Table Of Content1999. The Journal of Arachnology 27:217-221
HOUSE SPIDERS OF KANSAS
Hank Guarisco: Kansas Biological Survey, University of Kansas, Lawrence, Kansas
66047 USA
ABSTRACT* Spiders found in and around buildings may be divided into three categories; 1) true
synanthropes, which can establish breeding populations in houses, seldom occur locally in the natural
environment, and have broad ranges because they may be accidentally transported to new locations, 2)
spiders which are seasonally abundant in natural habitats as well as in houses, but don’t establishbreeding
populations in houses, 3) spiders which are rarely found in houses because they are locally rare or spiders
that are locally common but are rarely found indoors. Fifteen species, including the venomous Loxosceles
relusa and Cheiracanthium miidei are true synanthropes in Kansas. Category 2 contains 26 species, in-
cluding the venomous species Latrodectus hesperus, L. rnactans, and L. variolus. There are 33 species
which are rarely found indoors in Kansas. Most species listed have been reported from buildings across
the United States.
The interest of a homeowner is usually array ofplants and animals. The Kansas flora,
aroused when a spider is discovered inside the for example, exhibits geographical affinities
house. Since there are at least five species of with eastern, southern, northern, western, and
Kansas spiders which can inflict bites serious interior plant communities (Bare & McGregor
enough to require medical attention, common 1970). Preliminary studies ofthe spider fauna
questions that immediately come to mind are: of the state reveal a similar pattern (Fitch &
“Is this spider venomous?”, and “Can it hurt Fitch 1966; Guarisco & Fitch 1995; Guarisco
me?”. Another concern is whether the house & Kinman 1990; Scheffer 1904, 1905). There-
is “infested” with spiders, and what can be fore, many ofthe spiders encountered in Kan-
done to eliminate an infestation. In response sas homes can also be found in other parts of
to these questions, information on spiders the continent. Some building-inhabiting spe-
found in and around houses, buildings, and cies have even wider distributions, with pop-
other structures in Kansas was gathered from ulations on several continents.
the author’s personal collection and field House spiders can be conveniently divided
notes, the spider collection of the University into three categories. True synanthropes are
of Kansas Snow Entomological Museum, and associated with houses, can establish breeding
the literature. Most records are from the populations in these locations, and usually
Lawrence area in northeastern Kansasbecause have very wide distributions because they are
this region has been more intensively studied often accidentally transported to new areas.
than other parts of the state. The scientific They seldom occur locally in the natural en-
names of spiders and their order in Tables 1- vironment. The second category includes spe-
3 follow Platnick (1997). The relative preva- cies which are seasonally abundant in natural
lence of spiders in Kansas homes ranges from habitats and in houses. Although some may
very common, common, occasional, uncom- hibernate indoors, and the emergence oflarge
mon to rare. Very common and common spe- numbers of spiderlings from an occasional
cies are routinely found in buildings, while eggsac may give the impression of an infes-
rare, uncommon and occasional species have tation, these species do not establish popula-
been encountered on 1-5, 6-10, and 11-15 tions inside houses. The third category con-
occasions, respectively. tains species which are rarely found in and
Because Kansas is located at the center of around buildings. They are either common in
the continental United States and contains a natural situations and rarely frequent houses,
wide variety of natural habitats, including or they are locally rare species. As Edwards
eastern deciduous forest and tallgrass and & Edwards (1997) have indicated in their
shortgrass prairies, it is the home of a diverse study ofthe spiders ofrural delivery mailbox-
217
218 THE JOURNAL OF ARACHNOLOGY
—
Table 1. Synanthropic (associated with people) spiders in Kansas (Category 1). VC = very common,
C = common, O = occasional, U = uncommon, R = rare.
Species Distribution Abundance
Loxosceles reclusa Gertsch & Mulaik 1940 US VC
Scytodes thoracica (Latreille 1802) Cosmopolitan R
Pholcusphalangioides (Fuesslin 1775) Cosmopolitan C
Spermophora senoculata (Duges 1836) Holarctic R
Dysdera crocata C.L. Koch 1838 Cosmopolitan O
Oecobius cellariorum (Duges 1836) US, Europe O
Octonoba sinensis (Simon 1880) eastern US & Orient O
Achaearanea tepidariorum (C.L. Koch 1841) Cosmopolitan VC
Steatoda triangulosa (Walckenaer 1802) Cosmopolitan VC
Tegenaria domestica (Clerck 1757) Cosmopolitan c
Amaurobiusferox (Walckenaer 1830) eastern US, Europe o
Cheiracanthium mildei L. Koch 1864 US, Europe, north Africa c
Urozelotes rusticus (L. Koch 1872) Cosmopolitan R
Salticus scenicus (Clerck 1757) N. & S. America, Europe, u
north Africa
Sitticusfasciger (Simon 1880) North America, Asia R
es in Massachusetts, eventually individuals of vironments and edificarian habitats (Table 2).
