Pale sheetweb weaver (Bathyphantes pallidus)
The pale sheetweb weaver is a spider in the family Linyphiidae that is not dangerous to people. GBIF holds 309 licensed U.S. records of it; it reaches our listing threshold in 6 states, most of all Illinois (196), Alaska (69) and Wisconsin (21).
Bathyphantes pallidus is a species of sheetweb spider in the family Linyphiidae. It is found in the United States and Canada.
From Wikipedia: Bathyphantes pallidus, text under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Is the pale sheetweb weaver poisonous or venomous?
Not in any medically significant way. Like almost all spiders the pale sheetweb weaver (family Linyphiidae) 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 pale sheetweb weaver?
The pale sheetweb weaver's U.S. record is concentrated: Illinois alone holds 63% of licensed records. It is listed in 6 states in all; the next are Alaska (69), Wisconsin (21) and Maine (0).
| # | State | Records | Share of state spiders | Rank in state |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Illinois | 196 | 1.0% | 5th of 243 |
| 2 | Alaska | 69 | 0.3% | 68th of 280 |
| 3 | Wisconsin | 21 | 0.7% | 40th of 149 |
| 4 | Maine | 0 | — | — |
| 5 | North Dakota | 0 | — | — |
| 6 | Ohio | 0 | — | — |
Where the pale sheetweb weaver is recorded in each state
Illinois
Illinois holds 196 licensed records, the 5th most recorded of 243 spiders listed there. Most of its licensed records in Illinois come from Jo Daviess County, Cook County and Will County. Next come McHenry County (6) and Carroll County (6).
Alaska
Alaska holds 69 licensed records, the joint 68th most recorded of 280 spiders listed there. Most of its licensed records in Alaska come from Denali Borough, Fairbanks North Star Borough and Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area. Next come Kodiak Island Borough (4) and Matanuska-Susitna Borough (4).
Top counties in the U.S.
| # | County | State | Records | Share of U.S. |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Jo Daviess County | Illinois | 121 | 39.2% |
| 2 | Cook County | Illinois | 44 | 14.2% |
| 3 | Denali Borough | Alaska | 29 | 9.4% |
| 4 | Fairbanks North Star Borough | Alaska | 22 | 7.1% |
| 5 | Will County | Illinois | 12 | 3.9% |
| 6 | Yukon-Koyukuk Census Area | Alaska | 6 | 1.9% |
| 7 | McHenry County | Illinois | 6 | 1.9% |
| 8 | Carroll County | Illinois | 6 | 1.9% |
| 9 | Kodiak Island Borough | Alaska | 4 | 1.3% |
| 10 | Matanuska-Susitna Borough | Alaska | 4 | 1.3% |
| 11 | Union County | Illinois | 4 | 1.3% |
| 12 | Kenai Peninsula Borough | Alaska | 2 | 0.6% |
| 13 | Southeast Fairbanks Census Area | Alaska | 2 | 0.6% |
| 14 | Fulton County | Illinois | 2 | 0.6% |
| 15 | Vermilion County | Illinois | 1 | 0.3% |
How recent are the pale sheetweb weaver records?
The pale sheetweb weaver record leans on older material: only 36% of dated U.S. records come from 2017–2026, and the median record is from 2014. The oldest dated record is from 1954; the busiest year was 1997, with 49 records.
| Decade | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 1950s | 1 | 0.3% |
| 1970s | 2 | 0.7% |
| 1990s | 50 | 16.4% |
| 2000s | 51 | 16.7% |
| 2010s | 177 | 58.0% |
| 2020s | 24 | 7.9% |
Species recorded in the same counties
Of the 15 counties where the pale sheetweb weaver is most recorded, 13 are also top counties for the shiny wolf spider, more than for any other spider. None of its closest neighbors is venomous.
| Species | Shared counties |
|---|---|
| Shiny wolf spider | 13 |
| Long-jawed orb weaver | 11 |
| Trochosa terricola | 10 |
| Bronze jumper | 8 |
| Brush-legged split wolf spider | 8 |
| Marbled orbweaver | 8 |
| Phrurotimpus alarius | 8 |
| Tan crab spider | 8 |
Related species in the U.S.
Other members of the family Linyphiidae with profiles here: Bowl and doily spider and Filmy dome spider.
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.