7 Unexpected White Spiders In The House

Spiders belonging to the same species can be white because of genetic variations.

For example, some huntsman spiders and wolf spiders can also be white.

But there are certain white spiders that are as much likely to sneak inside homes as their colored counterparts.

These spiders enter homes for reasons like harsh outdoor weathers and search for food.

This guide will reveal what are the white spiders that you’re most likely to hide in your house.

You’ll find out how to identify them, where they hide, and the best ways to prevent them from entering your home.

Keep reading.

White Ghost Spiders

Ghost spiders belong Anyphaenidae family of spiders. The family of these spiders are pale with translucent bodies.

There are two dominant colors in ghost spiders – pale yellow and pale white.

They’ve got elongated bodies and long legs with thin hairy bristles. Those bristles help them to climb on vertical surfaces.

Ghost spiders are fast runners. They’ll run at a brisk pace on the floor.

Ghost spiders hide in the vegetation or in the flower petals, waiting patiently for a fly or bug to catch.

These spiders don’t spin a web to trap their preys.

But they do weave a tunnel-like tubular silk retreat underneath rocks, between woodpiles, and inside curled leaves.

Ghost spiders are immensely beneficial for your garden. They hunt down most garden pests that pose a threat to your plants.

Dense vegetation along the home’s perimeter and windows can make the ghost spiders sneak inside the house through the gaps and cracks.

Like all spiders, the ghost spiders will also hide in the tiny holes, between wall cracks, and in the cluttered places of your house.

They don’t bite unless you try to handle them. Their bites are harmless and cause a minor skin irritation.

White Crab Spiders

White crab spiders belong to the Misumenoides family of spiders.

The spiders, including the white crab spiders, belonging to this family have a crab like appearance.

Their two front legs are longer than the hind legs. That gives them a crab like appearance.

White crab spiders are ambush predators. They will hide in the flower petals and in the leaves waiting for their prey.

Like all the white spiders in the list, the white crab spiders are outdoor spiders.

But they can move inside the house by accidentally sneaking in through the vents, gaps, and open windows.

You can accidentally bring the white crab spiders inside by brining in potted plants with white crab spiders hiding in them.

Inside the house, white crab spiders will look for secluded and cluttered places like attic, basement, and storage rooms to hide.

They can even get inside shoe boxes, closets, wardrobes, dresser drawers, and in the storage section underneath beds.

White crab spiders are harmless and they’re not known to bite humans unless they get pressed against the human skin.

White Jumping Spiders

Jumping spiders are mostly black or brown. However, a few jumping spiders can be white.

The reason that some jumping spiders are white is as same as why people have different eye colors.

The whiteness in the jumping spiders is because of the genetic variation within the species.

Jumping spiders belong to the Salticidae family. Spiders in these family are strong jumpers.

They jump and pounce on the prey to hunt them. Unlike the common house spiders, the jumping spiders don’t spin webs.

Outdoors, jumping spiders will live in the dense shrubs, leaf litter, underneath the rocks and woodpiles.

However, these spiders are quite adept to live inside human homes.

They’ll not only sneak inside the cluttered places inside your house, but also inside shoes, drawers, and underneath furniture.

Jumping spiders, including the white ones, are harmless.

To many people, white jumping spiders look adorable. And many reptile enthusiasts also keep them as pets.

White Sac Spiders

Like the yellow sac spiders, the white sac spider will live in the wood piles, leaf litter, and underneath rocks and stones in the outdoors.

However, these spiders can also hide inside the gaps in sheds, boards, and walls.

The gaps in the window sills are one of the most entry points for the white sac spider to sneak inside the house.

But they can move into your home when the weather outdoors becomes too extreme for them.

The most common time of the year when the white sac spider get inside the house is during the late fall when the temperature starts to fall.

These spiders will sneak inside the house looking for a warm place to hide.

The white sac spiders have long frontal legs. But the hind legs aren’t as short as the hind legs of a crab spider.

So, these spiders don’t give a crab-like appearance.

The most distinctive feature in the white sac spider is a blurry mark on their abdomen.

White Sac spiders got their names from their habit of build silken sacs or tubular webs inside leaves and holes.

But those sacs are a retreat for them. They don’t use it to hunt their preys.

White sac spiders don’t build their sacs inside the house.

Instead, they sneak inside the wall voids in places like your attic and basement. The crevices on the walls and ceilings are also their hiding places.

Most people think that white sac spiders and yellow sac spiders are the same because of the similarities in looks and behavior.