all local species will be found in or around The bites of Herpyllus ecclesiasticus (Gna-
&
buildings. In addition to these three catego- phosidae) (Majeski Durst 1975), Argiope
ries, alien species have been occasionally aurantia (Argiopidae) (Gorham & Rheney
found in Kansas. These species are usually 1968), Trachelas tranquillus (Corinnidae)
found in produce, such as bananas, and sel- (Oehler 1971; Uetz 1973), and Phidippus au-
dom establish breeding populations. dax (Salticidae) (Gorham 1968) have pro-
RESULTS duced mostly local reactions; however, those
of black widow spiders (Latrodectus sp.) can
The list oftrue synanthropic spiders in Kan- have much more serious consequences (White
sas presently contains 15 species (Table 1). et al. 1995). In Kansas, black widows are
The bites of two of these, Loxosceles reclusa
sometimes discovered in outbuildings, garages
(Sicariidae) and Cheiracanthium mildei (Mi-
and carports.
turgidae) can produce necrotic lesions that re-
Mimetuspuritanus (Mimetidae) and M. no-
quire medical attention (Gorham 1968; Spell-
man & Levi 1970), and the former is often tius are specialized spider predators which are
occasionally found on house eaves near or
present in large numbers in Kansas buildings.
A sticky trap survey in the University ofKan- within host webs. Euryopis limbata (Theridi-
sas Museum of Natural History yielded 231 idae) occurs on walls and eaves of houses
spiders in a two year period, 46.7% of these where females produce semicircular, tufted
were L. reclusa. Two very common species eggsacs. Two Kansas feeding records and ob-
occasionally play beneficial roles in houses. servations elsewhere in its range (Archer
Achaearanea tepidariorum (Theridiidae) was 1946; Carico 1978) indicate this species’ diet
observed preying upon the lone star tick. Am- consists of ants. Larinioides cornutus (Ar-
blyomma americanum (Linnaeus) (Acarina: giopidae) and L. patagiatus build orbwebs on
Ixodidae), and Steatoda triangulosa (Theridi- buildings and bridges near water. The large
idae) fed upon the brown recluse, L. reclusa orbwebs of Argiope aurantia, A. trifasciata
(Guarisco 1991). Studies in New Zealand re- (Argiopidae), and Neoscona crucifera (Ar-
vealed that Pholcusphalangioides (Pholcidae) giopidae) attract attention when located on
actively invades spider webs and preys upon porches and windows. The large fishing spi-
its occupants (Jackson & Brassington 1987). der, Dolomedes tenebrosus (Pisauridae) is of-
There are approximately 26 spider species ten found in sheds, basements and houses.
which are seasonally abundant in natural en- Funnelweb weavers {Agelenopsis sp.) are of-
GUARISCO—HOUSE SPIDERS OF KANSAS 219
—
Table 2. Seasonally common spiders in Kansas homes (Category 2). VC = very common, C =
common, O = occasional, U = uncommon, R = rare.
Abun-
Species Distribution dance
Mimetus notius Chamberlin 1923 eastern US O
Mimetuspuritanus Chamberlin 1923 eastern US O
Euryopis limbata (Walckenaer 1841) eastern US, Canada o
Latrodectus hesperus Chamberlin & Ivie 1935 western US, Israel o
Latrodectus mactans (Fabricius 1775) North America o
Latrodectus variolus Walckenaer 1837 eastern US, Canada u
Steatoda borealis (Hentz 1850) US, Canada, Alaska o
Theridion murarium Emerton 1882 North America c
Argiope aurantia (Lucas 1833) North America to Costa Rica o
Argiope trifasciata (Forskal 1775) Cosmopolitan o
VC
Larinioides cornutus (Clerck 1757) Holarctic
Larinioidespatagiatus (Clerck 1757) Holarctic o
Neoscona crucifera (Lucas 1839) North America, Canary Isl. VC
Hogna caroUnensis (Walckenaer 1805) southern Canada, US u
Dolomedes tenebrosus Hentz 1843 eastern US, Canada c
Agelenopsis naevia (Walcknaer 1841) US, Canada VC
Agelenopsispennsylvanica (C.L. Koch 1843) US VC
Hibana gracilis (Hentz 1847) eastern US, Canada c
Elaver excepta (L. Koch 1866) eastern US, West Indies o
Castianeira variata Gertsch 1942 eastern US, southern Canada u
Trachelas tranquillus (Hentz 1847) eastern US, southern Canada o
Herpyllus ecclesiasticus Hentz 1832 North America c
Philodromus vulgaris (Hentz 1847) Holarctic VC
Maevia inclemens (Walckenaer 1837) US, Canada c
Phidippus audax (Hentz 1845) US, Canada VC
Platycryptus undatus (De Geer 1778) North & Central America VC
ten located in comers, windows, and porches, dentally imported this spider from Arkansas
while Hibana gracilis (Anyphaenidae), Elaver when returning from a weekend trip.
