Black widow spiders – have a red hourglass shape on their abdomen. They prefer to stay low to the ground and are commonly found making their webs near firewood, eaves and boxes to hide from danger. They can therefore accidently be bought inside your home quite easily. A black widow bite can be severe and painful.

Brown recluse spiders – tan to dark brown in color. They live in groups close to the ground in undisturbed, dark areas where they can nest and trap prey. They are usually less than half an inch in length and have long thin legs and fine hairs. A bite from a brown recluse may not be seen or felt until the pain sets in a few hours later.

Long-bodied cellar spiders – pale yellow to light brown or gray in color and found in dark and damp places. They are commonly referred to as “daddy long legs” because of their long, thin legs.

House spiders – mostly yellowish brown with a white abdomen and several dark spots or stripes. Most often encountered indoors, house spider’s webs make them a nuisance pest.

Jumping spiders – usually black but sometimes brown, tan or gray and usually with pale markings. Named after their habit of jumping to capture prey. They look a lot like black widow spiders and are occasional invaders in homes. Unlike most spiders, they are active during the daytime. They can bite.

If you see even one spider in your Austin home, you should call A-Tex Pest Management right away as it is easy to mistake a dangerous spider for a harmless one and as outlined about – some spiders live in groups and so you cannot assume that the spider you see is the only one residing in your home!