Spiders of North Carolina

Arachnids of North Carolina

Order:
Scientific Name: Common Name:		Family (Alpha):

Parasteatoda tepidariorum - common house spider Theridiidae Members:			NC Records	BugGuide Account	Public View

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Female

Male

Female

Male

Distribution Records
PDF

Vetting Levels

Adult phenology:
High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
Piedmont (Pd)
Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge

synonym

taxonomic_comments

Described by Koch in 1841 as Theridion t., it has also been named Therideum t., and Achearanea t. Its placement in Parasteatoda based on its secondary genital organs (Saaristo, 2006) is considered "controversial" (Eberhard, 2020) by some, and thus may be considered fluid at this writing (Jan 2021).

species_comment

Probably the most common species people encounter, they are often found in and on manmade structures. Their white spots of excrement are often seen on windowsills, porches, etc. Active adults in their webs in protected, but open, locations in Johnston Co., NC have been found as late as January 23.

id_comments

Colors are extremely variable, from black to white and almost everything in between. The abdominal pattern is notably mottled, sometimes appearing reticulated. Males characteristically have reddish legs, and are often found with yellow markings. Similar in size, shape and habitat to another of the Theridiidae, Tidarren sisyphoides.

total_length

Female 5-6mm, male 3.8-4.7

structural_features

silk_web

The seemingly disorganized tangle often shows traits such as radial gumfoot lines hearkening back to a presumed ancestral orb design (Eberhard, 2020).

fld_guide_descriptions

The prosoma is tan to dark brown. The opisthosoma is highly variable in colors and markings. Some are very pale tan, with scattered markings of white and brown. Others are almost black, with white and tan speckling. A faint white marking that resembles square brackets is sometimes on the dorsal opisthosoma. Crescent-shaped, dark brown to black marking is just over halfway down the opisthosoma. The legs are banded, to a lesser degree in the males. This species looks very similar to Parasteatoda tabulata and easily misidentified as such. To confirm a species-level identification, one would need to look at the genitalia under a microscope. (Rose, 2022)

online_photos

prey

predators

behavior

These are timid spiders that will quickly bail out of the web when disturbed, and then roll up, motionless, their camouflage helping to hide them in natural settings.

distribution_reference

Bradley, Richard A. 2013. Common Spiders of North America. University of California Press, Berkeley and Los Angeles, CA. 270pp.

technical_reference

Levi, Herbert W. and Lorna R., 1962. The Genera of the Spider Family Theridiidae. Bulletin of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard College, Vol. 127, No. 1, 100pp. Eberhard, William, 2020. Spider Webs, Behavior,Function, and Evolution. Univ. of Chicago Press,p. 565.

adult_id

1 identifiable by photo 2 identifiable by photo of specific features and/or supplementary info 3 identifiable from specimen only

abundance

distribution_comments

One of the most widely distributed species worldwide, it's ubiquitous in the US and Canada. (Bradley, 2013)

checklist_mt_high
>=4,000 ft.

Regular	Frequent	Infrequent	Occasional	Seldom	Frequency Regular – almost always observed on given visit; >=90% chance of observation Frequent – usually observed on a given visit; >=50%<90% chance of observation Infrequent – observed less than 50% of visits; >=25%<50% chance of observation Occasional – observed on only on a small minority of visits; >=10%<25% chance of observation Seldom – not usually seen on visits; <10% chance of observation These terms refer to visits to appropriate habitats made at appropriate times of the year, making use of common sampling/observation methods. Under those conditions, Frequency refers to the chance of observing at least one individual on a given visit made anywhere within a particular region, or over multiple visits to a single site.

checklist_mt_low
<4,000 ft.

