Most spiders are black or brown, therefore white spiders are unusual. There are fewer types of spiders with white bodies than there are for other spider species. A white spider may also be mistaken for another bug or insect, which is especially easy. Seeing a little white spider scuttling across the floor is scary, whether it’s a tiny white spider or a big, fearsome cream-colored spider.
You may be concerned about the venomous nature of a white spider if you get close to it. A modest quantity of venom is found in white spiders, as in all spider species. The goldenrod crab spider, the most prevalent white spider, is poisonous and causes a stinging bite. Crab spiders, on the other hand, aren’t poisonous to humans. Their bite is usually just painful at first, similar to a bee sting.
This article covers a variety of white spiders, both common and uncommon. The type of white spider you have discovered can be identified by descriptions and photographs of the eight-legged pale-colored or white arachnids.
Facts About White Spiders
The majority of people would struggle to tell the difference between a white spider and a brown spider. Crab spiders with bulbous creamy white abdomens and transparent segmented light white legs are the most prevalent sort of white spider. In gardens, woodlands, and grasslands, on the other hand, white crab spiders are more common.
It’s likely a yellow sac spider if you see a long-legged white spider in your home. The unique amber cephalothorax, pale egg-shaped body, and long white legs with black tips will all be visible to you.
The good news is that house spiders are unlikely to be harmful. The brown recluse spider and the black widow spider are two types of dangerous house spiders to watch out for. These venomous spiders may cause serious injuries if bitten.
How to Identify White Spiders
Eight legs, a white abdomen, and cephalothorax (head) with six or eight eyes are all characteristics of the white spider. Furthermore, a bulbous creamy white body distinguishes common white spiders. White bodies with colorful patterns, black dots, or spiky bodies and legs are all characteristics of other types of spiders.
White spiders are eight-legged arthropods with two body segments in the class Arachnida, like other spider species. Spiders, on the other hand, have eight legs and three body sections that are segmented. Spiders have simple eyes, no antennae, and never develop wings, which are some of the differences between spiders and insects.
The webs that white spiders spin are also a way to identify their species. Tangle web spiders, which create raggedy webs, are named after certain spiders. White orb spiders use their webs to capture prey, creating gorgeous circular webs. The funnel webs of other white spider species are used for protection or reproduction.
Are White Spiders Venomous?
The venomous nature of white spiders is a common feature of all spider species. The spiders inject their mouthparts with venom, which they use to kill prey. Because they only inject a small amount of venom, most white spiders are harmless to humans.
The white widow spider, which is very poisonous, belongs to a particular species of white widow spider. This spider, on the other hand, is rather uncommon and can be found only in specific areas of Asia and the Middle East.
Do White Spiders Bite?
Since all spiders have chelicerae, or fangs with pincers, black spiders are capable of biting. White spiders, like other spiders, bite only when they perceive danger. A bee sting that begins painful and produces a burning sensation is comparable to a little or huge white spider bite.
The majority of white spiders, like the yellow sac spider, hide in the garden under leaves, stones, or trash. As a result, in the summertime, most white spider bites occur while gardening. A white spider’s bite may be as painful as a brown recluse’s bite in certain situations.
Types of White Spiders (with Pictures) – Identification Guide
Now, let’s examine the various identifying traits of white spiders that you may expect to encounter in your home or yard in greater detail.
Goldenrod Crab Spider (Misumena vatia)
Goldenrod crab spiders, also known as common white spiders, are frequently seen in your garden. The abdomen of female spiders is expanded, rounded, and the head is tiny. Female spiders also have crab-like legs. They’ve usually got a bright white color. The tiny white spiders, which are about 0.4″ (10 mm) in size, have half the number of males.
Camouflage is an identifying trait of all white goldenrod crab spiders. While immature spiders are white when they first emerge, their colors may change depending on the flowers they live in. When on yellow flowers, for example, white spiders may change color to yellow before reverting to their original white.
A goldenrod crab spider’s large egg-shaped body, eight eyes, and ability to walk sideways are all identifying traits. Milkweed and goldenrod flowers are common places to find goldenrod crab spiders.
Caribbean Crab Spider (Misumessus)
A flattened tear-shaped body, translucent greenish-white head, and short chelicerae distinguish White Caribbean crab spiders from other spiders. Little white spiders range in length from 0.16 to 0.23 inch (4 to 6 mm). Females have a larger body than males, as do other spiders.
The United States is home to a diverse population of white Caribbean crab spiders. In Florida, white spiders may be found in gardens, parks, and forests. The four long forelegs and four short hindlegs of this white spider are an unusual feature.
White Spider Characteristics: The white Caribbean spider has greenish-white transparent legs and a pointed head with two rows of black eyes. It has a distinctive white abdomen with gray-brownish speckled patterns.
White Crab Spider (Thomisus spectabilis)
The white arachnid has a white body, transparent pale white legs, and reddish or black spines on its legs. It is also known as the Australian crab spider. With a leg span of up to 1.2″ (30 mm), the tiny white spider measures 0.4″ (10 mm) long. The spider’s ability to change from white to yellow is a distinctive trait.
The spider’s aggressiveness and venomous bite have made it famous. The white hunting spider’s bite might cause a severe red mark and swelling. The little white spider, on the other hand, is benign.
The white abdomen, pale white cephalothorax, and transparent legs of the white crab spider make it easy to identify.
Yellow Sac Spiders (Cheiracanthium)
The body of yellow sac spiders is yellowish-white, with long legs. The spindly legs of this common white house spider are distinguished by neither pointing out nor in. The spider has a white speckled oval body with a greenish stripe on its back. Little spiders with an average size of 0.2″ to 0.4″ (5–10 mm) are known as yellow sac spiders.
