Common Spiders in Nevada

Serving Las Vegas | Henderson | North Las Vegas

Nevada is known for its gambling, entertainment, and warm weather. But a lesser-known fact is that Nevada is home to many spiders, including the poisonous Black Widow spider.

At Pest Control Inc., we aim to educate our customers about pests. In this article, we’ll look at the common spiders in Nevada and their habits.

Black Widow

In the U.S. there are actually three different black widow species: northern, southern, and western. Black widows are shiny and black with a distinctive red hourglass marking on the underside of their abdomen. A bite by a black widow may result in serious medical effects such as welts accompanied by pain, difficulty breathing, nausea, and sweating. This is why it’s wise to seek medical attention if bitten by a black widow spider.

Cellar Spider

The term cellar spider or Phocidae is a broad term to describe a family of spiders, not a species. Cellar spiders get their name due to their habit of hanging upside down in cellars, garages, and other vacant areas.

Other pests are commonly mistaken for cellar spiders. Those include the crane fly, which also looks like a giant mosquito and harvestmen, commonly known as daddy long legs.

Desert Brown Recluse

The desert brown recluse is typically light to dark brown in color. It is a cousin to the well-known brown recluse and although they are not aggressive, they will bite if disturbed or cornered. Desert brown recluses prefer to establish in quiet places like wood, dead cactus, and rodent dents. A bite by a desert brown recluse can result in severe tissue damage so it’s recommended to seek medical care if bitten.

Desert Tarantula

Female desert tarantulas have thick bristly hairs and a tan stocky body compared to their male counterparts who are thinner with black hair. Desert tarantulas are nocturnal hunters who feed on grasshoppers, crickets, scorpions, small lizards, and even smaller spiders. They prefer to establish in undisturbed areas that they can burrow in. Although this spider species may look frightening, they’re generally docile and not aggressive toward humans. However, like most other spiders, they will bite if provoked. Their venom is poisonous but not deadly, but it’s recommended to seek medical care in case of an allergic reaction.

Orbweaver

Orbweavers come in a variety of different colors and sizes and are named after the circular webs they build. You may find them in bushes, tree branches, or around your light fixtures. Orbweavers are very docile, non-aggressive spiders that feed on common insects. At night is when orbweavers are most active as they work to repair their web and hunt.

Wolf Spider

Wolf spiders are large, hairy, and typically brown or gray with dark markings. A different characteristic with wolf spiders is that unlike other species who sit and wait for prey, wolf spiders roam about actively searching for it–and they’re fast. They also carry their egg sac with them and once their babies hatch, they will climb onto mom’s back until they’re fully developed. While wolf spiders won’t attack a human at first sight, they will react aggressively if cornered or picked up. They have large fangs and a bite by a wolf spider can be painful.

Call the Nevada Spider Experts!

If you’ve found a spider that’s not in this list, feel free to contact us. We have entomologists on our staff who are specialists in arachnids and insects. We also have an entire page dedicated to spider identification and behaviors.

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