Spiders in Washington

There are over 950 different types of spiders in Washington.

However, only a little more than 30 of these species are common and well-documented. This guide will teach you all about these spiders and how to identify potentially harmful ones.

Most spiders in Washington are harmless to humans. Of the 950+ species in the state, only one is of real medical concern. Besides being harmless, these arachnids rarely bite people unprovoked.

Like many arthropods, spiders are pretty diverse creatures. This diversity reflects in their appearance, habitat preferences, behaviors, and abilities. For example, many spiders spin obtrusive webs to catch prey, while others don’t.

Some spiders are also outright disturbing to look at, while others are stunning. It’s essential to understand the diversity present in this often maligned arthropod group to be able to appreciate them fully.

Keep reading if you’d like to learn more about the different spider species you can find in Washington.

Spiders in Washington

1. Western Black Widow

• Experience Level: Advanced
• Family: Theridiidae
• Scientific Name: Latrodectus hesperus
• Other Names: Black Widow, Widow Spider
• Adult Size: Up to 0.5 inches
• Lifespan: 1 to 3 years
• Average Price Range: N/A

The western black widow is Washington’s most dangerous spider. Its venom is considered several times more potent than a rattlesnake’s, making it the only spider in the state capable of inflicting bites that require medical attention.

If a black widow bites you, you’ll likely experience pain and swelling in the bite area. In addition, venom can cause latrodectism, a condition marked by symptoms like nausea, muscle stiffness, breathing difficulties, and sweating. It can lead to death in extreme cases.

But there’s good news. Black widows don’t bite human beings unless threatened without escape. And even when they bite, they rarely inject people with a dosage high enough to cause harm.

Black widows are possibly the most well-known spiders in the United States, and that’s largely due to pop culture. These arachnids are known for their potent venom and the tendency of adult females to consume males after mating. The “widow” in their name is a result of this cannibalistic ritual.

You can identify western black widows by their shiny black bodies and bulbous bellies. However, their most distinguishing feature is the reddish-orange hourglass-like marking on the underside of their abdomen.

Western black widows live around human structures, sometimes constructing nests for themselves on windowsills, in abandoned garages, ceiling corners, and other undisturbed parts of the house.

These critters rely on their cobwebs for food. They sit inside their sticky mass of tangled silk, waiting for prey to wander in.

As soon as their victim gets stuck, the spiders hurry over to kill it with their venom before eating.

2. Northern Yellow Sac Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Eutichuridae
• Scientific Name: Cheiracanthium mildei
• Other Names: Long-legged Sac Spider, American Yellow Sac Spider
• Adult Size: 0.16 to 0.40 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The northern yellow sac spider isn’t a medically significant spider. And although it’s capable of inflicting very painful bites with mild skin reactions, most bites don’t trigger any serious symptoms.

You’ll often find this species indoors, hiding in crevices, dark corners, closets, and other undisturbed areas. It’s active at night and spends the day resting in a sac-like silk shelter. The sac in the spider’s name is a result of this trait.

This arachnid isn’t aggressive toward people unless threatened. However, there are some reports of northern yellow sac spiders biting exposed human skin unprovoked.

Northern yellow sac spiders are generally yellowish or greenish. However, it’s possible to come across individuals that are pale white or some other color. These spiders have no identifying qualities besides their darkened face and a short dark line on their back.

Northern yellow sac spiders don’t spin webs to catch food. They prefer pursuing their targets and subduing them with venom before eating.

3. False Black Widow

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Theridiidae
• Scientific Name: Steatoda grossa
• Other Names: False Widow,  Dark Comb-Footed Spider, Brown House Spider, Cupboard Spider
• Adult Size: 0.25 to 0.4 inches
• Lifespan: 1 to 6 years
• Average Price Range: N/A

The false black widow resembles a true black widow, so people often mistake it for a black widow. Both spiders belong to the same cobweb family, and their bodies have the same shape and glossy appearance.

Most false black widows are brown, and it’s easy to differentiate these types from black widows. But dark false widows are harder to distinguish from true black widows. You sometimes have to check their underbelly for clarification.

The underbelly of false widows lacks the reddish-orange hourglass marking characteristic of true black widows. In addition, false widows sometimes have a whitish line curving around the front of their bellies.

Though false widows and true black widows belong to the same family, false widows are harmless to humans. Their bites can be painful, but their venom isn’t medically significant.

False widow spiders spin messy cobwebs like black widows and wait for prey to wander in. When their cobwebs catch prey, the spiders rush to kill it before eating.

Insects and other small arthropods, including true black widows, are common prey for these spiders.

4. Long-bodied Cellar Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Pholcidae
• Scientific Name: Pholcus phalangioides
• Other Names: Daddy Longlegs, Cellar Spider, Longlegs, Vibrating Spider, Daddy Longlegger, House Spider, Carpenter Spider, Granddaddy Skull Spider
• Adult Size: Up to 0.4 inches
• Lifespan: 2 years
• Average Price Range: N/A

The long-bodied cellar spider is a tiny arachnid with a brown body, six eyes, and incredibly long legs. It’s nicknamed daddy longlegs because of these long legs, but this nickname originally started as a misnomer.

People often mistook this species for harvestmen, the original daddy longlegs. Harvestmen are a group of spider-like arachnids with very long, thin legs. However, the name stuck with cellar spiders because it also fit them.

You’ll often find cellar spiders indoors. They typically hide in cellars, hence their name. However, they are also common in other parts of the house, such as ceiling corners, wall corners, and furniture joints.

Long-bodied cellar spiders rely on their webs for food. Although their eyesight is poor, their legs are hyper-sensitive to vibratory signals. They detect these signals when prey touches their webs and hurry over to immobilize their victims.

If the source of the vibrations is a predator, the spiders retreat and vigorously shake their web strands. The web strands become blurry, making it difficult to see the spiders within their webs. They drop and run if this action doesn’t discourage the predator.

Like most spiders in Washington, you’ll likely only find one long-bodied cellar spider per nest. Males die early, so the spider you’ll find will usually be female.

Though there’s no shortage of stories about their venomousness, long-bodied cellar spiders are harmless to humans. These critters don’t bite people unless threatened.

But even then, their venom is too weak to trigger symptoms, and their fangs are tiny.

