Gray house spider (Badumna longinqua)
The gray house spider is a spider in the family Desidae that is not dangerous to people. GBIF holds 401 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 4 states, most of all California (342), Hawaii (46) and Oregon (10). Its observation records peak in January.
Badumna longinqua, the grey house spider, is a species of spider in the family Desidae. Native to eastern Australia, it has been introduced into New Zealand, Japan, the United States, Mexico, Uruguay, Britain, and the Netherlands.
From Wikipedia: Badumna longinqua, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is the gray house spider poisonous or venomous?
Not in any medically significant way. Like almost all spiders the gray house spider (family Desidae) has venom for its prey, but it is not a widow or recluse, the two U.S. groups whose bites need medical attention.
Which states have the gray house spider?
The gray house spider's U.S. record is concentrated: California alone holds 85% of licensed records. It is listed in 4 states in all; the next are Hawaii (46), Oregon (10) and Washington (1).
| # | State | Records | Share of state spiders | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | California | 342 | 0.7% | 24th of 309 |
| 2 | Hawaii | 46 | 0.9% | 19th of 57 |
| 3 | Oregon | 10 | 0.4% | 40th of 88 |
| 4 | Washington | 1 | 0.0% | 116th of 157 |
When is the gray house spider seen?
Across the U.S., observation records of the gray house spider run through most of the year, peaking in January with 15% of them. Winter (December to February) holds 24% of them.
Where the gray house spider is recorded in each state
California
California holds 342 licensed records, the 24th most recorded of 309 spiders listed there. Its observation records in California run through most of the year, peaking in January; most licensed records come from Alameda County, Sonoma County and Los Angeles County. Next come San Francisco County (33) and San Mateo County (33).
Hawaii
Hawaii holds 46 licensed records, the 19th most recorded of 57 spiders listed there. Most of its licensed records in Hawaii come from Hawaii County.
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alameda County | California | 55 | 13.7% |
| 2 | Sonoma County | California | 55 | 13.7% |
| 3 | Hawaii County | Hawaii | 46 | 11.5% |
| 4 | Los Angeles County | California | 42 | 10.5% |
| 5 | San Francisco County | California | 33 | 8.2% |
| 6 | San Mateo County | California | 33 | 8.2% |
| 7 | Santa Clara County | California | 26 | 6.5% |
| 8 | San Diego County | California | 17 | 4.2% |
| 9 | Monterey County | California | 13 | 3.2% |
| 10 | Marin County | California | 12 | 3.0% |
| 11 | Humboldt County | California | 11 | 2.7% |
| 12 | Santa Cruz County | California | 9 | 2.2% |
| 13 | Contra Costa County | California | 9 | 2.2% |
| 14 | Napa County | California | 6 | 1.5% |
| 15 | Solano County | California | 6 | 1.5% |
How recent are the gray house spider records?
Most of what is known about the gray house spider is recent: 91% of dated U.S. records were made in 2017–2026, and half date from 2022 or later. The oldest dated record is from 1997; the busiest year was 2026, with 77 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1990s | 3 | 0.7% |
| 2000s | 9 | 2.0% |
| 2010s | 87 | 19.7% |
| 2020s | 343 | 77.6% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 16 counties where the gray house spider is most recorded, 14 are also top counties for both the Johnson jumper and Steatoda nobilis; no other spider shares more. None of its closest neighbors is venomous.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Johnson jumper | 14 |
| Steatoda nobilis | 14 |
| False black widow | 13 |
| Garden spider | 13 |
| Zebra spider | 12 |
| Zygiella x-notata | 12 |
| Araneus andrewsi | 11 |
| Black-and-yellow argiope | 11 |
Related species in the U.S.
Other members of the family Desidae with profiles here: Cribellate spider.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.