Some Spider Spooked by an Unknown Spider?

It’s officially October. That means Spooky Season is here! You finally decide to make the trip up to the attic to retrieve the box of Halloween decorations that has been sitting upstairs for twelve months, collecting dust. As you reach into the dimly lit corner, you feel something brush against your hand and suddenly, your Halloween decorations aren’t the only thing giving you a scare.

Before you panic, take a closer look at the spider that made a home nestled up in your box all year. Spiders are a common sight in Nevada homes and outdoor spaces. While their appearance can be unsettling to some, most species are harmless and play an important role in pest management. Knowing which spiders you may encounter can help you distinguish between a harmless house guest and a species that may require extra caution. 

In this article, we’ll take a closer look at some of the most common spiders found in Nevada, how to identify them, and what you can do to keep unwanted eight-legged visitors out of your home.

Some Spider Allies at a Glance

Illustrated picture of a desert tarantula. This spider is large and hairy.

Desert Tarantula

  1. Nocturnal hunters.
  2. Long lifespan (20-40 years)
Go To Desert Tarantula
Image of an illustrated jumping spider. This spider is small with large eyes.

Jumping Spider

  1. Small and compact bodies.
  2. Large front-facing eyes.
Go To Jumping Spiders
Image is of an illustrated orb weaver spider. This spider is large and often seen on their webs.

Orb Weaver

  1. Short life span (1 year)
  2. Builds large circular webs.
Go To Orb Spiders
Image is of an illustrated wolf spider. This spider is large and hair.

Wolf Spider

  1. Fast-moving. 
  2. Hunts prey on the ground.
Go To Wolf Spiders

Most spiders found in your garden are little defenders and some of our greatest natural allies when it comes to pest management. These four species of spiders are some examples of a few allies you may have encountered before.  We’ll dive into these species and one harmful species that everyone in Nevada should be able to recognize.

Desert Tarantulas 

Image of a desert tarantula on the ground.

Photo Credits: David Cappaert, Bugwood.org

Few spiders look more frightening than a tarantula. Their large size, hairy bodies, and slow, deliberate movements may make them seem like something from a Halloween movie. Fortunately, their reputation is considerably scarier than their typical behavior. Nevada is home to several Aphonopelma tarantulas. During late summer and fall, male tarantulas may become more visible as they leave their burrows in search of females.

Why are they helpful?

Tarantulas are predators that consume relatively large prey. Their presence represents another layer of natural predation within desert ecosystems. Tarantulas generally avoid people and are not considered a significant threat to humans. However, they should never be handled unnecessarily. Some species can eject urticating hairs from their abdomen when threatened, which can cause skin or eye irritation.

  Desert Tarantula Identification Features
 1 Robust, heavy-bodied appearance.
 2 Very large spider compared with most Nevada spiders.
 4 Body and legs are generally tan, brown, reddish-brown, or dark.
 5 Dense hairs cover much of the body.
 6 Often associated with burrows in soil or other sheltered locations.
 8 Slow-moving compared with many smaller hunting spiders.
 

Jumping Spiders

If you spot a small, compact spider that suddenly leaps rather than scurries away, you may have encountered a jumping spider. Unlike web-building spiders, jumping spiders actively hunt their prey, using their excellent vision and powerful legs to stalk and pounce on insects. They are often seen during the day on sunny surfaces, vegetation, walls, and other structures.

Why are they helpful?

Jumping spiders prey on flies, mosquitoes, small beetles, and other arthropods. By naturally reducing insect populations, they can help manage garden pests and serve as beneficial predators in an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program.

Image of a small jumping spider with large eyes.

Photo Credits: Joseph Berger, Bugwood.org

  Jumping Spider Identification Features
 1 Often black, brown, gray, or brightly colored, sometimes with distinctive markings.
 2 Small to medium-sized body with a compact appearance.
 3 Large, forward-facing eyes that give them excellent vision.
 4 Quick, sudden jumping movements when hunting or escaping.
 5 Active hunters that stalk prey rather than rely on a web to catch it.
 

