Kentucky is home to a fascinating diversity of spider species. While spiders often get a bad rap most species found in the state are harmless to humans. This guide will provide an overview of the most common spiders found in Kentucky including identification tips, habitat information, and notes on any potential risks.
Common Spider Families in Kentucky
Kentucky spiders belong to a range of different families, each with distinct behaviors and traits:
Orb Weavers
Orb weavers spin the classic circular, spiral web. Some common orb weavers in Kentucky include:
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Yellow Garden Spider – Large black and yellow spider found in gardens.
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Banded Garden Spider – Brown spider with white zigzag pattern on its web
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Arrowhead Orbweaver – Reddish spider with white arrow marking on its abdomen.
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Marbled Orbweaver – Shiny black spider with white and red markings.
Wolf Spiders
Wolf spiders are ground hunters and do not spin webs Some Kentucky species include
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Rabid Wolf Spider – Large hairy brown spider with white stripes on abdomen.
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Thin-legged Wolf Spider – Smaller gray or black wolf spider found throughout the state.
Fishing Spiders
Fishing spiders live along the water and can walk across the surface of ponds and streams while hunting. In Kentucky look for:
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Dark Fishing Spider – Brown fishing spider with black mottled markings.
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Six-spotted Fishing Spider – Brown spider with white spots on abdomen.
Jumping Spiders
Jumping spiders are compact, with large front eyes, and use their strong legs to leap onto prey. Common examples include:
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Bold Jumping Spider – Stocky black spider with thick front legs.
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White-jawed Jumping Spider – Tiny gray spider with white markings on head.
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Golden Jumping Spider – Iridescent green or gray spiders with bright orange abdomens.
Cobweb Spiders
Cobweb spiders live in messy tangle webs in dark corners or vegetation. Watch for:
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American House Spider – Plump brown spider in corner web inside homes.
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Cellar Spider – Spindly gray spider with very long legs.
Dangerous Spiders in Kentucky
While most Kentucky spiders are harmless, there are two venomous species to watch out for:
Black Widow Spiders
Black widow spiders can be identified by the red hourglass marking on their large black abdomens. The venomous southern black widow and northern black widow are found throughout Kentucky. Bites cause severe muscle pain but are rarely fatal.
Brown Recluse Spider
Medium-sized brown spiders with violin-shaped markings on their backs. Brown recluse bites can cause tissue damage and other serious reactions in some cases. They are most common in western Kentucky but found statewide.
When to See Spiders in Kentucky
Many spiders are most active in warmer months, especially late summer and early fall. However some species like wolf spiders and fishing spiders remain active year-round, even in winter.
Cobweb spiders and orb weavers peak from summer through fall. Search for their webs on porches, in gardens, forests, and fields.
Wolf spiders roam lawns and natural areas hunting at night. Look for fishing spiders along shorelines as temperatures warm in spring.
Jumping spiders are common on walls, fences, and vegetation from spring through fall. Search flower beds for colorful crab spiders lying in wait for pollinators.
Spider Habitats in Kentucky
Kentucky’s diversity of ecosystems supports different types of spiders:
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Backyards and gardens: Orb weavers, crab spiders, jumping spiders.
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Buildings and homes: House spiders, cellar spiders, cobweb spiders.
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Grasslands: Wolf spiders, grass spiders, jumping spiders.
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Forests: Orb weavers, cobweb spiders, funnel weavers.
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Wetlands and waterways: Fishing spiders, raft spiders, diving bell spiders.
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Caves: Meta spiders, crevice weavers, comb-footed spiders.
Are Spider Bites Common in Kentucky?
Most spiders rarely bite humans and will only do so if threatened or unintentionally contacted. Bites from household species like jumping spiders and cobweb spiders are very uncommon.
If you do suffer a spider bite, chances are it came from a ground or hunting spider like a wolf or fishing spider while outside. Bites may cause mild pain, swelling or itching similar to bee stings.
Black widow and brown recluse bites are more serious but quite rare, so there is no need to fear spiders in Kentucky. Simply be alert and check shoes, clothes and debris before reaching in barehanded.
Fascinating Facts About Kentucky Spiders
Beyond the common species, Kentucky is home to some seriously fascinating arachnids:
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The six-eyed sand spider found only in caves and underground habitats in the state.
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Tiny emerald jumping spiders just 1/8 inch long but brilliant iridescent green.
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Massasauga rattlesnakes hunt brown and grey violin spiders near wetlands.
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Some orb weavers decorate their webs with zigzags of white silk for stability or camouflage.
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Male dark fishing spiders sacrifice themselves to mate, then get eaten by the female.
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Colonial tangle web spiders cooperate to build interconnected messy webs for hunting.
