The American House Spider (Parasteatoda tepidariorum) is an arachnid in the Theridiidae family of spiders. It is also known as the Cobweb Spider or the Tangle-Web Spider.
The American House Spider is brown with mottled markings. It has a large, bulbous, round abdomen with eight long legs. The two front legs are longer than the oher legs. Its legs are black with light brown bands.
It grows up to 2.5 centimetres (1 inch).
The American House Spider is native to North America and Canada. It often lives in urban areas, including inside homes. It prefers low foliage, areas under rocks, or in debris.
It feeds on insects, such as flies, mosquitoes, ants, and wasps.
The female lays 1-17 egg sacs, like hollow peas, made of brownish silk, with 100-400 eggs in each sac.
It lives, on average, for 12 months.
[Location of photographs: Paris, France]
Photographer: Martina Nicolls
Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM