Spiders
Florida has more than 250 species of spiders, and almost all of them are shy predators that eat insects. According to University of Florida entomologists, the only spiders native to or established in Florida with medically significant venom are the widow spiders, and no recluse spider is established in the state. Knowing which spider you have is the first step to deciding whether it is a nuisance or a real concern.
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What Are Spiders?
Spiders are arachnids, not insects. They have two body regions and eight legs, and they produce silk that they use for webs, egg sacs and travel. Almost all spiders have venom, but they use it to catch insects and other small prey. University of Florida entomologists count more than 250 species of spiders in Florida, and they describe most of them as both interesting and beneficial, because they eat pest insects. The spiny-backed orb weaver, for example, catches mosquitoes and whiteflies in its web.
That does not mean every spider is welcome on your porch. A few species build messy webs and egg sacs on eaves, shutters and patio furniture, and a small group, the widow spiders, has venom strong enough that a bite needs medical attention.
South Florida’s climate keeps spiders busy all year. Warm weather and the rainy season from May to October produce huge numbers of flying insects, and spiders follow the food. Screened pool cages, lanais, hurricane shutters, outdoor lights and dense landscaping around homes from Miami-Dade to Palm Beach give them sheltered places to build webs right where people walk.
How to Identify Spiders
Start with the web and the location, then look at the spider itself:
- Messy, irregular cobwebs in sheltered, low spots such as under chairs, in buckets or behind shutters often belong to widow spiders.
- Large, wheel-shaped orb webs across walkways and between shrubs are made by orb weavers, such as the golden silk orb weaver and the spiny-backed orb weaver.
- No web at all, with a fast, hairy brown spider running across the floor or lawn, usually means a wolf spider.
- Thick, flat, messy webs radiating from cracks around windows and eaves are typical of the southern house spider.
The Brown Recluse Question
Many South Florida homeowners worry about the brown recluse. University of Florida entomologists are clear: there is no scientific evidence that any recluse spider is established in Florida. Only a small number of verified specimens have been found, and all of them came from buildings or vehicles, usually carried in from other states or in shipments. Verified records come from only a few of Florida’s 67 counties, and in most cases they were limited to one or two buildings. UF experts describe the chance of a person in Florida meeting a brown recluse as close to nil and warn that many wounds blamed on recluse bites have other causes, such as infections.
The spider most often mistaken for a recluse is the southern house spider, Kukulcania hibernalis. The lighter brown males look similar at first glance. A true recluse has six eyes arranged in three pairs and a violin-shaped marking on the front of the body, while the southern house spider has eight eyes clumped together.
Spider Species in South Florida
Brown Widow
The brown widow, Latrodectus geometricus, is a widow that lives close to people. It ranges from light tan to almost black and has an orange to yellow-orange hourglass under the abdomen. Its egg sacs are covered in pointed projections. UF/IFAS reports that it spread rapidly in Florida in the late 1990s and builds webs in mailboxes, eaves, buckets, garbage can handles, behind hurricane shutters and under outdoor chairs.
Southern Black Widow
The female southern black widow, Latrodectus mactans, is a shiny black spider with a red hourglass under the abdomen, about 1/2 inch long in body and up to 2 inches including the legs. Males are much smaller. It lives in woodpiles, rock piles, rodent burrows, garages and sheds. Its venom contains a neurotoxin, and a bite needs medical care, though deaths are rarely reported.
Golden Silk Orb Weaver
Also called the banana spider, Trichonephila clavipes is one of the largest spiders in North America. Females are about 1 to 1.5 inches long with banded legs, and their golden webs can be 3 to 6 feet across. Males are tiny and brown. The bite is rare and mild, and the spider only bites if held or pinched.
Spiny-Backed Orb Weaver
Gasteracantha cancriformis is the small, crab-shaped spider with a hard, spiny abdomen, white with black spots and red spines in Florida. Sometimes called a crab spider, it is actually an orb weaver. Its webs hang in shrubs, citrus trees and around houses. UF/IFAS says its bite is not known to cause serious effects.
Wolf Spiders
Wolf spiders (family Lycosidae) are hairy, brown to tan hunters that run down prey on the ground instead of building webs. They live in lawns, leaf litter and shrubs and sometimes wander into homes and garages. Females carry their spiderlings on their backs. UF/IFAS states that their venom is not dangerous to humans.
House Spiders
The southern house spider, Kukulcania hibernalis, builds thick, messy webs in cracks around windows and eaves; the females are dark, velvety brown and the males are lighter and lanky. Cellar spiders, or daddy long-legs spiders (Pholcus spp.), hang in corners, sheds and attics. Despite the myth, UF/IFAS notes that cellar spider venom only affects their invertebrate prey.
Florida is also home to two other widows, the northern black widow and the red widow. If you find a spider and are not sure what it is, keep it in a sealed jar or take a clear photo so it can be identified.
Signs of a Spider Problem
- Messy cobwebs under patio furniture, in mailboxes, on eaves or behind hurricane shutters
- Round, spiky egg sacs (brown widow) or beige egg sacs (black widow) in webs
- Large orb webs across doorways, pool cages and walkways each morning
- Thick webs radiating from cracks around windows, door frames and eaves
- Spiders running across floors in the garage, laundry room or lanai
- Many insects around outdoor lights, which means spiders have plenty to eat
- Webs in corners of garages, sheds, attics and storage rooms
Why Spiders Are a Problem
Widow bites. The widow spiders are the only spiders native to or established in Florida with medically significant venom. Widow venom contains alpha-latrotoxin, a neurotoxin, and UF/IFAS advises seeking medical care after a suspected widow bite. Deaths are rarely reported, and most patients recover. UF/IFAS notes that most widow bites happen when people reach under objects such as woodpiles, stones or outdoor furniture, or when a spider is caught in clothing or a glove.
Brown widows near people. Brown widow venom has been described as more potent than black widow venom, but brown widows are timid, curl up instead of attacking and inject less venom. The bigger issue is where they live: on mailboxes, chairs, toys and garbage cans that people touch every day.
Other spiders. Orb weavers, wolf spiders and house spiders are not considered dangerous, but their webs, egg sacs and droppings on eaves, pool cages and lanais are a nuisance, and many people simply do not want them inside.
A sign of other pests. Spiders follow food. Lots of spiders usually means lots of insects, such as roaches, crickets, flies or mosquitoes.
Where Spiders Hide in South Florida Homes and Businesses
- Outdoor furniture and toys. The underside of chairs, tables and play equipment is a classic brown widow spot.
- Mailboxes, garbage cans and buckets. Sheltered, rarely moved and close to people.
- Hurricane shutters and window frames. Stored and installed shutters are favorite web sites.
- Eaves, soffits and pool cages. Orb weavers and house spiders build here, near lights that draw insects.
- Garages, sheds and storage rooms. Clutter, boxes and stacked equipment.
- Woodpiles, rock piles and debris. Typical black widow habitat.
- Shrubs, palms and hedges. Orb webs and wolf spiders in ficus hedges, ornamental shrubs and citrus trees.
- Condos and businesses. Balconies, parking garages, loading docks and exterior lighting at offices, hotels and warehouses.
When Spiders Are Most Active in South Florida
| Season | Spider activity | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Year-round | Brown widows, house spiders and wolf spiders are present all year | Check outdoor furniture, mailboxes and shutters before reaching under them. |
| Spring and summer | Southern black widows mate; egg sacs appear in webs | Vacuum webs and egg sacs and reduce clutter around the house. |
| May to October (rainy season) | Insect numbers peak, and spiders follow the food | Reduce outdoor lighting near doors and keep shrubs trimmed back from the walls. |
| July to November | Golden silk orb weaver females mature, most in August, and stay into late fall | Knock down large webs over walkways and doors. |
| October to January | Spiny-backed orb weaver females are most common; egg sacs on the undersides of leaves | Remove webs from shrubs and entryways if they are a nuisance. |
How to Prevent Spiders
- Reduce clutter in garages, sheds, lanais and storage rooms. UF/IFAS calls sanitation the most important strategy against widow spiders.
- Vacuum spiders, webs and egg sacs and seal the vacuum bag in a plastic bag before you throw it away.
- Wear gloves when moving stored items, firewood, pots or hurricane shutters.
- Shake out shoes, gloves and clothing that have been stored in the garage or outside.
