Of course, there are many types of spiders in Florida. The bulk of them are common house spiders. Unlike brown recluse spiders, these are typically harmless and may even be beneficial because they’ll eat bugs. This makes them valuable in places like greenhouses or out in the wilderness, where they can help keep the mosquito and fly population down. Nonetheless, they’re a pretty effective pest indoors, especially because they scare some and may still occasionally bite.

The last thing you want indoors is a spider infestation, so if there’s any worry don’t be afraid to contact us. Ask us any questions you may have, or we can always come out and do a free evaluation for these types of spiders in Florida and other pests.

Here’s a list of some of the more unique spiders out there. Some are harmless, some are dangerous.

Crab Spiders

There are even spiders called crab spiders in Florida! Crab spiders are named this way because they hold a pair of front legs out before them like a crab, and are known to scuttle sideways. They often hide in flowers and ambush insects that come to feed. They are typically not an indoor spider and they are not dangerous to people or pets, so you won’t have to worry about these.

Wolf Spiders

Wolf spiders are solitary spiders made for the hunt. Rather than spinning a web and waiting for prey, or disguising themselves and waiting in ambush like crab spiders, wolf spiders will pounce or even chase their prey.

Wolf spiders are built for hunting in some interesting ways. Unlike web-spinning spiders, two of their eyes are larger than the other six. This helps them have better depth perception on the move, making them more effective hunters. They are larger than many more common house spiders. Their legs may also appear more spread out, and not rising very high. This cuts down on wasted movement when giving chase.

Are wolf spiders poisonous? Yes, but not in a way that is dangerous to humans. Their venom may lead to swelling and itching, but it is not strong enough to put human or pet life in danger (unless your pets are insects).

Brown Recluse Spiders

These spiders are dangerous, though their reputation doesn’t match their Black Widow cousins. This is because Brown Recluse spiders are harder to find and typically stay very hidden. Black Widows are more prominent because of their shape and hourglass pattern, but Brown Recluse spiders may actually be more dangerous.

A brown recluse spider’s bite won’t often be noticeable immediately. Instead, it will take a few hours before you notice it. It will become painful within the first 8 hours and escalate from there. You can die from it, especially if the bite is mistaken for something else. The brown recluse spider is most dangerous to children under seven or those with immune system issues.

Brown recluse spider bites can take months to heal and often leave very deep scars, sometimes even resulting in tissue death.

Brown recluses can survive more than a year without food or water. Because of their resilience, an infestation demands immediate response. Contact us if you suspect a brown recluse infestation. Above all, do not try to handle it yourself. Leave it to professionals. Contact Slug-A-Bug if you have a problem with spiders or need help to identify the types of spiders in Florida home.