5. Yellow Garden Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Araneidae
• Scientific Name: Argiope aurantia
• Other Names: Black and Yellow Garden Spider, Steeler Spider, Black and Yellow Argiope, Zipper Spider, Golden Garden Spider, McKinley Spider, Corn Spider, Zigzag Spider
• Adult Size: 0.75 to 1.1 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The yellow garden spider is a colorful orb-weaver common in Washington fields, forests, and gardens. Its body is a mix of black and yellow, with the dominant color varying per individual.

Most yellow garden spiders have a broad, dark line running down the center of their abdomen. Pairs of yellowish spots dot the center of this black area, while the rest of the abdomen is yellow with black spirals.

Yellow garden spiders have whitish hair on their carapace, and their long legs have alternating black and yellow bands. They often sit with these legs outstretched in the hub of their webs.

Like other orb-weavers in Washington, yellow garden spiders spin large, wheel-like webs. They then sit upside-down in the center, waiting for prey to crash into their webs. When their webs catch prey, the spiders quickly swoop in to immobilize their victims.

Yellow garden spiders are harmless to humans and don’t bite people unprovoked. They are beneficial in gardens since they consume many insects that otherwise act as pests.

6. Common House Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Theridiidae
• Scientific Name: Parasteatoda tepidariorum
• Other Names: American House Spider
• Adult Size: 0.15 to 0.24 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The common house spider is a distant black widow relative, which means it also spins messy cobwebs and has a bulbous abdomen. However, this species doesn’t inflict medically significant bites.

Common house spiders are unaggressive towards people, so they won’t bite unprovoked. Even if one bites you, the most adverse reactions you’ll experience are mild pain and redness or swelling.

You’ll typically encounter common house spiders indoors. They sit in their tangled cobwebs, waiting for prey to wander in and get stuck. When this happens, the spiders swoop in to kill their victims with venom.

It’s common to see many common house spider nests in the same location, each one separated only by a few inches. From a distance, it’s easy to mistake these nests for one large cobweb.

Each nest usually houses only one spider, a female. That’s because males have short lifespans and often die at the hands of females after mating.

Even when females don’t cannibalize them, male common house spiders wither and die shortly after mating.

7. Gray Cross Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Araneidae
• Scientific Name: Larinioides sericatus
• Other Names: Bridge Orb-weaver, Bridge Spider
• Adult Size: 0.31 to 0.55 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The gray cross spider is a tan, brown, or gray spider with cross-like markings on its back. It’s also called a bridge orb-weaver because it’s common to find the spider’s webs anchored to bridges and other artificial structures.

Gray cross spiders love light sources, which is why they often congregate in cities. It’s likely that their attraction to moist, well-lit places like bridges is because such locations also attract insect prey.

Like many orb-weavers gray cross spiders feed on insects and other arthropods. These spiders spin noticeably large whee-like webs to catch prey, then sit on the hub and wait for insects to get trapped.

These arachnids are primarily nocturnal. They spend the day in hiding, only coming out at night to catch prey. Unlike adults, juveniles sometimes spend the day sitting on their webs.

Gray cross spiders aren’t social creatures. However, it’s common for many individuals to build nests close to each other.

This proximity is usually informed by the amount of food available. The spiders get pretty competitive and territorial when food is short.

Female gray cross spiders usually live alone on their webs, but males sometimes intrude to feed on insects trapped in their webs. Male gray cross spiders don’t live long after mating, and their female partners cannibalize them.

8. Mouse Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Gnaphosidae
• Scientific Name: Scotophaeus blackwalli
• Other Names: Mouse Spider, Ground Spider
• Adult Size: 0.35 to 0.47 inches
• Lifespan: 1 to 2 years
• Average Price Range: N/A

The mouse spider is usually black, but it’s common to find individuals with brown legs and cephalothoraxes.

The spider’s name comes from its hairy abdomen. The hair on this abdomen is shiny and velvety, like the hair on mice’s bodies.

This arachnid belongs to the same family as parson spiders. It’s known for its mouse-like start-and-stop movements when running away from threats or searching for food.

Mouse spiders don’t trap their victims in webs. Instead, they chase down or ambush their targets and subdue them with venom. The spiders then consume their victims on the spot or put them away to feast on later.

These spiders are primarily nocturnal, and they feed on various insects and other arthropods. They also sometimes scavenge dead insects and can easily subdue prey larger than them.

You may encounter mouse spiders indoors or outdoors. They often go undetected in homes for long periods due to their nocturnal nature. Fortunately, these arachnids are harmless to humans and won’t bite people unless threatened.

You shouldn’t mistake American mouse spiders for the similarly-named but completely different Australian or South American mouse spiders. Australian mouse spiders are capable of inflicting medically significant bites.

9. Gray House Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Desidae
• Scientific Name: Badumna longinqua
• Other Names: Black House Spider, Window Spider
• Adult Size: 0.45 to 0.6 inches
• Lifespan: 1 to 2 years
• Average Price Range: N/A

The gray house spider is originally native to Australia. However, it’s become established in many parts of North America.

This spider is dark gray, and its abdomen is peppered with short light brown or light gray lines. Its legs are black, with purplish-gray bands.

Gray house spiders often live indoors, but they are pretty secretive and tend to go undetected for months. Luckily, they aren’t dangerous to humans. They don’t bite unprovoked, and their venom is mild.

These arachnids are web-builders that rely on their webs to catch prey. They build erratic lace-like webs around their crevices, with a funnel part that extends into the crevice.

Gray house spiders spend most of the day at the end of this funnel, only emerging at night to consume prey caught on their webs. Male gray house spiders don’t live long, but females can stay on the same web for the entirety of their lives.

10. Goldenrod Crab Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Thomisidae
• Scientific Name: Misumena vatia
• Other Names: Smooth Flower Crab Spider, Red-spotted Crab Spider, Flower Spider, Flower Crab Spider
• Adult Size: 0.125 to 0.75 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The goldenrod crab spider is a yellow spider capable of switching its color to light green or white, depending on its surroundings. This color change can take days to complete, but it provides the spider with excellent camouflage.

Goldenrod crab spiders spend most of their time in flowerheads and take advantage of their camouflage when hunting. These ambush predators often conceal themselves from prey and pounce on unsuspecting pollinators that wander too close.

Female goldenrod crab spiders may spend all their lives in the same flowerhead. However, males are more adventurous and tend to wander around searching for food.

