Common house spider (Parasteatoda tepidariorum)
The common house spider is a spider in the family Theridiidae that is not dangerous to people. GBIF holds 893 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 35 states, most of all California (197), Maryland (92) and Massachusetts (69). Its observation records peak in July.
Parasteatoda tepidariorum, the common house spider or American house spider, is a spider species of the genus Parasteatoda with a cosmopolitan distribution. Common house spiders are synanthropic and live in and near human dwellings. Their prey mechanism is similar to that of the other cobweb spiders: the spider follows disturbances transmitted along the web to entangle and then paralyze its prey, which usually consists of household insects and other invertebrates (often considered as pests).
From Wikipedia: Parasteatoda tepidariorum, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is the common house spider poisonous or venomous?
Not in any medically significant way. Like almost all spiders the common house spider (family Theridiidae) has venom for its prey, but it is not a widow or recluse, the two U.S. groups whose bites need medical attention.
Often mistaken for
The common house spider is not dangerous to people, but people often take it for widow spiders (both are recorded in 33 of its 35 states).
Which states have the common house spider?
Records are spread over 35 states; the top three, California, Maryland and Massachusetts, hold 40% of them.
| # | State | Records | Share of state spiders | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 197 | 0.4% | 41st of 309 |
| 2 | Maryland | 92 | 1.6% | 15th of 153 |
| 3 | Massachusetts | 69 | 1.5% | 14th of 189 |
| 4 | Texas | 58 | 0.2% | 94th of 386 |
| 5 | Indiana | 39 | 0.9% | 21st of 133 |
| 6 | Virginia | 37 | 0.3% | 62nd of 176 |
| 7 | Washington | 30 | 0.8% | 26th of 157 |
| 8 | Louisiana | 28 | 0.7% | 29th of 107 |
| 9 | Illinois | 26 | 0.1% | 101st of 243 |
| 10 | Ohio | 26 | 0.4% | 55th of 332 |
| 11 | Nebraska | 24 | 1.9% | 6th of 71 |
| 12 | Oklahoma | 24 | 0.5% | 42nd of 149 |
| 13 | New York | 22 | 0.4% | 55th of 149 |
| 14 | North Carolina | 22 | 0.3% | 66th of 184 |
| 15 | Alabama | 20 | 0.6% | 48th of 143 |
| 16 | Pennsylvania | 19 | 0.3% | 59th of 164 |
| 17 | Georgia | 18 | 0.3% | 71st of 186 |
| 18 | New Jersey | 17 | 0.7% | 37th of 127 |
| 19 | South Carolina | 15 | 0.6% | 34th of 121 |
| 20 | Kentucky | 14 | 0.8% | 37th of 103 |
| 21 | Tennessee | 14 | 0.4% | 54th of 138 |
| 22 | Delaware | 11 | 0.5% | 46th of 71 |
| 23 | Missouri | 11 | 0.5% | 44th of 117 |
| 24 | Arkansas | 9 | 0.6% | 46th of 114 |
| 25 | Kansas | 8 | 0.5% | 38th of 94 |
| 26 | Florida | 6 | 0.0% | 177th of 237 |
| 27 | Connecticut | 5 | 0.5% | 40th of 86 |
| 28 | Mississippi | 5 | 0.4% | 52nd of 117 |
| 29 | Oregon | 5 | 0.2% | 51st of 88 |
| 30 | Michigan | 4 | 0.2% | 65th of 122 |
| 31 | Wisconsin | 4 | 0.1% | 108th of 149 |
| 32 | New Hampshire | 3 | 0.2% | 53rd of 72 |
| 33 | Maine | 2 | 0.2% | 46th of 297 |
| 34 | Vermont | 2 | 0.1% | 57th of 74 |
| 35 | Rhode Island | 0 | — | — |
When is the common house spider seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the common house spider run mostly March through November, peaking in July with 15% of them. Winter (December to February) holds 6% of them.
