Indoor SPIDERS of Colorado (Dysderidae Family)

indoor SPIDERS OF Colorado DYSDERID Spiders (dysderidae Family) Dysdera crocata is a predator of sowbugs and pillbugs (“roly-polies”), which they subdue with very large fangs. Funnel Weavers YELLOWlegged sac SPIDERS In homes they are usually found in basements. (Agelenidae Family) (miturgidae Family) Funnel weavers construct dense horizontal silk mats in The yellowlegged sac spider, vegetation and in corners near ground level. Funnel weavers Cheiracanthium mildei, is one of in the genera Agelenopsis and Hololena develop outdoors but the most common spiders that breeds are often the most commonly encountered spiders in homes. in buildings. It is suspected of being They move into buildings as temperatures cool in early autumn. the household spider that is the most common cause of human bites in Funnel weavers in the genera Tegenaria and Eratigena are adapted to reproducing in buildings and are among the most Tegenaria domestica, male Colorado, but effects of the bites are common household spiders in the state. The funnel weaver mild. The yellowlegged sac spider is spiders are harmless to humans. not considered to be a dangerous species. Dysdera crocata, the “roly-poly hunter” Yellowlegged sac spider, Cheiracanthium mildei, female Photograph courtesy of Jim Kalisch of the University of Nebraska Hololena hola, a funnel weaver spider that commonly enters homes in late summer and fall “Hobo spider”, A “grass spider”, Agelenopsis sp., Eratigena agrestis, female female (left) and male (right) Bold jumper, Platycryptus sp., a jumping spider found in homes Phidippus audax cellar Spiders “False black widow”, Parasteatoda tepidariorum, WOLF Spiders Triangulate cobweb spider, Steatoda triangulosa Steatoda grossa, the American house spider (Pholcidae Family) (Lycosidae Family) a species that superficially resemble widow spiders but The cellar spiders are very long-legged Although wolf spiders breed outdoors, they occasionally enter lacks the red markings on the spiders that construct irregular sticky webs homes. This habit is most often seen with some of the underside of the abdomen in corners of buildings. If disturbed, they very largest of the wolf spiders, the giant wolf spiders may bounce in the web. (Hogna spp.) and burrowing wolf spiders (Geolycosa spp.). The Zebra spider, Salticus scenicus, a jumping spider sometimes found in homes. Photograph courtesy of Joseph Berger/IPMImages.org The red-orange markings on the underside of the western widow can be quite variable Jumping Spiders Giant wolf spider, male Burrowing wolf spider (Salticidae Family) Longbodied cellar spider holding egg sac, Pholcus phalangiodes. Photograph courtesy of Jim Kalisch of the University of Nebraska Jumping spiders are very active spiders that hunt their prey. They have enormous eyes and are capable of short jumps. A few species occasionally wander into homes. ground Spiders (GnaphosidAE Family) Ground spiders are commonly found COMBFOOTED spiders outdoors under rocks and other (Theridiidae Family) covering debris. Representatives of a few genera tend to occasionally The combfooted spiders produce tangled sticky “cobwebs” in areas enter buildings, notably the Western widow, Immature stages of the that are dark and undisturbed. The spiders have a large bulbous “parson spiders” of the Latrodectus hesperus, western widow have abdomen. They hang upside down in the webs and rarely leave them. genus Herpyllus. male and female patterning on the back of the abdomen The males and females look very different, with the male being much smaller. This family includes the widow spiders, represented Roundbodied cellar spider, Psilochorus sp. Parson spider, locally by the western widow (Latrodectus hesperus), which has a Herpyllus sp. venom that is potentially dangerous to humans. Authored by: Dr. Whitney Cranshaw, CSU Designed by: Genevieve Berry, CSU January, 2014.

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