Spiders in IL

Did you ever wonder what spiders are common in Illinois? The good news is – of the ten most common only two are poisonous and all of them actually help keep many different pest populations down in the Prairie State. Here is a handy, if not a little creepy, guide to some of the most common spiders you will find in IL.

Wolf Spider: wolf spiders don’t spin webs; instead, they chase and pounce on their insect prey like the wolves that inspired their name.

Bold Jumping Spider: jumping spiders actually do jump, and their natural habitats are grasslands, prairies, and open woodlands – including backyards.

Orb Weaver: while common to homes, orb weaver spiders are often not seen and therefore are good in our book.

Cellar Spider: cellar spiders prefer to hang upside down in their webs as they wait for prey, which typically consists of other spiders and insects.

Garden Spider: while their name seems to indicate they would rather be in your garden, garden spiders can make their way inside a business or home.

House Spider: house spiders prefer to build their messy webs on the interior and exterior of buildings and in sheds, stables, and barns.

Woodlouse Hunter Spider: their large size and aggressive nature when handled by humans makes them an imposing but still not venomous species.

Crab Spider: crab spiders usually tend to stick to the flowers around the house in lieu of coming inside.

Brown Recluse Spider: as one of the two poisonous spiders in Illinois, the brown recluse is most identifiable by the violin marking on their back.

Black Widow Spider: actually, sadly, prevalent in Illinois, black widows are considered the most venomous spider in North America. Their venom is reported to be 15 times stronger than a rattlesnake’s!

Nobody wants spiders in their home. But we can rest easy that we don’t live in Australia – where the most poisonous spider in the world actually resides. Our spiders, much like Illinois natives themselves, may look imposing, but in the end, they are almost all sweet and kind and beneficial to the environment.