top of page

Spiders in New Jersey: Types, Risks & Home Prevention

Black and Yellow Spider

What Are Spiders?

Spiders are arachnids belonging to the order Araneae. Unlike insects, spiders have eight legs, no wings, and no antennae. While most spiders are harmless and even beneficial because they feed on other pests, their presence inside homes and businesses often causes fear and discomfort. In New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Delaware, common nuisance spiders include cellar spiders, house spiders, and wolf spiders.

Are Spiders Harmful?​

Curious Spider

  • Bites: Most spiders are not dangerous to humans, but bites can cause mild irritation.

  • Venomous Species: Black widows and brown recluse spiders are rare in this region but their bites can cause medical concerns.

  • Allergies: Spider droppings and shed skins may contribute to dust allergens.

  • Nuisance Factor: Webs accumulate in corners, basements, attics, and garages, making spaces look unclean.

Spider Control​​

  • Effective spider control requires a mix of exclusion, sanitation, and treatment.

  • Inspection: Identify spider hotspots such as basements, garages, or outdoor lighting areas that attract insects (their food source).

  • Sanitation: Regularly vacuum webs, egg sacs, and clutter.

  • Exclusion: Seal cracks, gaps, and install door sweeps to limit entry.

  • Pest Reduction: Reduce insects around the home since they are a spider’s main food source.

  • Professional Treatments: Targeted residual sprays and dusts provide long-term spider reduction indoors and outdoors.

Spider Webs

Types of Spiders in NJ​

  • House Spider: Builds tangled webs indoors; harmless but a common nuisance.

  • Cellar Spider (Daddy Longlegs): Thin-legged spiders often found in basements.

  • Wolf Spider: Large, fast-moving hunters that don’t build webs but can alarm homeowners.

  • Jumping Spider: Small, active spiders known for quick, jerky movements.

  • Black Widow: Rare but venomous; identifiable by the red hourglass marking.

Spiders Appearance​

  • Size: Ranges from tiny (â…› inch) to large wolf spiders (over 1 inch).

  • Color: Brown, gray, black, or patterned.

  • Body: Two-part body (cephalothorax and abdomen) with eight legs.

  • Webs: Web-building species leave visible cobwebs in corners, attics, and basements.

Spiders Habitat​

  • Indoors: Basements, garages, attics, and cluttered areas.

  • Outdoors: Eaves, woodpiles, gardens, and near exterior lighting.

  • Activity: Most active in late summer and fall when they seek shelter indoors.

Spiders Diet​

  • Spiders are carnivores that feed exclusively on insects and other small arthropods.

  • Household Pests: Ants, flies, mosquitoes, cockroaches, and moths.

  • Outdoors: Beetles, grasshoppers, and other small insects.

  • Role: Help naturally control insect populations but can become unwanted indoors.

kind pest logo

Spiders Life Cycle​

  • Spiders undergo simple metamorphosis:

  • Eggs: Female spiders lay egg sacs containing dozens to hundreds of eggs.

  • Spiderlings: Hatch and disperse, often by ballooning on silk threads.

  • Adults: Mature in several months to a year, depending on species.

  • Most spiders live about 1–2 years, though some species survive much longer.

bottom of page