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Common Brown Spiders in the Central United States

All spiders are poisonous, but many of them are too small to warrant any justified panic. They come in a number of different colors and sizes but all share a number of characteristics. In the United States, brown-colored spiders are extremely common. Each species of brown-colored spider is different, and certain species can be hazardous toward humans.

Spiders
- Spiders belong to a special taxonomy group known as arachnids, which includes species of scorpions, mites, ticks and harvestmen. Spiders have eight jointed legs and an external, hard skeleton. For food, they primarily prey on insects and other small animals. They use their fangs to bite down on prey and inject poison. This same poison is most often harmless to humans. However, certain species' bites can lead to death. In North America alone, there are more than 3,000 species of spiders.
Brown Recluse Spider
- Also called the brown spider or fiddleback spider, the brown recluse spider is a long-legged spider that has a dark brown or tan appearance. The brown recluse can be easily identified because it has three pairs of eyes, which sit at the front of the head. Nocturnal in nature, brown recluse spiders search for their food at night and rest during the day. When in homes, brown recluse spiders are most often found in dark areas such as attics, basements, closets and under furniture. Brown recluse spider bites are not deadly, but they can cause extreme pain and scaring.
Wolf Spider
- Usually brown or black, wolf spiders are large spiders that are not a threat to humans. Occasionally, wolf spiders will have vertical stripes down their backs. Following fertilization, the eggs of wolf spiders hang from the abdomen of their mother. After birth, newly hatched spiderlings are dependent on their mother and will continue to cling to the underbelly until they have matured. Wolf spiders are renown for the webs. They spin webs to create shelters rather than catch prey.
Tarantula
- Tarantulas are brown or black, hairy spiders that can grow more than 3 inches long. Females are typically larger than males and can live well beyond 15 years. Tarantulas are nocturnal hunters and spend the majority of daytime resting under rocks or other areas of shelter. They typically are not aggressive toward humans. For this reason, many people keep them as pets. If startled, however, tarantulas may bite and pierce the skin. Domesticated tarantulas are usually fed crickets, mealworms or caterpillars.

Animals & Science