Spiders Found in Alabama

Brown Spiders

• Alabama has a variety of brown spiders. The American house spider is a member of the tepidariorum species. Another name for the American house spider is the cobweb spider. It ranges from 0.24 to 0.79 inches in length. The cobwebs resemble traditional Halloween cobwebs situated in the corners of windows, walls and attics. Sometimes numerous female spiders will build their webs close together. This spider may also appear black or tan.

  Another brown spider is the long-bodied cellar spider. It is a part of the phalangioides species. This type of spider frequently jumps on its web to disorient predators. The long-bodied cellar spider measures from 0.28 to 0.39 inches long. Some people may refer to these spiders as daddy long-legs or skull spiders.

Yellow Spiders

• You may notice yellow spiders in Alabama. The basilica orb weaver spider ranges from 0.51 to 0.75 inches in length and is a member of the lemniscates species. These spiders live along the banks of bodies of water. They do not build their cobwebs every day as other types of orb weavers do, but may reconstruct a newer dwelling on top of their old webs. This type of spider builds its webs horizontally and in the shape of a dome. The web typically looks similar to mesh and is small.

  Another type of yellow spider is the goldenrod crab spider or the flower spider. It belongs to the vatia species. The spider ranges from 0.12 to 0.35 inches long. The male spider is bright yellow with red spots on the abdomen, while the female is either yellow or white with no additional marking on abdomen.

Black and Brown Spiders

• Alabama has a host of black and brown spiders. One black and brown spider that is a member of the triangulosa species is the triangulate cobweb spider. Another name for this spider is the triangulate bud spider. It gets it name from the triangle on its abdomen. It likes to eat a variety of insects and other spiders such as the brown recluse. The triangulate cobweb spider ranges in length from 0.12 to 0.24 inches long.

  Another black and brown spider-like insect is eastern harvest man. It is actually related to the spider family. Another name for this creature is daddy long legs. This insect grows from 0.24 to 0.31 in length. It does not bite, nor does it have fangs. The legs are vital to the insect living. Besides walking, the second pair of legs helps with catching food, breathing and smelling. Therefore, if something happens to the second pair of legs it will die. Additionally, the eastern harvestman can remove one of its other legs to distract a predator. However, it will never grow the legs back once this occurs. (See References 5 and 6)

Red and Brown Spiders

• Alabama has plenty of spiders that appear red and brown. For example, the arrowhead orb weaver spider belongs to the arenata species. It gets its name from the triangular or arrow-shaped abdomen. It can grow up to 0.24 inches in length. It lives in the forest beneath shaded areas and sits on its web with its head up in the air. Additionally, unlike many spiders, this type of spider looks as if it's prepared to catch its prey with its legs neatly bent along the side of its body.

  Another spider that is reddish-brown is the ground crab spider. Its scientific name is Xysticus spp. This type of spider looks similar to a crab when it walks and sits. The legs in the back are short, while the front legs are long. These spiders sit on flowers watching for prey. They can grow up to 0.35 inches long. Other colors that may appear on the ground crab spider include tan and black.