However, both are distinct species.

White sac spiders (Cheiracanthium inclusum) are white and small, growing between 4-8 mm in size. T

The white sac spiders aren’t aggressive. And they can also be pale yellow.

The yellow sac spider (Cheiracanthium mildei) is more yellow in color. It’s size is similar to the white sac spider’s size.

But the yellow sac spider is more aggressive than the white sac spider.

The yellow sac spiders account for more human bites than any other spider species. There are cases of these spiders biting humans while they’re working in their garden.

The best part is that their bites are harmless. But the bite is painful at the outset.

White Cobweb Spider

If you’re noticing tiny white round spiders in the house, especially near the windows, then it’s most probably going to be the white cobweb spider.

The white cobweb spider is often confused with the American house spider. Though both spiders sneak inside homes, they’re totally different species.

The white cobweb spider (Steatoda albomaculata) belongs to the Lycosidae family. It’s creamy white, round-bodied.

This tiny white spider grows between 1/8 – 1/4 inches in size. Some white cobweb spiders can have a dark zig-zag pattern on their abdomen or on their legs.

White cobweb spiders are common in the dry regions.

Outdoors, these spiders will live in protected areas such as underneath rocks and inside the crevices of tree trunks and branches.

Of all the spiders in the list, the white cobweb spiders are most likely to live inside human homes.

They’ll sneak inside homes through the small cracks or openings in windows, doors, and walls.

White cobweb spiders are so common inside homes that they’re often referred as the house spider.

The places inside the house where they hide, and spin webs, are also the same.

Both the American house spiders and the white cobweb spider will hide in places like attics, storage rooms, and basements.

And they’ll spin web in the corner of the ceilings and walls.

The American house spider is the most common house spider species across North America. But they’re not white.

The house spiders are light brown or gray and smaller than the white cobweb spider. Their size is between 5-9 mm.

Both spiders are harmless and rarely bite humans. If they bite, it only results into minor skin irritation and itching.

White Cellar Spider

Another common white spider in the house is the white cellar spider.

As their name suggests, these spiders hide in the dark and damp areas of the house like attics, bathrooms, and cellars.

White cellar spiders are pale yellow or grayish white and slender. They grow between 3/20 – 1/5 inches in size.

They’ve got an elongated body shape, with a small cephalothorax (head and thorax), and a round prominent abdomen.

The legs of these spiders are long, growing up to 10 mm in size. That’s why they’re also referred to as daddy long legs.

White cellar spiders build messy tangled webs on the corners of their hiding places to catch flies and mosquitoes.

White cellar spiders are not at all aggressive. They prefer to escape rather than bite if you disturb them.

Using a vacuum cleaner to scoop off these spiders and their webs is the best way to eliminate them.

White Golden Rod Spiders

White golden rod spiders are common garden spiders. These spiders are also known as the “flower spiders” because they primarily hide in the flowers to catch bees and wasps.

White golden rod spiders have a bulbous abdomen that gives them a round look. They grow between 6-10 mm in size.

They’ve got long, slender legs that help them to navigate from one flower to another and to catch their preys.

White golden spiders rarely enter homes.

But you can bring these spiders inside if you bring any flower potted plants with a golden rod spider hiding in it.

There have been instances when golden rod spiders popped out of nowhere in the indoor flower plants when the flower plant is being watered.

White golden rod spiders are beneficial spiders for your yard and garden. They keep the garden pests population under control by hunting and eating them.

These spiders rarely bite humans. If they’re inside the house, they desperately try to get outside of the house because your home isn’t an ideal habitat for them.

How To Prevent White Spiders From Entering The House?

Sealing the holes and cracks on the walls, doorways, and window sills is the best way to prevent spiders from entering.

As all of these spiders inhabit outdoors, so, keeping your outdoor area clean will remove their hiding places.

Remove the organic debris and wood piles where these spiders hide in the outdoors.

Declutter and clean your attic, bathroom, basement, storage room, garage, and kitchen.

Spiders hide in the cluttered places that are dirty.

So, remove unnecessary items from these places, especially useless cardboard boxes, to deny spiders the hiding place they need.

Ensure that are no bugs and pests in your home. The presence of insects inside the house draw spiders because spiders hunt and eat them.  

You can also keep sticky spider traps at their hiding places to lure the spiders out and entrap them.

Most of these white spiders in the list are harmless. But they can bite.

So, take appropriate precautions while you’re engaged in the above processes. Wear shoes, trousers, and gloves while cleaning those places to reduce the risk of spider bites.