Goldenrod crab spiders often have a reddish streak on both sides of their abdomen. Unlike females, males can’t change their colors. Their cephalothorax and first two leg pairs are usually reddish-brown throughout their lives.

All goldenrod crab spiders look like and share some qualities with crabs, hence the “crab” in their name. Like crabs, the spiders’ first two leg pairs are curved and larger than the rest. The spiders often walk with these legs spread out the way crabs do.

Like crabs. goldenrod crab spiders can also walk forward, backward, and sideways without turning.

There’s no reason to fear goldenrod crab spiders. Their venom is mild, and the spiders are unaggressive toward humans.

However, these critters aren’t afraid to defend themselves from predators when attacked.

11. European Garden Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Araneidae
• Scientific Name: Araneus diadematus
• Other Names: Crowned Orb-weaver, Diadem Spider, Cross Spider, Orangie, Cross Orb-weaver, House Spider, Pumpkin Spider
• Adult Size: 0.22 to 0.79 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The European garden spider is a brown orb-weaver. It has a broad dark pattern with wavy edges running down its back, and the middle of this pattern bears light brown or whitish markings arranged in a cross-shape. That’s why it’s also called a cross orb-weaver.

As is common with orb-weavers, this species builds large wheel-like webs to catch flying insects. It sits on its web, waiting for prey to crash into the sticky strands. When this happens, the spider rushes down to immobilize its catch and feast on it.

You’ll typically find European garden spiders outdoors. While these critters enjoy hanging out in gardens, they live in many other vegetation-rich areas. These include forests, bushes, and woodlands.

European garden spiders are harmless creatures. Their venom is not medically significant, and they don’t bite humans unprovoked.

When threatened, these spiders vibrate their webs vigorously to intimidate intruders. They run if this tactic fails.

12. Missing Sector Orbweaver

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Araneidae
• Scientific Name: Zygiella x-notata
• Other Names: Silver-sided Sector Spider, Missing Sector Spider, Silver-sided Orb Web Spider, Winter Spider, Missing Sector Orb Spider
• Adult Size: 0.16 to 0.43 inches
• Lifespan: 1 to 2 years
• Average Price Range: N/A

Like most orb-weavers in Washington, the missing sector orb-weaver builds orb-like webs with a central hub. But its webs are easy to distinguish from those of other species. That’s because it always leaves one sector of its web without strands.

This spider was introduced to North America from Europe, and it’s now established sizeable populations in coastal parts of the country, including Washington. It’s common to find its webs anchored to buildings around residential areas.

The missing sector orb-weaver relies on its web for food like other orb-weavers. After spinning its web, it sometimes retreats to a location close to the web and waits for prey. It uses a signal thread connected to the hub and swoops in when trapped prey causing the signal thread to vibrate.

This spider isn’t aggressive, so it’ll often run when threatened. It only bites in self-defense when unable to escape. But fortunately, its venom is harmless and incapable of causing significant symptoms.

Missing sector orb-weavers have another name: silver-sided sector spider. This name comes from the silver-colored markings on the sides and backs of their otherwise black or brown bodies.

13. Triangulate Cobweb Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Theridiidae
• Scientific Name: Steatoda triangulosa
• Other Names: Triangulate Comb-foot, Triangulate Bug Spider
• Adult Size: Up to 0.25 inches
• Lifespan: 1 to 3 years
• Average Price Range: N/A

The triangulate cobweb spider is another black widow relative. However, it doesn’t pose the same threats.

This species is relatively harmless. Its bites can be painful, but its venom is not medically significant.

This critter is usually brown, and its abdomen has several pairs of wavy dark brown lines running down it. It’s called a triangulate cobweb spider because the spaces between these wavy lines look like triangles.

Triangulate cobweb spiders are common indoors, where they build messy, sticky cobwebs for shelter. They sit in their cobwebs, waiting for insects and other arthropods to enter and get stuck. When insects get stuck, the spiders swoop in for the kill.

Like other cobweb spiders, male triangulate cobweb spiders are smaller than females. They also don’t live long. Most male triangulate cobweb spiders wither shortly after mating, or females cannibalize them.

14. Hobo Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Agelenidae
• Scientific Name: Eratigena agrestis
• Other Names: Funnel Weaver, Sheet Web Spider, Funnel Web Spider, Ground Spider
• Adult Size: Up to 0.6 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

People used to think hobo spiders could inflict medically significant bites, prompting their inclusion on the CDC’s list of medically important spiders.

However, there’s no evidence to back this belief. The CDC recently removed hobo spiders from this list.

While you may still find sources claiming hobo spiders are dangerous, there’s no truth to this claim. Their bites might be painful, but you won’t experience any serious symptoms. The spiders also rarely bite people unless threatened.

Hobo spiders are brown with a light line running down the middle of their carapace and light chevrons running down the middle of their abdomen. These spiders are difficult to distinguish from similar-looking species without using a microscope.

These arachnids build non-sticky funnel-shaped webs on the ground for shelter and to catch prey. They then sit inside, waiting for prey to wander in through the wide entrance. When this happens, the spiders detect contact and hurry over to sting their victims.

Most hobo spider populations in the US occur in the western states. You’ll typically find them outdoors in forests and grasslands. However, these spiders also wander indoors sometimes, especially during colder seasons.

15. Woodlouse Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Dysderidae
• Scientific Name: Dysdera crocata
• Other Names: Woodlouse Spider, Sowbug Hunter, Pillbug Hunter, Long-Fanged Ground Spider, Roly-Poly Hunter, Cell Spider, Slater Spider, Sowbug Killer, Orange Spider
• Adult Size: 0.35 to 0.59 inches
• Lifespan: 3 to 4 years
• Average Price Range: N/A

The woodlouse spider has a reddish body and long, sharp fangs. It doesn’t build webs to catch prey, so it typically chases down its victims or ambushes them. When within reach, it pounces and sinks its fangs into their bodies to paralyze them with venom.

Fortunately, the venom of this species is not medically significant to humans. The spider itself is unaggressive, so it won’t bite humans unless threatened and unable to escape due to accidental skin contact.

Woodlouse spiders reserve their ferocity for arthropod prey, and woodlice are their favorite victims. That’s why woodlouse spiders often hang around rotting logs harboring woodlice populations in forests and woodlands.

These hunters have great eyesight and are quick on their feet. They are often mistaken for broad-faced sac spiders due to their similar colors and appearance. However, both species are easy to distinguish when examined up close.

Unlike most spiders in Washington, woodlouse spiders have only six eyes. These eyes have a circular arrangement, contrasting with the row-like arrangement of the broad-faced sac spider’s eight eyes.

16. Giant House Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Agelenidae
• Scientific Name: Eratigena atrica
• Other Names: Drain Spider, Greater European House Spider, European House Spider
• Adult Size: 0.47 to 0.71 inches
• Lifespan: 2 to 3 years
• Average Price Range: N/A

The giant house spider is a close relative of the hobo spider.

Its body is brown or gray, and the middle of its carapace has a thin light line running between two dark ones. On the abdomen, a series of chevron markings point toward its head.

You’ll often find giant house spiders indoors, hence their name. They are larger than hobo spiders and tend to hang out in dark room corners, basements, garages, and other moist, secluded places.

These spiders often get caught in kitchen sinks and bathtubs, which is why they’re sometimes called drain spiders. But contrary to what many people think, these spiders don’t live in the drains. They only get caught there when they go looking for water.

Giant house spiders are super fast. So much so that they held the Guinness record for the world’s fastest spider until 1987, when sun spiders displaced them. Their speed makes them incredible at escaping predators and catching prey.

Like many spiders in Washington, giant house spiders build webs to catch insects and other small arthropods. These arachnids spin non-sticky sheet-like webs and wait for prey to get caught in their strands before swiftly attacking.

These spiders are more common in the fall when males roam about in search of mating partners. Males mate with their partners several times until they die, after which their female partners consume them.

Giant house spiders are nocturnal creatures capable of going many months without food and water. Although both sexes can do this, male giant house spiders die earlier of natural causes.

17. Marbled Orbweaver

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Araneidae
• Scientific Name: Araneus marmoreus
• Other Names: Pumpkin Spider
• Adult Size: 0.2 to 0.7 inches
• Lifespan: 1 to 2 years
• Average Price Range: N/A

The marbled orb-weaver is a beautiful spider with an orange or yellow body and a massive, round abdomen. Its abdomen bears streaks and markings of several colors that form marble-like patterns.

Although the colors vary among individual marbled orb-weavers, many species have combinations of yellow, black, orange, brown, green, or black streaks on their backs. Their legs are orange or brown with light and dark bands in the lower half.

Marbled orb-weavers are common in forests and shrublands. You’ll also encounter them in gardens, parks, and other places close to human habitation. Like their orb-weaving mates, these critters spin wheel-like webs to trap prey.

These spiders orient their webs vertically and connect a signal thread to the center. They then hide in retreats close to their webs, waiting for prey. When their webs catch prey, the signal threads vibrate to alert the spiders.

Marbled orb-weavers are harmless arachnids that are only aggressive toward prey. When humans or potential predators threaten them, the spiders run instead of attacking.

Their venom is mild, and bites don’t trigger any symptoms.

18. Furrow Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Araneidae
• Scientific Name: Larinioides cornutus
• Other Names: Furrow Orb Spider, Furrow Orb-weaver, Foliate Orb Spider, Foliate Orb-weaver
• Adult Size: 0.4 to 0.5 inches
• Lifespan: 1 Year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The furrow spider is a brown orb-weaver with a broad dark pattern on its back.

The edges of this broad pattern are wavy and resemble the furrows formed on the ground after plowing it. That’s where the “furrow” in this species’ name comes from.

When viewed from above, the pattern on this spider’s back resembles a leaf with wavy edges. That’s why this orb-weaver is also called a foliate spider.

Furrow spiders have stable populations and are common in forests and around human structures. They often build orb-shaped webs near wall corners or under eaves and porches.

During the day, these orb-weavers often hide in retreats near their webs to rest and avoid predators. They sit on their webs at night to consume prey caught in their webs. Since they have poor eyesight, they rely on vibratory signals to detect trapped insects.

Furrow orb-weavers are harmless spiders. Their venom is harmless to humans, and they rarely, if ever, bite people. You’re unlikely to experience any serious symptoms even if one bites you unless you’re allergic to spider venom.

19. Banded Garden Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Araneidae
• Scientific Name: Argiope trifasciata
• Other Names: Orb-weaver Spider, Yellow Garden Spider
• Adult Size: 0.59 to 0.98 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The banded garden spider is a close sibling of the yellow garden spider. While there’s some resemblance between both species, banded garden spiders have more colors on their body. However, yellow garden spiders are more vibrant.

You can identify banded garden spiders by the multicolored bands running from side to side on their abdomen. The colors of these bands range from white and yellow to orange and brown.

Banded garden spiders have whitish hair on their carapace, and their spiny legs have alternating light and dark bands. They usually stretch out these legs when sitting on their silk webs.

Like their siblings, banded garden spiders rely on their webs for food. They sit upside-down in the hub, waiting for prey. When insects hit the web, the spiders detect the insects via vibratory signals and run to finish them off.

Banded garden spiders are not aggressive toward people and will often run when threatened. They rarely ever bite people. But even if one bites you, you won’t experience any serious symptoms unless you’re allergic to spider venom.

You’ll find most banded garden spiders outdoors among vegetation. They are partial to gardens. But they also live in forests, tallgrass prairies, woodlands, and shrublands.

No need to remove these creatures from your garden if you discover them there.

20. Zebra Jumping Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Salticidae
• Scientific Name: Salticus scenicus
• Other Names: Zebra Jumping Spider
• Adult Size: Up to 0.25 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The zebra jumping spider is a white and black or white and gray arachnid. Its hairy body is dark and covered in patches of whitish hair, creating a pattern similar to the one on real-life zebras.

This species is called a jumping spider because it can leap several times its body height. It performs such jumps by regulating the pressure in its back legs. In addition, this arachnid spins a silk dragline to steady it in the air every time it jumps.

Unlike most spiders in Washington, the zebra jumping spider doesn’t spin webs to trap prey. It prefers stalking or chasing down its victims before pouncing on them and injecting them with venom.

Besides being good jumpers, zebra spiders have speed, a quick wit, and excellent vision. These attributes make hunting and escaping predators easy for them.

Zebra jumping spiders are common in forests, fields, and parks. Most sightings happen outdoors, though these critters sometimes wander indoors searching for food. As with most spiders, indoor sightings are more common in colder months.

