Common House Spider

Common house spiders are small, measuring about 1/4 inch in body length, with a bulbous abdomen and relatively long, thin legs. Their coloring is variable — typically yellowish-brown to dirty white with dark chevron-like markings on the abdomen. Males are smaller and darker than females. They build the classic tangled cobwebs found in corners, under furniture, in basements, and around windows. They are often confused with brown recluses or young black widows but lack the distinctive markings of both.

The most obvious sign is the accumulation of tangled cobwebs in upper corners of rooms, around window frames, in basements, garages, and crawlspaces. Abandoned webs collect dust and become the classic 'cobweb' associated with neglected spaces. You may also find small, round, brownish egg sacs wrapped in silk within or near the web. Seeing multiple spiders or dense webbing indicates a healthy prey insect population in the home.

Myrtle Beach Pest Control removes existing cobwebs and applies residual insecticide treatments to web-building sites including corners, window frames, basement walls, and exterior eaves. Dust formulations are applied to attic spaces, crawlspaces, and wall voids where spiders harbor. Because house spiders are indicators of a prey insect population, reducing the overall insect presence in the home through perimeter treatments and sealing entry points provides the most lasting spider reduction. Our services are tailored to the subtropical coastal environment of the Grand Strand.

Regular cobweb removal with a vacuum or extendable duster discourages spiders from rebuilding in the same locations. Reduce indoor lighting that attracts prey insects — switch exterior lights to yellow bulbs. Seal gaps around windows, doors, and utility penetrations to reduce both spider and prey insect entry. Address underlying insect populations that attract and sustain spider populations. For Myrtle Beach vacation properties and seasonal homes, schedule professional perimeter treatments from MBPC before and after the rental season to prevent the heavy webbing that accumulates during vacancy periods. Consider utilizing Jake Thompson and the MBPC team's expertise to target pests common in our sandy soil and coastal environment.

As their name suggests, common house spiders are well-adapted to indoor living and are found year-round in buildings throughout Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand. The area's warm, humid climate supports larger and more active house spider populations than cooler regions, with abundant prey insects feeding robust colonies year-round. They prefer undisturbed corners, closets, basements, crawlspaces, garages, and window wells. House spiders are especially prolific in coastal vacation properties that sit empty between renters or during the off-season — the quiet, undisturbed rooms quickly accumulate dense webbing during vacancy periods. Outdoors, they build webs under eaves, around porch lights, in shutters, and around outdoor structures, often near palmetto trees and salt marshes.

Peak activity: Year-round