Lesser European House Spider

This is the most common house spider in Minnesota. They are found in most houses. They often seem to prefer certain areas of a house and are also found in large numbers outside of a house. Outside they seem to prefer the walls of a house, arbors, vines, rocks, and are the primary species that make the webs in the corners of a house or anything solid but have complex surfaces that the spider can hide in that have sat outside for at least a few months during the warm season. Inside a house, beside fungus gnats (tiny flies that are attracted to houseplants but nothing else), are often the only insect species that thrive in the house during the winter - even Minnesota winters! They are found in houses all year round, leaving webs mainly in corners and on structures that have not been disturbed... read more for almost a year. They can be actively crawling anywhere, catching people by surprise or build a "cocoon" around themselves and try to hide in corners but are of course noticeable. They can go months without water or food. There are two population waves in the house - during the growing season they move in from outside and eat bugs that flies in the house through cracks or open doors and windows and also during the fall season when they move into the house seeking warmth. They are difficult to get rid of as outside population tend to be very large. They are one of the few true House Bugs!