Although these arachnids don’t build prey-trapping webs, they spin silk nests for themselves. Their nests are often on the ground, and the spiders rest there when inactive. Females also spin silk cocoons to house their eggs.

After laying eggs, female jumping spiders keep the eggs in a nest and guard them with devotion until they hatch. Sadly, female zebra jumping spiders often die shortly after their eggs hatch.

21. Bold Jumping Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Salticidae
• Scientific Name: Phidippus audax
• Other Names: Daring Jumping Spider, Bold Jumper,  White-spotted Jumper, White-spotted Jumping Spider
• Adult Size: 0.25 to 0.75 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The bold jumping spider is relatively short, but it can make daring jumps up to 50 times its height.

That’s why there’s bold in its name. Like other jumping spiders, this species spins silk draglines to support itself and leaps by modifying the pressure in its back legs.

This hairy arachnid is black with bands of whitish hair around its stout legs. You can distinguish it from similar-looking spiders by its metallic green fangs and the presence of three orange markings on its abdomen.

Bold jumping spiders are swift hunters that don’t build webs to catch their targets. Instead, these spiders lie in ambush and leap on their targets when within reach. They subdue their victims with the toxins in their fangs before settling down to eat.

These arachnids reserve their ferocity for prey and are unaggressive toward humans. They don’t bite unless threatened. But even then, the venom they inject is not strong enough to trigger any serious symptoms in humans.

You’ll find bold jumping spiders indoors and outdoors, but mostly outdoors in fields, parks, and forests. They enjoy resting on vertical surfaces like fences and tree barks. However, it’s also common to see them roam on the ground.

Bold jumping spiders live in silk nests instead of conventional webs. Females also spin silk cocoons to protect their eggs after hatching and stand guard until the eggs hatch. Sadly, most female bold jumpers die shortly after the eggs hatch.

22. Red-spotted Ant-mimic Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Corinnidae
• Scientific Name: Castianeira descripta
• Other Names: Ant Mimic Spider
• Adult Size: 0.2 to 0.4 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The red-spotted ant mimic spider is a black arachnid with reddish markings on its abdomen. Its abdomen is bulbous in the manner and its abdomens are, and it’s easy to mistake this spider for true ants.

Besides physical resemblance, this spider also modifies its behavior to mimic ants. It’s eight-legged like all spiders, but it often holds its first two legs up like antennae while walking to pass as a six-legged ant. It also often taps its belly like a real ant.

Red-spotted ants mimic spiders do primarily feed on ants, so these behavioral adaptations help them get close undetected. The spiders pounce on nearby ants once within reach and immobilize them with venom before eating.

These spiders don’t spin typical webs for catching prey. However, they build sac-like shelters to rest in while inactive. It’s common to encounter these shelters only a few feet or inches from anthills and ant colonies.

Red-spotted ant mimic spiders might look intimidating, but they don’t bite people unprovoked. You might experience pain and mild swelling if one bites you, but the species’ venom is harmless to humans.

23. Common Candy-striped Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Theridiidae
• Scientific Name: Enoplognatha ovata
• Other Names: Candy-striped Spider
• Adult Size: 0.25 inches
• Lifespan: 1 to 3 years
• Average Price Range: N/A

The common candy-striped spider is a cobweb spider, which means it is related to black widows. Fortunately, this species is not relatively harmless. But that doesn’t mean bites are painless. You might experience pain and mild swelling if one bites you.

Candy-striped spiders don’t bite people unless threatened, such as through physical contact. You’ll typically find candy-striped spiders outdoors among vegetation, where they spin sticky cobwebs to catch insects.

Candy-striped spiders come in three distinct morphs, but the most common one is the lineata morph. This variant often has translucent legs and a brownish-green body with dark spots.

The abdomen is cream or light green, with two red stripes joined near the cephalothorax. The space between the two stripes of usually cream or light green and stippled with black spots.

Like other cobweb spiders, this species’ abdomen is bulbous or pea-shaped. It’s called a candy-striped spider because the colorful pattern on its abdomen resembles candy when viewed from a distance.

24. Cat-faced Orbweaver

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Araneidae
• Scientific Name: Araneus gemmoides
• Other Names: Jewel Spider, Cat-faced orb-weaver
• Adult Size: 0.2 to 1 inch
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

You’ll generally find cat-faced orb-weavers outdoors.

They spin orb-shaped webs in places with ample vegetation, such as gardens, forests, and woodlands. However, it’s also possible to spot their webs anchored to building porches and fences.

Like other orb-weavers, these arachnids depend on their webs for food. They sit on their webs, waiting for prey to crash into the sticky strands. When insects get stuck, the spiders detect them by vibratory signals and scurry over to attack their victims.

Cat-faced orb-weavers consume many garden insects, so they can serve as good natural pest controls in your gardens. Despite being harmless to humans, their peculiar appearance sometimes makes people wary of them.

Cat-faced spiders occur in various colors, ranging from brown and orange to pale yellow. Whitish bristles cover their entire bodies, and their legs have alternating light and dark bands.

These spiders have two angular bumps at the top of their abdomen (one on each side), and a pattern with puncture-like markings runs between the bumps to the center of the abdomen.

They’re called cat-faced orb-weavers because this pattern makes their abdomen look like a cat’s face. The pattern stands in for the cat’s face, while the bumps resemble the cat’s ears.

Like many orb-weavers, the webs of these spiders only house females outside mating seasons. That’s because males don’t build web and die shortly after mating.

Females survive long enough to lay eggs in protective silk sacs, but they rarely survive winter.

25. Bronze Jumping Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Salticidae
• Scientific Name: Eris militaris
• Other Names: Bronze Lake Jumping Spider, Bronze Jumper, Bronze Lake Jumper
• Adult Size: 0.19 to 0.35 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The bronze jumping spider has a bronze-colored body with light brown or whitish banding on both sides of its face. Another light band curves around the top and sides of the spider’s abdomen.

This species, like other jumping spiders, can leap to heights several times its size. It has strong back legs to make these jumps possible. It also spins silk safety lines when jumping to avoid accidents.

Bronze jumping spiders are skilled hunters with excellent vision. They don’t use webs to catch prey, preferring to ambush and leap on their targets before injecting them with venom.

These arachnids aren’t aggressive toward people, so bites are rare. They run when threatened, but they might bite if you restrain them. Thankfully, their venom isn’t medically significant.

