected. Some people (like myself) have had them for years with no issues, while others may have them removed by a doctor if they are painful or get large or infected. You should ask your family doctor look at it. I hope this helps!

      Reply

Leave a Reply