This page shows an overview of common spiders throughout the United States. You can learn more details about the spider species by clicking on the images or links below the images.
Dangerous Spiders in the United States
Even though there are thousands of spider species living in the USA, only very few of them can actually cause harm to humans. Spiders are usually not aggressive animals. Whenever they see a human or a large pet, they will try to hide or remain still, rather than attack. The following are spiders in North America that have either a very paiful bite or that are dangerous to humans:
Orb Weaver Spiders in the USA
Orb weavers are a family of spiders that spin large orb-shaped webs. Their webs catch small flying insects. Orb weavers are active at night and can often be found around human constructions. Especially, if you have a light on your front porch that attracts insects in the evening, orb weavers may consider that a good spot to build their web.
The bite of an orb weaver is not dangerous for humans and can have similar symptoms like a bee sting at worst.
Below, you can find the most common orb weaver spiders in the US. Click on the images to learn more about the orb weaver species.
Crab Spiders in the USA
Crab spiders are a family of spiders that resemble crabs. Hence, the name. Various crab spider species can be found throughout the United States and the entire world. Crab spiders are wandering hunters and they do not build a web to catch prey.
Click on the images below to learn more about the most common crab spiders in the USA:
Jumping Spiders in the USA
Jumping spiders are a widely distributed family of spiders that are known for their ability to jump. Some species can jump up to 50 times their own size by suddenly increasing the blood pressure in their back legs.
Click on the images below to learn more about some of the various species of jumping spiders in the USA.
Other Common Spiders in the USA
The following images show various other common spider species that can be found in the United States.
If you happen to find a spider species that you cannot identify or that is missing on our list, send us a description and a photo to usaspiders@gmail.com and we are happy to identify the spider for you and include it on our page.