10 Most Common Spiders

Orb Weavers

• The orb weavers family of spiders is very large. In North America alone there are several hundred species belonging to this family group. The males are much smaller than the females, and females have bright color patterns, which vary tremendously. The main feature of this spider is the way it weaves it's web. It uses strands of silk to support a cocoon-like orb, in which it lives. The male does not live with the female and usually avoids her, except at mating times, because of her aggressive nature.

Jumping Spiders

• The unusual jumping spiders are more common than people realize. They often live in trees and bushes, although they can be found on woodland floors as well. They get their name from the way they hunt. Unlike many spiders, which spin a web to catch prey, the jumping spiders lay in ambush and then leap onto their prey. They only use their web as a retreating mechanism, and as a safety line should they not make their jump.

Funnel Web Weavers

• Belonging to the family of Agelenidae, these spiders build almost invisible webs, strung between tall grasses on meadows. Besides the sheet web used to catch prey, they spin a funnel in which they sit and wait. When something flies into the web the spider runs out and injects it with venom. It will then drag them into the funnel to consume while awaiting another victim.

Wolf Spiders

• Unusual for a spider, the wold spiders hunt on the ground. Most spin no webs at all, and only a few have a solid base from which to hunt. The female spiders of this species are unusual in the respect that they look after their hatchlings by carrying them on their backs. The spider is well camouflaged with the forest floor and can be difficult for a human to see.

Nursery Web Spiders

• Similar to the wolf spiders, the nursery web spiders look after their young once they hatch. The female spins a large web to contain her eggs, which she stands guard over. Once the eggs hatch, she keeps the hatchlings in the web until they are fully grown. Some nursery spiders can be found running over the surface of ponds.

Cobweb Spiders

• Cobweb spiders belong to the Theridiidae family, this includes the black widow genus. They have hooked claws and instead of spinning patterned webs, they make clumps, which we know as cobwebs. They throw this web at a victim to ensnare it, then drag them to a safe spot. Here they inject their venom and slowly eat the victim. There are more than 200 types of cobweb spiders in North America.

Crab Spiders

• Named after the way they walk, the crab spider has legs stretched out to the side. They can move in all directions with ease, which makes them excellent hunters. They do not build webs but either actively stalk prey, or lay in wait by flowers.

Ground Spiders

• Ground spiders belong to the Gnaphosidae family. They are very common and can cause alarm because of their large size. They are, however, harmless to humans. They stalk their prey without the use of webs and will not stay in a home long.

Vibrating Spiders

• Often called daddy long legs by mistake, the vibrating spider has a small body and huge spindly legs. It prefers dark quiet places to hunt, where it lies in wait of prey. It uses it's long legs to traverse uneven ground and feel through cracks to find prey.

Tarantulas

• Although not common in number in the wild, the Tarantula is widely kept as a pet. It can be distinguished by the colorful orange patterns on the base of its legs. They can grow quite large, as big as your hand, and need a large area in which to live. Although feared by many, there has never been a human fatality recorded with Tarantula bite as being the cause.