Regular	Frequent	Infrequent	Occasional	Seldom

checklist_pd
Piedmont

Regular	Frequent	Infrequent	Occasional	Seldom

checklist_cp
Coastal Plain

Regular	Frequent	Infrequent	Occasional	Seldom

habitat

rock outcrops, buildings, windows, corners of rooms.

observation_methods

state_protection

NHP_ranks

NHP_status

status_comments

Photo Gallery for Parasteatoda tepidariorum common house spider
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka Madison Co. Comment: nest was in corner of window in a garage.	Recorded by: Jim Petranka Madison Co. Comment: nest was in corner of window in a garage.
	Recorded by: Jim Petranka Madison Co. Comment: nest was in corner of window in a garage.	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Macon Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Macon Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Chatham Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Brunswick Co. Comment: Large female.
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Brunswick Co. Comment: Large female.	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Wilson Co. Comment: Collected 12:35am, drove to Holden Beach, photos taken in Brunswick County. Male, much different than female.
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Wilson Co. Comment: Collected 12:35am, drove to Holden Beach, photos taken in Brunswick County. Male, much different than female.	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Transylvania Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Wilson Co. Comment: Escaped inside home, must have known it was going to be a specimen.	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Wilson Co. Comment: Escaped inside home, must have known it was going to be a specimen.
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Wilson Co. Comment: Escaped inside home, must have known it was going to be a specimen.	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Wilson Co. Comment: Feeding on a bush or tree cricket.
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Wilson Co. Comment: Feeding on a bush or tree cricket.	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Stokes Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Brunswick Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Wilson Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: George-Anne and Matt BROWN Franklin Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Avery Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Owen McConnell Graham Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Donald Zepp Pamlico Co. Comment: Captured in web under RV slide 21 May '22. Ex situ photos 23 May; Molted to adult 05 July. Epigynum photos of living spm.29 July. Still living as of 29 July '22
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Buncombe Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Pender Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Wake Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn New Hanover Co. Comment: Inside World War I bunker
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Buncombe Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Donald Zepp Franklin Co. Comment: In web on exterior wall of log cabin. Captured at ca. 8°C.
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Buncombe Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Donald ZEPP Johnston Co. Comment: Record entered to illustrate palpal structures
	Recorded by: PAUL W BROTCKE Mecklenburg Co. Comment:	Recorded by: PAUL W BROTCKE Mecklenburg Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Owen McConnell Graham Co. Comment:	Recorded by: R. newman Carteret Co. Comment: FOMA
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn, C. Bowers, H. Anderson, J. Brown Cumberland Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn New Hanover Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Wayne Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment: FOMA	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment: FOMA
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Wake Co. Comment:	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment: FOMA
	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment: FOMA	Recorded by: Owen McConnell Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Surry Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Pat Momich Madison Co. Comment: In the house.
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Stokes Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Owen McConnell Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Graham Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Jackson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Shields Onslow Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Vin Stanton Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Surry Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Rutherford Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Henderson Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Burke Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Burke Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Burke Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Polk Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Henderson Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Macon Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Transylvania Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Vin Stanton Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Erich Hofmann Craven Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Steve Hall Orange Co. Comment: Female found outside in window frame on porch
	Recorded by: Steve Hall Orange Co. Comment: Female found outside in window frame on porch	Recorded by: Steve Hall Orange Co. Comment: Female found outside in window frame on porch
	Recorded by: Steve Hall Orange Co. Comment: Found under an overturned wheelbarrow	Recorded by: Steve Hall Orange Co. Comment: Found under an overturned wheelbarrow
	Recorded by: Steve Hall Orange Co. Comment: Found under an overturned wheelbarrow	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Stokes Co. Comment:	Recorded by: j.wyche Gates Co. Comment: MEMI
	Recorded by: j.wyche Gates Co. Comment: MEMI - on visitor center with female pond hawk prey in web	Recorded by: B. Bockhahn Stokes Co. Comment: HARO
	Recorded by: B. Bockhahn Stokes Co. Comment: HARO	Recorded by: j.wyche Gates Co. Comment: MEMI - on & in visitor center
	Recorded by: j.wyche Gates Co. Comment: MEMI - on visitor center	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Stokes Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Stokes Co. Comment:	Recorded by: j.wyche Gates Co. Comment: MEMI - 1 over door to old office, 6 at visitor center
	Recorded by: j.wyche Gates Co. Comment: MEMI - under visitor center overhang; I found a male about 1/2 cm on a wrapped up plant-hopper.	Recorded by: j.wyche Gates Co. Comment: MEMI - under visitor center overhang; 1 egg sac has hatched.
	Recorded by: j.wyche Gates Co. Comment: MEMI - under visitor center overhang; 1 egg sac has hatched.	Recorded by: Jane Wyche Gates Co. Comment: MEMI - around old office building
	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment: FOMA

Photo Gallery for Parasteatoda tepidariorum common house spider