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Cellar spiders vibrate their webs to mimic trapped insects, luring prey to the web.
So while thoughts of spiders may conjure up creepy crawly images, Kentucky’s spider diversity is a fascinating part of the local ecosystems. Learning more about their behaviors and habits can help appreciate their role in nature, and identify any risks – which are far less common than spider myths suggest!
Spiders of Medical Significance
Size: Adult female is about 1/2 inch long. Color: Adult females are glossy black with a variable number of red markings on the top and bottom of abdomen. Adults males are similar, but with a few white markings. Juveniles are highly variable. Features: Abdomen is nearly spherical on adult females and juveniles. Male is slimmer with longer legs (pictured here). Notes: Bites are very serious and require immediate medical attention, but the spider is timid and unlikely to bite unless handled. Black widows are common all over Kentucky. They tend to occur in concealed outdoor locations: piles of rocks, piles of firewood, and dark corners of garages and out-buildings. Females are common; males are very rarely encountered.
Size: About the size of a U.S. quarter, with legs outstretched. Color: Tan to dark brown, abdomen and legs are uniformly colored with no stripes, bands, or mottling. The legs are long and thin and lack conspicuous spines. Features: Dark violin-shaped mark on back, with the neck of the violin pointing toward the rear (abdomen) of the spider. This feature is consistent in adult brown recluses, but can be hard to see and is less obvious in younger spiders. Also, brown recluses only have six eyes: most Kentucky spiders have eight. Notes: Bites are very serious and require immediate medical attention, but brown recluses are timid and unlikely to bite unless handled. These spiders are more common in Western KY, less common in Central and Southeastern KY. They tend to occur in hidden locations indoors and outdoors: piles of cardboard or paper, stacks of cut wood, and wall-voids of buildings.
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ENTFACT SUPPLEMENT: Urban Spider Chart
The majority of Kentuckys spiders are harmless to humans, even when they enter our living environments. This chart is designed to help with quick identification of spiders that are commonly encountered in homes, buildings, yards, and other urban environments.
Most common spiders found in Kentucky
FAQ
Are there any poisonous spiders in Kentucky?
Though widely feared, most spider species in the Bluegrass State pose no threat to humans, and according to the University of Kentucky Entomology Department, only two varieties are of medical significance in the rare event of a bite: the black widow and the brown recluse.
What are the most common spiders in KY?
Notes: Cellar spiders are among the most commonly encountered spiders in Kentucky and they are found in many homes and buildings. Because it is brownish in color, cellar spiders are often mistaken for brown recluses, but cellar spiders have much longer and thinner legs than brown recluses.
How can I identify a spider in my home?
To determine if there is a spider in your room, you can look for the following signs: Webs: Check corners, ceilings, and furniture for spider webs. Different spiders create different types of webs, but their presence often indicates a spider nearby. Droppings: Small, dark spots on surfaces can be spider droppings.
What are the deadliest spiders in Kentucky?
Kentucky has about 50 spider species of which the brown recluse and black widow are the deadliest. The common families seen here include the purse web, orb-weavers, cellar, jumping, and fishing. Southern Black Widow (Latrodectus mactans)-Did you know there’s a spider called the southern black widow? It’s mostly found in North America.
Are there house spiders in Kentucky?
Notes: The American House Spider is one of the most commonly encountered spiders in Kentucky and is found in many homes and buildings. Because it is brown in color, American house spiders are often mistaken for brown recluses. Unlike brown recluses, though, house spiders are almost never found outside of their webs.
Are grass spiders common in Kentucky?
Notes: Grass spiders are very common in Kentucky lawns where they build large, funnel-shaped webs. They also occasionally wander into homes. Because they are brown and of a similar size, grass spiders are often mistaken for brown recluses. Like most Kentucky spiders, though, the bites of grass spiders are harmless except to allergic individuals.
Are wolf spiders dangerous in Kentucky?
Because they are brown in color, wolf spiders are often mistaken for brown recluses. Like most Kentucky spiders, the bites of wolf spiders are harmless except to allergic individuals. Wolf spiders are among the most common kinds of spiders in Kentucky.
What do wolf spiders look like in Kentucky?
Color: There are many species of wolf spiders in Kentucky, but most are dark or light brown, usually with contrasting spots or stripes. Features: Wolf spiders are fast-moving and they are typically seen running on the ground. They are not web builders. Notes: Wolf spiders often wander into homes.
Are banded garden spiders common in Kentucky?
You can often find banded garden spiders with their bellies facing south, which is likely done to help with their thermoregulation. Also known as the banded orb weaving spider, the banded garden spider, Argiope trifasciata, is one of the most common spiders in Kentucky.