Bronze jumping spiders are more common outdoors than indoors. Indoor sightings usually go up when temperatures drop and the weather becomes too cold for most spiders to survive outdoors.

Outdoors, these spiders live in fields, parks, and forests. They often hop around on fences and tree barks, but they also spin silk nests to rest in while inactive.

Females lay their eggs in protective silk sacs and fiercely guard the eggs until spiderlings emerge. Sadly, most females die before the spiderlings mature.

26. Sierra Dome Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Linyphiidae
• Scientific Name: Neriene litigiosa
• Other Names: Sheet-weaver, Dome-web Weaver
• Adult Size: 0.2 to 0.31 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

Sierra dome spiders are close relatives of bowl and doily spiders.

As their name suggests, these sheet-weaving arachnids spin webs with a dome in the center. The webs are not sticky, but they work well in trapping insects long enough for the spiders to attack.

These arachnids often build their webs on tree branches. They cling to their webs from under, waiting for prey to land on the dome. When this happens, the spiders inject their victims with venom from inside the dome before coming up to consume their kill.

Females typically deposit pheromones on their webs to attract male partners during mating seasons. Males sierra dome spiders sometimes live with females for a while after mating.

These male sierra dome spiders often remove the pheromone-scented parts of the web to prevent their partners from attracting other males. Still, females quickly find other male partners to mate with immediately after their present partners leave.

Like other sheet weavers in their family, sierra dome spiders are tiny. You can identify them by their brown bodies and greenish-brown or tea-colored legs. Their abdomen is whitish with a dark central stripe.

The central stripe on the abdomen continues from the dark brown stripe on the carapace and runs to the spiders’ behind. In most variants, the rear of this species is darker than the rest of the abdomen.

27. Western Spotted Orbweaver

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Araneidae
• Scientific Name: Neoscona oaxacensis
• Other Names: Western Spotted Orb-weaver
• Adult Size: 0.35 to 0.7 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The western spotted orb-weaver is a close relative of the spotted orb-weaver. It’s more colorful, and the pattern on its back is more distinct. However, adults of both species with faded patterns often get mixed up in areas of overlap.

This spider’s abdomen is multiple shades of cream and brown or black. It has a light brown midline that is outlined by a wavy cream strip. Wavy dark brown stripes of different shades run down both sides of the abdominal midline.

You’ll find western spotted orb-weavers in gardens and areas with ample vegetation. Like other orb-weavers, these arachnids use their webs to catch prey. They sit on the hub and use vibratory signals to locate trapped insects before attacking.

These arachnids are entirely harmless to humans. They don’t bite people and will often run when threatened, but not before vibrating their webs in an attempt to intimidate or hide from potential predators.

28. Eurasian Running Crab Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Philodromidae
• Scientific Name: Philodromus dispar
• Other Names: Running Crab Spider
• Adult Size: Up to 0.75 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The Eurasian running crab spider is not a true crab spider, but it passes well. Like true crab spiders, its first two leg pairs are curved and often held outwards the way true crab spiders do. Both pairs also appear larger than the rest.

Despite this resemblance, it’s easy to differentiate running crab spiders from true crab spiders. Look closely, and you’ll notice that only the second pair of legs on a running crab spider is longer than the rest.

The running crab spider’s abdomen also lacks the oval shape characteristic of true crab spiders. The abdomen of a true crab spider is wider at the rear and slimmer near the thorax.

Eurasian running crab spiders have light brown bodies mottled with dark brown markings. The legs have light and dark bands, while the abdomen and carapace are mostly dark brown. The carapace of most variants has a light central stripe.

As their name suggests, Eurasian running crab spiders are fast runners. They also have keen eyesight. These qualities make them effective at pursuing and subduing prey without using webs.

Eurasian running crab spiders often hunt on the ground, so it’s common to encounter them on forest floors. Their mottled bodies provide them with excellent camouflage when sitting among drying leaves or on tree barks and brown soil.

These critters don’t bite people unprovoked. But even if they did, their venom is too weak to trigger serious symptoms.

29. Nordmann’s Orbweaver

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Araneidae
• Scientific Name: Araneus nordmanni
• Other Names: Nordmann’s Spider
• Adult Size: 0.28 to 0.75 inches
• Lifespan: 1 to 2 years
• Average Price Range: N/A

You typically encounter Nordmann’s orb-weaver in forests and bushes. While you may also come across this spider in gardens and artificial structures near residential areas, such sightings are relatively uncommon.

Nordmann’s orb-weaver builds orb-shaped silk webs like other orb-weavers and sits upside-down in the middle, waiting for prey. When its web catches a flying insect, the spider detects it and runs to sting and feast on its catch.

If the weather is harsh, the spider sometimes sits near the web instead of on it. But it remains connected to its web hub by a signal thread. This signal thread vibrates when a predator or prey touches the web strands.

Nordmann’s orb-weaver runs when threatened instead of fighting. It drops from its web and only returns when it’s safe to do so. Like most orb-weaving spiders in Washington, this species doesn’t bite humans, and its venom is harmless.

Female Nordmann’s orb-weavers are larger than males and live much longer lives. After mating, females live long enough to wrap their eggs in protective silk sacs and safely keep them.

Sadly, they often die before the eggs hatch.

30. Bowl and Doily Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Linyphiidae
• Scientific Name: Frontinella pyramitela
• Other Names: Sheet-weaver
• Adult Size: 0.12 to 0.16 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The bowl and doily spider’s name comes from the structure of its nest. Its nest is a two-part structure with a bowl-shaped web sitting on a flat sheet-like web resembling a doily.

This distinct structure makes the species’ nest easy to identify. You’ll often find these webs in forests, built parallel to tree trunks. Tangled silk threads anchor the bowl to tree branches, while the doily part is anchored to tree trunks.

Although the web this spider builds is not sticky, it’s effective at trapping prey. Flying insects often mistakenly crash into the mass of silk threads above the bowl and fall it. The spider then quickly immobilizes its victims with venom before eating.

It’s common to find a male and female bowl and doily spider sharing the same web outside mating seasons. However, this pairing often isn’t without friction. Both sexes constantly compete for insects that fall into their web instead of sharing.

You can identify bowl and doily spiders easily by their brown bodies and the whitish or yellowish markings running down their sides. These markings resemble commas and run down both sides of the abdomen, turning yellow as they curve under.

