Guide to Maine's Most Common House and Garden Spiders

Common Spiders Found in Maine

Maine is home to a variety of spider species, most of which are harmless to humans. While the majority of Maine spiders play important roles in controlling pest populations, there are a few venomous species residents should know.

Fishing Spiders

One of the more common spiders found in and around Maine homes is the fishing spider. Fishing spiders have brown, tan or gray coloring with black and white markings on their large abdomen. Their legspan reaches 2-3 inches.

Fishing spiders dont build webs to catch prey, they hunt insects and small aquatic animals near water sources. Sometimes fishing spiders wander indoors by mistake. Their venom poses little risk to humans beyond localized reactions.

Grass Spiders

Grass spiders populate yards and gardens across Maine during warmer months. A grayish-brown body color helps camouflage them against the ground and low-growing vegetation where they reside.

The grass spider preys on insects and other small prey caught in their funnel-shaped webs near lawns and wooded spaces. Their venom isnt considered medically significant, but some individuals may experience minor skin irritation from bites.

Cellar Spiders

Cellar spiders spin loose, spiderweb-looking nests in dark corners of basements and crawlspaces. Their long legs span around 1-inch tip to tip, but their compact bodies measure only 3 to 8-mm.

Despite their small size, cellar spiders help limit mosquito and other nuisance insect issues. They occasionally bite humans when trapped against skin, but poses no serious health concerns beyond minor pain, red marks or slight itching.

Yellow Sac Spiders

The yellow sac spiders colors range from pale yellow to greenish or brownish-yellow. Look for the darker body shape against their pale legs that measure approximately 1/2inch long. Yellow sacs construct silken retreats in trees, shrubs, structures and vehicles.

Infrequent bites sometimes occur when yellow sac spiders get trapped against skin. Though uncommon, their venom can produce mild reactions including redness, pain and itching lasting up to 10 days.

Pictures of Maine Spiders

Jumping Spiders

Approximately 400 jumping spider species reside in Maine, most under 1/2 inch long. Their compact, hairy bodies range from gray to black, sometimes with intricate patterns. All eight eyes provide excellent vision for stalking prey.

Jumping spiders pounce up to 40 times their body length to attack. Despite menacing hunting skills, they rarely bite humans unless severely threatened. Their mild venom typically only causes brief stinging.

Orb Weaver Spiders

Maine orb weavers spin gorgeous spiral wheel-shaped webs up to 2 feet wide, using silk stronger than steel. More than 3,000 orb weaver species exist worldwide in colors like yellow, green, white, black or brown and legspans nearing 5 inches.

Orb weavers occasionally bite when accidentally disturbed or trapped against skin, but arent aggressive. Their venom only produces mild swelling or stinging for a few hours, posing no serious medical concerns.

Wolf Spiders

Ranging from small to very large, wolf spiders populate wooded and grassy areas statewide. Mostly grey-brown, some have stripes while females carry egg sacs attached to their bellies. Fast runners, they pounce instead of spinning webs to catch insects, spiders and small animals to eat.

Wolf spiders infrequently bite humans unless mishandled or threatened. Symptoms include mild pain, itching, swelling and bruising lasting up to 10 days. Only very rare bites could cause nausea, sweating or dizziness.

Black Widow Spiders

The only potentially dangerous spider commonly found around Maine homes and buildings is the northern black widow. The females shiny black body and legspan reaching 1.5 inches makes identification easy by the red hourglass shape underneath. They build messy, tough webs.

Though rarely aggressive, female black widow bites contain neurotoxic venom causing severe muscle cramps, abdominal pain, and nausea lasting days if untreated. Visit a hospital immediately if bitten to receive antivenom treatment.

Spider Bite Treatment

Most spider bites dont require medical treatment beyond basic first aid. For mild reactions, these self-care measures bring relief:

• Wash the bite area gently with soap and water.
• Apply a cool compress to reduce swelling.
• Use over-the-counter pain medication as needed.
• Avoid scratching bites to prevent infection.

Seek prompt emergency care after potentially serious spider bites, like those from black widows. Antivenom medications counteract venom effects, but work best when administered quickly.

Signs of Infection

Monitor all spider bites for signs of an infected wound:

• Expanding redness, rash or swelling
• Pus or yellow/green discharge
• Enlarged red streaks tracking away from bite
• Increased warmth around bite
• Swollen lymph nodes
• Fever and chills

See a doctor for evaluation and treatment with antibiotics if these infection symptoms emerge. Catching infections early on helps prevent complications.

When to Seek Emergency Care

Bites from spiders like black widows require urgent medical care, but other spider bites sometimes need emergency intervention too. Go to an emergency room or call 9-1-1 if you experience:

• Difficulty breathing
• Swelling of tongue or throat
• Prolonged, severe pain
• Severe nausea, cramps or vomiting
• Seizures
• Muscle spasms or rigidity

Life-threatening allergic reactions to spider venom are rare, but possible. Seeking immediate treatment helps prevent a dangerous reaction.

Protecting Your Home

Many spiders we encounter indoors entered accidentally from their outdoor habitats. Sealing cracks around home foundations and openings for pipes or wires eliminates access points.

Clearing Away Webs

Regularly removing spiderwebs discourages further web construction. Pay close attention around vents, windows, corners and cluttered areas inside and outside your home. Wear gloves and cover skin fully when clearing webs.

Cutting Back Vegetation

Trimming bushes, trees and dense plants creates less attractive harborage for spiders near your property. Concentrate on vegetation touching or overhanging the homes exterior where spiders can access from above.

Installing Lighting

Bright lighting with yellow spectrums around outdoor patios, doorways and gardens makes these areas less appealing to light-shy spiders. Keeping walkways and gathering spots well-lit discourages spiders searching for secluded spots to build webs and hide.

Combining prudent landscaping and structural maintenance allows you to comfortably share the outdoors with helpful, fascinating spiders without regularly encountering them inside your living space.

Coexisting Safely with Spiders

The spider species calling Maine home play invaluable roles controlling insects carrying diseases, destroying garden pests, and pollinating plants. Lifelong residents adapt to calmly cohabitating with spiders whove shared these forests and coastlines for millennia.

Teaching Children

Avoid instilling fear or revulsion towards spiders in kids. Teach children to admire spiders from a distance and notify adults rather than touching. Familiarize young ones with dangerous spider identification and bite response, but focus on environmental importance.

Practicing Caution

Exercise reasonable care around dark, infrequently-used outdoor structures where web construction thrives. Watch where reaching when gardening, gathering firewood, cleaning brushes or sheds. Bites typically result from accidental contact rather than random attacks.

Letting Spiders Be

Understand the protected status of some native spider species when managing home invaders. Whenever plausible, gently capture and release unthreatened spiders back into suitable outdoor settings instead of killing.

Their unique qualities and stealthy skills built over 190 million years inspire fascination, not fear. Coexisting mutually with eight-legged neighbors who pose very little harm shows respect for Maines ecology from which we benefit greatly.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.