Season by state
Among states whose main season falls within one calendar year, it starts earliest in March (Texas) and latest in April (Virginia and Washington). Each of these states peaks in a different month: April in Texas, July in Virginia and August in Washington.
| State | Main season | Peak month | Observation records |
|---|---|---|---|
| Texas | March through October | April | 54 |
| Virginia | April through October | July | 32 |
| Washington | April through October | August | 30 |
Where the common house spider is recorded in each state
California
California holds 197 licensed records, the 41st most recorded of 309 spiders listed there. Most of its licensed records in California come from Los Angeles County, Orange County and Santa Barbara County. Next come Contra Costa County (2) and Humboldt County (1).
Maryland
Maryland holds 92 licensed records, the 15th most recorded of 153 spiders listed there. Most of its licensed records in Maryland come from Montgomery County, Howard County and Baltimore County. Next come Anne Arundel County (3) and Washington County (2).
Massachusetts
Massachusetts holds 69 licensed records, the joint 14th most recorded of 189 spiders listed there. Most of its licensed records in Massachusetts come from Barnstable County, Middlesex County and Dukes County. Next come Suffolk County (4) and Essex County (4).
Texas
Texas holds 58 licensed records, the joint 94th most recorded of 386 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Texas run mostly March through October, peaking in April; most licensed records come from Harris County, Travis County and Dallas County. Next come Williamson County (6) and Montgomery County (5).
Indiana
Indiana holds 39 licensed records, the joint 21st most recorded of 133 spiders listed there. Most of its licensed records in Indiana come from Lake County, Monroe County and Parke County. Next come Dearborn County (1) and Allen County (1).
Virginia
Virginia holds 37 licensed records, the joint 62nd most recorded of 176 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Virginia run mostly April through October, peaking in July; most licensed records come from Arlington County, Hanover County and Montgomery County. Next come Prince William County (3) and Fairfax County (3).
Washington
Washington holds 30 licensed records, the 26th most recorded of 157 spiders listed there. Its observation records in Washington run mostly April through October, peaking in August; most licensed records come from King County, Thurston County and Skagit County. Next come Clallam County (3) and Lewis County (1).
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Los Angeles County | California | 174 | 19.5% |
| 2 | Montgomery County | Maryland | 74 | 8.3% |
| 3 | Barnstable County | Massachusetts | 41 | 4.6% |
| 4 | Lake County | Indiana | 25 | 2.8% |
| 5 | Harris County | Texas | 13 | 1.5% |
| 6 | King County | Washington | 13 | 1.5% |
| 7 | Middlesex County | Massachusetts | 10 | 1.1% |
| 8 | Orange County | California | 9 | 1.0% |
| 9 | Travis County | Texas | 9 | 1.0% |
| 10 | Dallas County | Texas | 8 | 0.9% |
| 11 | Thurston County | Washington | 8 | 0.9% |
| 12 | Monroe County | Indiana | 6 | 0.7% |
| 13 | Williamson County | Texas | 6 | 0.7% |
| 14 | Arlington County | Virginia | 6 | 0.7% |
| 15 | Santa Barbara County | California | 5 | 0.6% |
How recent are the common house spider records?
Records of the common house spider span old collections and new observations: 61% date from 2017–2026, and the median record is from 2019. The oldest dated record is from 1904; the busiest year was 2002, with 120 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1900s | 1 | 0.1% |
| 1910s | 1 | 0.1% |
| 1920s | 3 | 0.3% |
| 1930s | 6 | 0.6% |
| 1950s | 3 | 0.3% |
| 1960s | 6 | 0.6% |
| 1970s | 21 | 2.2% |
| 1980s | 9 | 1.0% |
| 1990s | 11 | 1.2% |
| 2000s | 176 | 18.8% |
| 2010s | 325 | 34.8% |
| 2020s | 372 | 39.8% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 74 counties where the common house spider is most recorded, 45 are also top counties for the spotted orbweaver, more than for any other spider. None of its closest neighbors is venomous.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Spotted orbweaver | 45 |
| Black-and-yellow argiope | 43 |
| Bold jumper | 43 |
| Orchard orbweaver | 39 |
| Familiar jumping spider | 37 |
| Bronze jumper | 36 |
| Nursery web spider | 36 |
| Parson spider | 36 |
Related species in the U.S.
Other members of the family Theridiidae with profiles here: Western black widow, Triangulate bud spider, False black widow, Brown widow, Southern black widow and Northern black widow.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.