excepta (Clubionidae), and Philodromus vul-
DISCUSSION
garis (Philodromidae) occur most often on
ceilings and walls. The robust, hairy jumping The present study provides baseline data
spider, Phidippus audax, is often mistaken for concerning house spiders in northeastern Kan-
a black widow by the homeowner because of sas. The 15 synanthropic species and most of
its coloration. the seasonally common species found in
The last category of spiders includes 33 northeastern Kansas homes have been report-
species which occur in natural habitats and ed from houses across the United States (Cut-
have rarely been found in or on buildings in ler 1973; Kaston 1983). Amaurobius ferox
Kansas (Table 3). Further investigation, es- (Amaurobiidae) (Guarisco 1989), Scytodes
pecially in other sections of the state, would thoracica (Scytodidae), Cheiracanthium mild-
undoubtedly add species to this list. Two alien ei (Guarisco 1991), and Sitticusfasciger (Sal-
species have been found in northeastern Kan- ticidae) were first found in the Lawrence area
A
sas. tropical spider belonging to the genus in the late 1980s. Today, C. mildei is one of
Cupiennius (Ctenidae) was discovered in a the most common local house spiders. Since
produce shipment at the local community its arrival in North America during the late
mercantile (Cutler pers. comm.). An adult fe- 1940s (Bryant 1951), this old world species
male Hibana cambridgei (Bryant 1931) (An- has spread from Boston and New York to
yphaenidae) was found inside a Lawrence, southern Ontario, Illinois, California, and Al-
Kansas residence. The owner may have acci- abama (Dondale & Redner 1982), and has re-
220 THE JOURNAL OF ARACHNOLOGY
— —
sasTahbolmee3s. (CSaptiedgeorrsyo3f).rare occurrence in/on Kan- —— Table 3. Continue—d
Species Distribution
Species Distribution
Xysticus texanus US, Mexico
Mimetus epeiroides eastern US Banks 1904
Emerton 1882 Habrocestumpulex US, Canada
Theridion goodnightorum western US (Hentz 1846)
Levi 1957 Phidippus insignarius US
Stemonyphantes blauveltae US, Canada C.L. Koch 1846
Gertsch 1951 Phidippusputnami US, Mexico
Araneuspegnia US to Ecuador, (Peckhams 1883)
(Walckenaer 1841) Jamaica Phidippus whitmani US, Canada
Hogna helluo US, Canada (Peckhams 1909)
(Walckenaer 1837) Tutelina elegans US
(Hentz 1846)
Pirata sp.
Rabidosa punctulata US
(Hentz 1844)
Schizocosa ocreata North America C
placed the native inclusum (Hentz 1847)
(Hentz 1844)
(Clubionidae) in houses in the northeastern
Pisaurina dubia US
United States (Gertsch 1979). The mobility of
(Hentz 1847)
today’s society has hastened the spread ofsyn=
Pisaurina mira US, Canada
anthropic spiders. Other notable instances of
(Walckenaer 1837)
Agelenopsis Oklahoma US spiders being found well beyond their native
(Gertsch 1936) ranges include, the western black widow (L.
Anyphaenafraterna US hesperus) and the brown recluse {Loxosceles
(Banks 1896) reclusa) in Maine (Jennings & McDaniel
Castianeira descripta US, Canada 1988; McDaniel & Jennings 1983). The native
(Hentz 1847) Steatoda borealis (Theridiidae) has been dis-
Castianeira variata US, Canada placed by the European species, S. bipunctata
Gertsch 1942 (Linnaeus 1758), in buildings in the north-
Drassyllus lepidus US eastern United States (Nyffeler et al. 1986).
(Banks 1899) Recent surveys of the spider fauna of Cape
Drassyllus novus US, Canada
Cod, Massachesetts revealed the presence of
(Banks 1895)
two possible European immigrants, Trochosa
Sergiolus montanus North America
ruricola (De Geer 1778) (Lycosidae) andLep-
(Emerton 1890)
thyphantes tenuis (Blackwall 1852) (Linyphi-
Zelotes hentzi US, Canada
Barrows 1945 idae) (Edwards 1993).
Zora pumila US ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
(Hentz 1850)
Philodromus keyserlingi US, Canada I gratefully acknowledge the following for
Marx 1889 help in the completion ofthis project: the Uni-
Philodromus marxi US versity of Kansas Department of Entomology
Keyserling 1884 for providing laboratory space, the Kansas Bi-
Thanatusformicinus Holarctic ological Survey for providing valuable equip-
(Clerck 1757) ment, and for critically reviewing the manu-
Thanatus rubicellus US, Canada script, Bruce Cutler and Henry S. Fitch ofthe
Mello-Leitao 1929 University of Kansas,
Bassaniana versicolor North America
(Keyserling 1880) LITERATURE CITED
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GUARISCO—HOUSE SPIDERS OF KANSAS 221
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