Most Common Spiders in Illinois

Spiders are one of the most recognizable creepy crawlies and, for arachnophobes, are also the most terrifying. These eight legged creatures are so populated that there used to be a myth that a person was no more than three feet away from at least one spider at all times. Our company, Madison County Termite and Pest Control, has noticed that these three spider species in particular are the most common in Illinois.

Common House Spider

As the name suggests, Parasteatoda tepidariorum, or Common House Spider is the arachnid that people see the most. These tannish brown spiders grow to an average size of a quarter of an inch. The females lay egg sacs that contain about 100 to 400 eggs each and they can lay about seventeen egg sacs in their year lifespan. Their diet consists mainly of household pests like ants, houseflies, wasps, and mosquitoes. They use a tangle web or cobweb to catch prey and it is usually spun in inconspicuous corners throughout the home. This can make the spiders easy to locate by spider pest control. Various insects fly into the sticky and hardly visible trap and their instinctive struggles further entangle them, sending out vibrations along the web’s surface that the spider feels. The spider then runs to the source, subdues its meal with a deadly bite, and wraps it in silk to feast on. The common house spider’s bite is not lethal to humans and they only bite in self-defense. Though bites rarely occur, they can be quite painful and itchy around the bite marks. These spiders, like most species, are not very social and are excellent at staying out of the way of humans.

Cellar Spider

Pholcus phalangioides or Long Bodied Cellar Spiders are also found quite often and earned their name by forming their webs on the ceilings of caves, living areas, and garages. They have an average body length of a quarter inch long and their legs span about two inches. The females lay an egg sac that holds about seventeen to thirty eggs. These pale yellow spiders also form tangled cobwebs and pest control businesses such as ourselves have oftentimes seen the spiders shake this web when disturbed to confuse predators. Their bites are harmless as their fangs are not strong enough to pierce human skin and, contrary to popular belief, their venom is not strongest spider venom in the world.

Wolf Spider

The last species of spider that people in Illinois encounter most are from the family Lycosidae and are commonly known as Wolf spiders. The wolf spider is, unlike the previously mentioned species, a hunting spider that does not rely on webs to catch prey. They either ambush their food by waiting in burrows or chase it down over short distances. They can live eleven years if in the correct environment, are active throughout the day and night, and have excellent vision. These hairy, blackish grey spiders grow to about an inch in length with a leg span of two or more inches. The females of the species are known to carry their egg sacs and spiderlings to protect them from predators. Though spider pest control can find these spiders indoors, they are found more often outside as this gives them more hunting and living opportunities. Bites from them are not uncommon, but are not lethal to humans and have symptoms consisting of mild pain, swelling, and itchiness.

Spider infestations can be quite an eyesore and increase the chances of getting bitten. We at Madison County Termite and Pest Control will do everything we can to remove them before they produce more and continue their covert invasions.