Discover 8 Brown Spiders in Washington

Washington might be known for its lush forests and majestic mountains, but it also has many creepy crawly critters that call the Evergreen State home. Among these eight-legged creatures are a variety of brown spiders – some of which you’ll want to stay far away from! Although these arachnids may look creepy and scary, most of them are not harmful to humans and would, in fact, prefer to shy away when approached. However, with that said, some of these brown spiders are venomous, so it’s important to know how to differentiate them from your friendly household spiders.

In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at eight of Washington’s most common brown spiders and explore the fascinating ways they live.

1. Giant House Spider (Eratigena Atrica) 

The giant house spider, also known as the Eratigena atrica, is an eight-eyed arachnid found in homes and other buildings throughout Europe, Asia, and North America. The spider is brown to red-brown with a creamy white coloring on its abdomen. The giant house spider can measure up to 1.5 inches in length and is the largest species of common house spider in the state of Washington.

These spiders like to live in your home’s dark, damp corners. These spiders are typically nocturnal and can be found on walls, ceilings, and under desks and furniture. If you want a closer look at these common house spiders, look for them in your home’s basement, attic, and crawl spaces.

These giant house spiders like to eat various insects and other arthropods. Cockroaches, flies, crickets, and moths are among the favorite prey of the giant house spider.

Giant house spiders are generally not dangerous and will only bite when threatened or provoked. If a giant house spider bites you, it should only cause mild discomfort.

They will often hide in small crevices to protect themselves from predators. In natural habitats, they make silk webs with a funnel-shaped opening in the center.

Fun Fact: Giant house spiders mate during the springtime and can lay up to 200 eggs in a single egg sac. The spiderlings will disperse upon hatching and look for new hiding places throughout the house.

2. Ground Wolf Spider (Trochosa terricola)

With a glossy, yellow-brown body and four distinct dark spots on its back, the ground wolf spider is one of Washington’s most commonly seen spiders. Measuring up to half an inch in length, the ground wolf spider has eight evenly-sized eyes and long legs. Its habitat ranges from open grasslands to wooded areas and gardens, making it a frequent visitor to suburban yards.

The ground wolf spider is an opportunistic predator, feeding on insects and other small animals by hunting them, much like a wolf. It prefers to hunt during the evening and night, lurking in lower foliage and under stones. Its hunting behavior is unique because it relies more on its acute vision than silk webs to capture prey.

Ground wolf spiders are usually solitary and non-aggressive, though they can bite if threatened. Fortunately, their venom is not very toxic, and the bite is not harmful to humans. Wolf spiders may look terrifying, but ground wolf spiders are quite small, measuring only 0.27 to 0.55 inches or 7 to 14 millimeters.

Fun fact: Ground wolf spiders have an interesting courtship ritual in which males perform a mating dance to attract females and then court them with food.

3. Cat-Faced Spider (Araneus gemmoides)

The cat-faced spider is a tiny, harmless arachnid that can be spotted year-round in Washington. Living in rural and urban areas, these spiders can be found in gardens and woodlands. These spiders have an iconic “cat-face” pattern on their abdomen, which is used to scare off predators. They measure anywhere between 0.2 to almost an inch or 5 and 25 millimeters in size, depending on their sex, with female cat-faced spiders much larger than males.

The cat-faced spider has a special diet of insects and pollen. This makes them beneficial in gardens, as they help prevent pests while pollinating flowers. They are most active at night and hide in sheltered areas during the day to avoid being spotted by predators.

These spiders build webs often close to the ground, using foliage and soil as their base. They can produce powerful silk to trap flying insects such as moths and beetles.

Despite their small size, cat-faced spiders are fascinating creatures that may bite if handled. However, their bite is generally not hard enough to pierce the skin. So, its venom won’t even have an opportunity to get to our bloodstream in the first place. But if the spider manages to pierce the skin, its venom is incredibly mild, so expect some discomfort. Medical care is only needed if you are allergic.

Fun Fact: Cat-faced spiders have been documented eating up to seven times their own body weight in food.

4. Long-Bodied Cellar Spider (Pholcus phalangioides)

This creepy little creature is a common sight in Washington, lurking on many corners of houses and other buildings. Its body is pale yellow or grayish-brown and can grow up to 0.6 inches long, but some females can measure up to an incredible 2 inches long with legs extended! The long-bodied cellar spider has two large eyes and eight legs.

The long-bodied cellar spider feeds mainly on smaller insects, and their diet includes flies, gnats, and other small creatures. They can be found in many damp and dark places, such as basements, crawlspaces, and other sheltered areas. It is also common to find them in garages and sheds.