- Move firewood, debris and stacked materials away from the house.
- Seal cracks and gaps around doors, windows and utility lines, and keep screens repaired.
- Cut down on insects by reducing outdoor lighting near doors and controlling roaches, ants and other prey.
- Trim shrubs and hedges so they do not touch the walls or roof.
- Check items before reaching in: mailboxes, buckets, nursery pots, garbage can handles and the underside of chairs.
How Toro Gets Rid of Spiders
- InspectionA Toro technician inspects the exterior, eaves, lanai, garage and landscaping to find webs, egg sacs and the places where spiders and their insect prey live.
- IdentificationWe identify the spiders, with support from the on-staff entomologists at the TORO Institute when needed, so you know whether you are dealing with widows or harmless orb weavers and house spiders.
- Targeted treatment and web removalWe remove webs and egg sacs and treat the spots where spiders build and hide, along with the insects that feed them, as part of our residential pest control service.
- Ongoing protectionRegular service visits keep spiders and their food in check, and if the bugs come back, so will Toro, at no additional cost to you.
Businesses with exterior lighting, loading docks or outdoor seating can ask about our commercial pest control. Toro Pest Management has protected South Florida homes and businesses since 1969, from Coral Gables and Doral to Fort Lauderdale and Key West. We respond within 24 hours, guaranteed, and the inspection is free. Call 305-594-4767. Hablamos Español.
Seeing signs of spiders? Get a free inspection and $25 off your first service.
Schedule Your Free InspectionSpiders: Frequently Asked Questions
Are there brown recluse spiders in South Florida?
No breeding population is known. University of Florida entomologists state there is no scientific evidence that any recluse spider is established in Florida. Only a small number of verified specimens have turned up, usually in a single building or vehicle, often carried in from other states. The spider most often mistaken for a recluse here is the harmless southern house spider.
Are brown widow spiders dangerous?
Brown widow venom is potent, but UF/IFAS notes that brown widows are timid, rarely defend their webs and inject less venom than black widows, which makes them less of a threat. Bites usually happen when a spider is pressed against the skin, for example when putting on gloves or reaching under outdoor furniture. Anyone bitten by a widow spider should seek medical care.
How do I tell a brown widow from a black widow?
The southern black widow female is shiny black with a red hourglass under the abdomen. The brown widow ranges from light tan to almost black and has an orange to yellow-orange hourglass. The easiest clue is the egg sac: brown widow egg sacs are covered in pointed projections, while southern black widow egg sacs are beige and about 1/2 inch across, without spikes.
Is the banana spider poisonous?
The golden silk orb weaver, often called the banana spider, has venom, but UF/IFAS describes its bite as rare and mild. It bites only if held or pinched, and the effect is localized pain and slight redness that goes away quickly, milder than a bee sting. Its large golden webs are a nuisance across walkways, but the spider itself is not considered dangerous.
What attracts spiders to my house?
Insects. Spiders go where their food is, so outdoor lights that attract flying insects, clutter that shelters crickets and roaches, and dense shrubs next to the house all bring spiders closer. Brown widows favor sheltered man-made spots such as eaves, mailboxes, buckets, hurricane shutters and the underside of outdoor chairs.
Can I get rid of spiders myself?
Often, yes. UF/IFAS says sanitation is the most important step against widow spiders: reduce clutter, vacuum spiders, webs and egg sacs and seal the vacuum bag in plastic, move firewood and debris away from the house, and seal gaps around doors and windows. Wear gloves when you work in areas where widows may live. If spiders keep coming back, the insects they feed on need attention too.
Are wolf spiders dangerous?
No. UF/IFAS states that wolf spider venom is not dangerous to humans. Wolf spiders are hairy, fast hunters that chase prey on the ground instead of building webs. They live in leaf litter, lawns and shrubs and sometimes wander into homes and garages. The females carry their egg sacs and then their spiderlings on their backs.
Related Pests
Pest Control Across South Florida
Toro treats spiders in homes and businesses throughout Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, including:
- Miami
- Hialeah
- Doral
- Miami Beach
- Coral Gables
- Homestead
- Fort Lauderdale
- Hollywood
- Pembroke Pines
- Miramar
- Boca Raton
- West Palm Beach
Last updated: October 29, 2026
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