Bowl and doily spiders are harmless arachnids. They rarely, if ever, bite people, even when provoked. Even if one were to bite you, the species’ venom is too mild to trigger significant symptoms.

31. Western Parson Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Gnaphosidae
• Scientific Name: Herpyllus propinquus
• Other Names: Stealthy Ground Spider, Ground Spider
• Adult Size: 0.3 to 0.8 inches
• Lifespan: 1 to 2 years
• Average Price Range: N/A

The western parson spider is a black or dark gray arachnid with a white pattern running down the center of its carapace and abdomen. This pattern resembles the necktie Catholic clergymen (also called parsons) wore in the past, hence the name “parson.”

Western parson spiders are ground spiders that hunt prey instead of building webs to catch them. They pursue or ambush their targets and subdue them with the toxins in their fangs before eating.

These arachnids have incredible speed, which pays off when hunting. Their speed and characteristic zigzag running pattern also help them outrun potential predators.

You may encounter these spiders indoors or outdoors. Indoors, western parson spiders hide in crevices, closets, and other dark, secluded areas. They are nocturnal, so you’re unlikely to notice them unless you’re awake at night.

Although western parson spiders don’t bite people unprovoked, they don’t hesitate to sting in self-defense when backed into a corner. Their venom is mild and has no serious effects, but their bites can be quite painful.

Western parson spiders don’t use silk to construct typical webs, but they use silk for other purposes. For example, adult female western parson spiders spin protective silk sacs around their eggs after laying them.

32. Deadly Ground Crab Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Thomisidae
• Scientific Name: Xysticus funestus
• Other Names: Ground Crab Spider, Bark Crab Spider
• Adult Size: 0.18 to 0.4 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

Despite its name, the deadly ground crab spider isn’t an arachnid you should fear.

It doesn’t bite people unless threatened and unable to escape, so bites are uncommon. And even when bites occur, the species’ venom is too weak to cause any problems.

Like many crab spiders, this species’ first two legs are curved and larger than the rest. The spider holds its legs outward when walking the way crabs do. The abdomen of the spider is also wider at the rear than at the waist.

This arachnid is mottled brown and orange, with dark lines and markings peppering its body. This coloration provides it with excellent camouflage when running on the ground, hiding among leaf litter, and climbing tree barks.

The deadly ground crab spider stalks its targets before pouncing and injecting them with venom. Unlike the orb-weavers and cobweb spiders in Washington, this species doesn’t use webs to trap its victims.

You’ll typically find deadly ground crab spiders wandering outdoors in forests and other vegetation-rich zones. However, indoor sightings of these spiders are also common during colder months.

33. Starbellied Orbweaver

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Araneidae
• Scientific Name: Acanthepeira stellata
• Other Names: Star-bellied Spider
• Adult Size: 0.19 to 0.59 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The star-bellied orb-weaver is solid brown with a few light brown streaks on its body. This species is called a star-bellied orb-weaver because the top and edges of its massive abdomen have sharp, crown-like projections.

You’ll find this spider in many parts of Washington, and most sightings occur in the fall. It spins wheel-like webs to catch prey and often anchors its webs to tree branches in woodlands and forests.

Like many orb-weavers, the star-bellied orb-weaver has weak eyesight and relies on vibratory signals to locate prey on its web. The strands vibrate when an insect crashes into the web, then the spider traces the signals to its victim and consumes it.

The star-bellied orb-weaver doesn’t bite humans, and its venom is harmless. When faced with predators or threats this spider can’t handle, it often runs and only returns when the threat is gone.

Star-bellied orb-weavers generally don’t live long, but females live longer than males. While males often die shortly after mating, females survive to lay their eggs and keep them safe.

They die when temperatures become too cold, long before their eggs hatch.

34. Red-backed Jumping Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Salticidae
• Scientific Name: Phidippus johnsoni
• Other Names: Johnson Jumping Spider, Red and Black Jumping Spider
• Adult Size: 0.19 to 0.25 inches
• Lifespan: 1 to 3 years
• Average Price Range: N/A

The red-backed jumping spider is a black arachnid with whitish or brownish tufts at the joints of its legs and pedipalps. It’s called a red-backed jumping spider because the dorsal side of its abdomen is usually red or reddish-brown.

While the top of the abdomen is completely red in males, females have a broad black stripe in the middle. In some females, the edges of this black stripe bear whitish spots.

Like other members of their family, red-backed jumping spiders are skilled jumpers. They can leap several times their height using their strong back legs. They also spin silk draglines for balance when making these jumps.

You’ll find red-backed jumping spiders in many parts of Washington. These arachnids are common outdoors on walls, trees, and window panes. Sometimes, they wander into homes searching for food.

These spiders are skilled hunters with excellent vision, so they don’t spin webs for food. They rely on their agility and keen eyesight to track down and pounce on their targets before injecting them with venom.

Although red-backed jumping spiders are aggressive toward prey, they aren’t aggressive toward humans. They don’t bite people unless threatened, and even such bites are rare. Their venom is also mild, so you won’t develop any serious symptoms even if one bites you.

Red-backed jumping spiders construct small nests for themselves. When inactive, these spiders take shelter in their nests. They often build these nests on the ground in forests, parks, and fields.

Females also spin protective silk cocoons to wrap their eggs after laying them. They build nests to place their eggs and stand guard until these eggs hatch into spiderlings.

35. Arabesque Orbweaver

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Araneidae
• Scientific Name: Neoscona arabesca
• Other Names: Spotted Orb-weaver
• Adult Size: 0.20 to 0.28 inches
• Lifespan: 1 Year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The arabesque orb-weaver is a close relative of spotted orb-weavers.

Like its siblings, this species has a massive abdomen and spiny, banded legs. It’s called an “arabesque” spider because the pattern on its abdomen resembles traditional Arab floor patterns.

You’ll find this species in forests and gardens in many parts of Washington. Sometimes, it anchors its large, orb-shaped webs to artificial structures around houses, such as handrails and eaves.

Like other orb-weavers in Washington, the arabesque orb-weaver relies on its web for food. It waits for its web to trap flying insects and depends on vibratory signals to know when this has happened. Afterward, the spider goes over to kill and eat its victims.