This spider is also known for its erratic and jerky movements, which can be off-putting to some. However, they are harmless and pose absolutely no threat to humans or pets.

Fun Fact: Due to their incredibly long legs, the long-bodied cellar spider is often confused with the common house spider that is nicknamed daddy long legs.

5. Brown Spiders in Washington: Hobo Spider (Eratigena agrestis)

The hobo spider is a member of the large Agelenidae family and is native to Europe. It is also found in western parts of North America and was introduced to the United States through cargo shipped from Europe. The hobo spider is usually brown and has an indistinct pattern on its abdomen. It usually grows about 1/4” in length but can reach up to 1/3”.

The hobo spider is a hunting spider that actively pursues its prey. It typically feeds on other spiders, insects, and some other small animals. It builds a funnel-shaped web in dark corners and crevices, often near the ground or in structures like window frames and wall cracks. Hobo spiders can be very aggressive and may bite when disturbed.

The hobo spider once had a reputation that it caused “flesh-eating” bites, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. While the hobo spider’s venom is not considered particularly dangerous to humans, it can cause irritation, redness, and swelling in the affected area. Seek medical attention if you have an allergic reaction.

Fun Fact: It got its name because it is thought that this spider became widely distributed as it hitched rides on trains and trucks.

6. White-Spotted False Widow Spider (Steatoda grossa)

The white-spotted false widow spider is a medium-sized spider that usually lives under stones and in cracks or crevices. It is native to the Pacific Northwest and is found mainly in Washington, Oregon, and British Columbia. Its web comprises funnel-shaped retreats with a sheet of webbing stretched across.

It has a cream or brown colored body, with black and yellow markings, and can reach up to 0.31 inches or 8 mm in body length. It is known to be a timid species, and unlike its namesake, the true widow spider, its bite is not considered dangerous; however, it can cause some mild pain or discomfort.

The white-spotted false widow spider is an opportunistic hunter whose diet consists mainly of small insects and other invertebrates. It is a nocturnal species that prefers to live in dark and damp places. This spider spends most of its time hiding during the day and hunts when it is most active at night.

Fun Fact: The white-spotted false widow spider is also known as the “House Wiggler” due to its habit of vibrating its web when disturbed.

7. Brown Spiders in Washington: Funnel Weaver Spider (Agelenidae)

The funnel weaver spider can be found throughout Washington state, ranging from the Willapa Hills to the Cascade Mountains. It spins a spiral, funnel-shaped web with a retreat at the back of the funnel.

These spiders hunt by waiting in their webs for prey and then attacking them when they get caught in the web, using their venom to paralyze the prey. They are usually tan or brown, with a distinct pattern on their abdomen. Funnel weaver spiders have very long legs and can grow to a half-inch in size. As with most other spider species, the female funnel weaver spiders tend to be larger than the males.

Human interaction with funnel weaver spiders is mostly harmless, as they can’t bite through human skin. In fact, they are considered beneficial to the environment because they help to control insect populations. Funnel weaver spiders are also known to survive in colder temperatures and can be found near bodies of water or wet meadows, but they also thrive in dry and warm climates.

The males are usually seen more often than the females as they wander around looking for a mate during the mating season. 

Fun Fact: They are one of the few spiders that can regenerate their legs if they lose them due to injury or damage.

8. Jumping Spiders (Salticidae)

Jumping spiders of all types can usually be found near windows and on walls throughout the state. They have four pairs of eyes, which gives them excellent vision, and they do not spin webs. Instead, they use their legs to jump from plant to plant or place to place in search of potential prey.

These spiders are usually brown, but they can also range from black to white or yellow. They typically have a shiny, round abdomen and a flat head. When threatened, jumping spiders raise their front legs as if ready to fight, but they will generally shy away from humans.

These spiders feed on small insects, such as flies and ants, and eat other spiders. They can be found in almost any habitat, including woodlands, gardens, and fields.

Jumping spiders are harmless to humans but can bite if provoked.  They benefit the environment by eating other insects that can damage crops or become a nuisance.

Fun Fact: Jumping spiders also glow in the dark when exposed to UV light!

Conclusion

Washington state has many different types of spiders, from wolf spiders to jumping spiders. Each species has unique characteristics and behaviors, making them interesting to study and observe in the wild. Even though some of these spiders can be a bit scary or intimidating at first glance, they are mostly harmless to humans and beneficial to the environment.  

So next time you see one, take a few moments to appreciate them.

Summary of 8 Brown Spiders in Washington

The photo featured at the top of this post is © Trygve Finkelsen/Shutterstock.com