Orb Weavers

Image of a orb weaver hanging on its web.

Photo Credits: Joseph Berger, Bugwood.org

Orb weavers are some of the easiest spiders to recognize because of the large, circular webs they build. Their webs can appear overnight between plants, fences, shrubs, buildings, and other structures. Several species of orb-weaving spiders occur in Nevada, including species in the genera Argiope, Neoscona, and Araneus.

Why are they helpful?

Orb weavers are sit-and-wait predators. Their webs intercept flying insects, including flies, mosquitos, beetles, and other insects. Rather than viewing an orb web as a sign of a pest infestation, consider it evidence that a natural predator is working in your landscape.

  Orb Weaver Identification Features
 1 Body shape and coloration vary considerably among species.
 2 Builds large, organized, circular shaped webs.
 3 Some species have striking yellow, white, black, orange, or reddish markings.
 4 Many have a rounded or oval abdomen.
 5 Often remain near the center or edge of their web while waiting for prey.
 

Wolf Spiders

If you see a large, hairy spider suddenly sprint across the ground, you may have encountered a wolf spider.  They typically patrol the ground, leaf litter, rocks, and other sheltered areas in search of prey. They are at peak activity during late summer and fall in the Nevada as outdoor temperatures drop. They often wander indoors looking for shelter.  

Why are they helpful?

Like jumping spiders, wolf spiders do not build webs to catch prey and instead hunt on the ground. They help reduce populations of groudn dwelliong garden pests, making them another valuable natural ally in an IPM program.

Image of a wolf spider on the ground hunting.

Photo Credits: Joseph Berger, Bugwood.com

  Wolf Spider Identification Features
1  Hairy appearance.
 2 Brown,gray,or tan coloration.
 3 Large, prominent eyes.
 4 Usually hunting on the ground rather than sitting in a prey-catching web.
 5 Often active at night or in low-light conditions.
 6 Females carry their egg sacs and later their young, (a behavior characteristic of wolf spiders.)
 

Black Widow

Image of a black widow on its web.

Photo credits: Joseph Berger, Bugwood.org

Now for the spider that deserves a little more caution. The western black widow (Latrodectus hesperus) is found throughout Nevada. Typical hiding places include woodpiles, debris, garages, crawl spaces, porches, and protected outdoor areas around buildings.

Why do they deserve caution?

Black widows are venomous predators, and their bites can produce significant symptoms. They are particularly important to recognize because people may accidentally disturb them when reaching into dark storage areas, woodpiles, sheds, or other sheltered locations.

At the same time, black widows are still predators and consume insects and other arthropods. From an ecological perspective, they are part of the natural food web. The primary concern is their presence in areas where people may accidentally encounter or disturb them. 

How to avoid Black Widows 

First line of defense is to prevent unwanted encounters:

1. Minimize sites around your home and graden that create nice homes for black widows by removing clutter and sealing cracks. 

2. Regularly vacuum or sweep windows, corners or storage areas and other seldom used areas. 

 

3. Store seasonal items in sealed containers.

4. Always wear gloves when working outside, picking up wood or placing your hands into places you can't see, such as under garden pots or patio furniture.

What to do if you find a Black Widow

1. Do not touch the spider with your bare hands. Always wear gloves to protect youreself.

2. Trap it it in a glass jar and relocate it to an area where it is not a risk to people. Use a long handled shovel to squish it from a distance.

3. Vacuum it up! Spiders have soft bodies and usually don't survive the journey through the vacuum.

 

4. If you kill it, check for egg sacs nearby and remove those as well. Chemical control generally doesn't provide long-term control.

If someone is bitten by a Black Widow spider, remain calm and seek medical attention immediately.

This October don’t let that unknown spider you saw sprint away from you keep you up at night. Most of the time spiders will avoid people and continue to act as free pest control agents. Still observing spiders you are unsure about? Find more spider information by clicking the link below.  

Santana, E., and Jensen, C. 2026, Don't Be Spooked! Guide to Common Nevada Spiders, University of Nevada, Reno

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Carrie Jensen
Carrie Jensen
 
 

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