The Most Common Spiders in Florida

While the beautiful, warm weather and sunshine attracts many people to the state of Florida, it also brings with it a variety of pests, including spiders. While there are aspects of these eight-legged creatures that are fascinating, you certainly don’t want to share your home with them — especially the poisonous ones. Venomous or not, knowing what you’re dealing with is half the battle! Keep reading to learn more about the most common types of spiders you’ll find in your Florida home, yard, or business.

Non-Poisonous Spiders in Florida

Luckily for us, there are more non-venomous spiders in our area than there are venomous ones. If we were to cover all of them, the list could go on forever, but here are a few common ones that we think are worth learning about in case you come across them.

• False Black Widows: While these can often be mistaken for the poisonous black widow, there are a few subtle differences to note. One being that false black widows are actually brown, not black. On top of that, they’re missing the tell-tale red hourglass on their abdomens that gives away a true black widow. While they are cousins of the black widow, they are not poisonous to humans and their bites are unlikely to cause any medical problems.
• Funnel Weaver Spiders: It’s unlikely that you’ll ever find these spiders in your home, but they can be startling to stumble across in your yard, as they look very similar to the brown recluse. The main difference between them is that the funnel weaver spiders have hair. They weave tangled webs that take the shape of a funnel and can often be found over the entrance to a wild animal’s burrow. A bite from these spiders could result in a painful welt, but it’s unlikely to cause serious medical concerns.
• Wolf Spiders: Similarly to the funnel weaver, wolf spiders can often be mistaken for the brown recluse and are also distinguishable by the hair on their bodies. The main differences between the funnel weaver and the wolf spider are that wolf spiders don’t weave webs (they hunt their prey) and they’re more commonly found indoors. They like dark, moist areas and can often be found in sheds, garages, outdoor storage closets, or basements.

Poisonous Spiders in Florida

While all spiders use venom to paralyze their prey, most are not enough to seriously harm humans. There are, however, some dangerous spiders in Florida to keep an eye out for.

• Brown Recluse: With a dark brown violin-shaped mark on its back, the brown recluse is easily noticeable. As we mentioned above, it is different from funnel weavers and wolf spiders because of its lack of hair. These arachnids don’t like to be around humans, so you’d likely only come across them in secluded areas like attics, storage spaces, and sheds.
• Black Widow: You may not know that there are actually two species of black widow spider in Florida--the southern and northern black widows. Visually, the presence of red dots on their abdomens and the break in the middle of the hourglass marks show the difference between the two, but when it comes to how their bites affect humans, they are equally dangerous. With the discovery of antivenom, it’s unlikely that a bite would be deadly, but it can have a variety of unpleasant side effects.

Get Rid of Spiders in Your Home

Poisonous or not, you don’t want to share your living space with eight-legged pests like spiders. If you want to get rid of spiders in your home, hiring a professional is your best bet. At Paul’s Pest, we have over 45 years of experience providing effective spider control to Florida homeowners. Dedicated to protecting our local community from pests, our trusted exterminators in the Jacksonville and Tallahassee areas will deliver the results you want while giving you the relief you deserve!

This blog was written by Kent D. Edmunds, CEO of Paul's Pest Control. Kent has been working with Paul's Termite & Pest Control since 1989 and is a certified pest control operator in both Georgia and Florida!