Arabesque orb-weavers are harmless spiders with medically insignificant venom. They rarely bite people, even when provoked. When threatened, the spiders abandon their webs and seek shelter elsewhere until the threat passes.

As with most spiders in Washington, female arabesque orb-weavers are larger than males. Their abdomens are also much rounder compared to males.

These arachnids come in various colors, from brown or orange to dark gray.

36. Long-palped Ant-mimic Sac Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Corinnidae
• Scientific Name: Castianeira longipalpa
• Other Names: Ant Mimic Spider, Manybanded Ant Mimic Spider
• Adult Size: 0.19 to 0.39 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The long-palped ant mimic sac spider belongs to a family of spiders with behaviors that are modified to mimic ants.

This mimicry helps them get close to ants undetected before attacking. It’s also possible that this mimicry protects them from spider predators.

Long-palped ant mimic sac spiders have eight legs, but they only walk on six of them. They raise the first pair in front of them when walking to mimic the antennae of six-legged ants.

These spiders are often lucky enough to mingle with unsuspecting ants. Once near their targets, long-palped ant mimic sac spiders seize and pierce them with their fangs. They don’t rely on webs at any point during this hunting process.

It’s common to find long-palped ant mimic sac spiders living close to anthills in forests. This strategic position gives them easy access to food whenever they want. Adults live in sac-like shelters when inactive, which is why they are called sac spiders.

Long-palped ant mimic sac spiders are unaggressive toward people, so they don’t bite unprovoked. When threatened, they may inflict painful bites. But the venom they produce is harmless to humans.

37. Giant Crab Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Sparassidae
• Scientific Name: Olios giganteus
• Other Names: Golden Huntsman Spider
• Adult Size: 0.8 inches
• Lifespan: 1 to 3 years
• Average Price Range: N/A

The giant crab spider is one of the largest spiders in Washington if you include its legs. Its brown body is covered in short hairs, and its face and abdomen have light gray hairs. In addition, its pedipalps and the tips of its long legs are dark gray.

It has a round abdomen that’s usually more slender than its carapace. A dark stripe runs down the middle of this abdomen, narrowing into a point at the end. Although it’s called a crab spider, this species belongs to a different family from crab spiders.

Giant crab spiders are agile hunters with excellent vision, so they don’t need webs to catch prey. You’ll often find them on walls, looking for their next target to ambush. They are incredibly fast, which makes hunting and escaping predators easy for them.

Most giant crab spiders live outdoors, and it’s common to see them resting on tree barks, fences, and other vertical surfaces. They live in various kinds of habitats but are partial to drier places.

Although their size is intimidating, these arachnids are totally harmless to humans. They don’t bite people unless threatened, and their venom is not medically significant. You might experience pain and itching if you’re allergic, but nothing severe.

Female giant crab spiders are larger than males. These critters spin silk cocoons to house their eggs after laying them, then they stand guard until the eggs hatch into spiderlings.

38. Spitting Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Scytodidae
• Scientific Name: Scytodes thoracica
• Other Names: Spitting Spider
• Adult Size: 0.15 to 0.25 inches
• Lifespan: 1.5 to 2 years
• Average Price Range: N/A

Spitting spiders are easy to identify. They have light brown to yellow bodies covered in deep brown markings. In addition, their cephalothorax and abdomen have dome-like shapes.

What makes these spiders fascinating, though, is their ability to shoot toxic silk strands. They have extra silk glands on their heads that produce venom-infused silk, which they then spit at prey when hunting.

Spitting spiders don’t spin typical webs to trap prey. When near prey, the spiders often use their long legs to coerce their victims into optimal positions before shooting toxic silk strands at them. These toxic strands restrain their targets before paralyzing them.

The venomous silk these spiders shoot from their heads is only toxic to insects and other small arthropods. Their venom is completely harmless to humans, and the spiders rarely bite people.

You’ll encounter more spitting spiders outdoors than indoors. But if you encounter one at home, don’t rush to kill it. Spitting spiders consume many unwanted insects at home, making them good biological pest controls.

Like most spiders in Washington, female spitting spiders spin silk cocoons to wrap their eggs after laying them. These cocoons protect the eggs until they hatch into spiderlings.

39. California Flattened Jumping Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Salticidae
• Scientific Name: Platycryptus californicus
• Other Names: California Flattened Jumper
• Adult Size: 0.24 to 0.42 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

California flattened jumping spider is the less popular sibling of the tan jumping spider. Like its sibling, this species has a flattened body and an abdomen that narrows at the rear.

This arachnid is usually dark brown or black. It has light brown hairs on its legs, and a light brown pattern runs from its carapace to the end of its abdomen. This pattern resembles a serrate leaf and is similar to the one on tan jumping spiders.

California flattened jumping spider makes impressive jumps by modifying the pressure in its legs. It also spins a silk safety line to steady itself while jumping and minimize injury if a jump goes wrong.

Like all jumping spiders, this species is blessed with excellent vision. It uses its keen eyesight to scout prey before ambushing them. It leaps on its victims when close and sinks its poisonous fangs into their bodies to subdue them before eating.

This arachnid doesn’t extend its aggressiveness to humans. It doesn’t bite people unless threatened, so it’s safe to handle. Even if it were aggressive toward people, there’s no reason to fear it because its venom is harmless to humans.

You’ll find most California jumping spiders outdoors on vertical surfaces like tree trunks, fence posts, and window panes. They sometimes wander indoors when looking for prey or when outdoor temperatures drop.

Though these critters don’t spin typical silk webs for trapping insects, they create silk nests to rest in while inactive. Females also spin silk cocoons to hold their eggs after laying them.

Frequently Asked Questions

You probably still have questions about spiders in Washington. Read on to get answers to your most pressing questions.

Wrapping up

Washington is home to many different spider species, each one unique in some way compared to the next. You’ll find everything from jumping spiders to cobweb spiders and spitting spiders.

Like many crawling creatures, spiders are often misunderstood by humans. That’s probably why so many people fear them. But spiders aren’t creepy arachnids out to get you, despite how people often perceive them.

These creatures play vital ecosystem roles through their consumption of other arthropods. It’s this consumption that also makes them valuable companions to people, as they help control insect pests in gardens and homes.

With the exception of black widows, most spiders in Washington are harmless. They won’t bite you unless provoked and restrained from escaping. Many species make great pets and are easy to care for.

More spiders in nearby states

• Spiders in Oregon