Common house spiders that can give you a painful bite are yellow sac spiders. Yellowish and white spiders with a brown recluse spider resemblance aid to distinguish them from brown recluse spiders. These spiders’ bites may cause discomfort, swelling, and blisters.
Yellow sac spiders are a cream- to light yellow color with green undertones. White Spider Identification
Dancing White Lady Spider (Leucorchestris arenicola)
White spiders that emerge at night are called dancing white lady spiders. The large pointed chelicerae, as well as the menacing spiders’ body shape, resembles an egg. The dancing white lady has two rows of four eyes, as do other white spider species.
These gigantic white spiders have a leg span of 10 inches (250 mm) and are 5 inches (13 cm) long. The creamy white shading on big spiders is a good indication of their size.
In Namibia’s deserts, dancing white lady spiders may be found. The night spider holes in the sand during the day. As a result, finding one of these enormous white spiders is unusual.
The Dancing White Lady Spider is a Huge White Spider That Only Comes Out at Night and Lives in Burrows. It Is Recognized as a Bigger White Spider.
Shortbodied Cellar Spider (Spermophora senoculata)
With a spherical abdomen, thin white legs, and a tiny cephalothorax, the short-bodied cellar spider is a tiny whitish-tan colored spider. The globular white body of the little white spider is characterized by tiny brownish markings or dark marks. Little spiders with a length of 0.08 inch (2 mm) exist.
The Mediterranean area and southern parts of the United States are home to the shortbodied cellar spider, which is native to Asia. The whitish spider prefers caves, damp, dark rooms under stones and cellars. Its common name alludes to this.
The pale white transparent cephalothorax and legs, pale tan spiny ball-like abdomen, and two noticeable simple eyes distinguish White Spider from other cellar spiders.
White Widow Spider (Latrodectus pallidus)
In the widow genus Latrodectus and family Theridiidae, the white widow spider is a uncommon spider species. Most widows are black and have a distinct crimson hourglass mark, therefore white widows are uncommon. The spiders are 0.4″ (10 mm) in size, and they are white.
These white spiders are also known as the white steppe spider and are hardly ever seen in the wild. The white variety has a dreadful bite that may endanger youngsters’s health, necessitating medical treatment, similar to the black widows. The white spider’s bite is described as “slightly venomous.”
The white widow spider has a large, bulging, bulbous white abdomen with a pale tan cephalothorax and legs. White Widow Spider Identification:
Colonus puerperus
The Colonus puerperus is one of the few white hairy jumping spider species. A pale tan body with hairy white stripes characterize the fuzzy white adult female spider. The spiny spider has two prominent black eyes above its jaws, like other jumping spider species.
Florida, Texas, and the Gulf Coast are all home to White Colonus puerperus. During the summer, you may occasionally witness a small white spider in grassy areas. The spider is 0.2 inch to 0.3 inch (5 to 7 mm) long and has an oblong oval white and tan body. The spider resembles a white tarantula due to its stumpy spiny legs and white fuzz.
The pale brown cephalothorax has eight eyes and a whitish striped hairy abdomen with spiky tan legs. Colonus puerperus is identified by all of these features.
Ghost spiders (Anyphaenidae)
The oblong, pointed abdomen of some ghost spider species and the cream-white body with a faint brownish triangular abdominal stripe distinguish them. These whitish-brown spiders have black spines on eight long legs, according to close photographs. The two longer pedipalps, which resemble a pair of black boxing gloves, are also distinguishing characteristics.
The spiders are roughly 0.15″ – 0.3″ (4 – 8 mm) long, small yellowish-white or light brown-white in color. The two central eyes on the bottom row are the smallest, which is another identifying characteristic of ghost spiders in the Anyphaenidae family.
The white ghost spider has a pointed abdomen, black spines on its pale tan legs, and two rows of four eyes that distinguish it from other species.
Yellow Ghost Spider (Hibana velox)
The whitish-tan body and orangey-brown pattern on the abdomen of the yellow ghost spider are characteristics of a common house spider. Hibana velox has a pointed abdomen with a large spinneret at the end of its tail, as do other species of ghost spiders. The little pale-colored spider is just 0.16 inches (4 mm) long.
In the United States, the yellow ghost spider can be found in houses and gardens. The spider can appear white from a distance due to its pale brown or light tan coloring. It’s also easy to mistake a yellow ghost spider for a brown recluse spider.
The yellow ghost spider is distinguished by pale tan dots on a creamy-white pointed abdomen. White Spider Identification: This species has black spurs on its legs, as do other ghost spiders.
Garden Ghost Spider (Hibana gracilis)
The bulbous creamy-white abdomen of the adult female garden ghost spider is covered with dark brown markings. Spiky legs, two rows of basic eyes, and black stripes on its tan or beige head are additional distinguishing characteristics of this white ghost spider. Garden ghost spiders are around 7 mm long and have a 0.28-inch (7-mm) body.
The northeastern United States is home to garden ghost spiders. The garden ghost spider is differentiated from the yellow to white spider by its longitudinal dark stripes and black markings, as well as brown chelicerae.
Look for the pale tan, white body and legs, dark brown spots or stripes on its abdomen, and a dark stripe on its cephalothorax to identify the garden ghost spider.
Common Candy-Striped Spider (Enoplognatha ovata)
The bulbous white abdomen of the common candy-striped spider is striped with deep red or pale green stripes, which form a V. Little black dots on the body and fine black hairs on its long spindly legs are visible when you get up close to pictures of this white spider. The tiny white spider has a candy-striped appearance and is 0.23″ (6 mm) long.
Despite its tiny size, this large white spider has lengthy legs that make it seem bigger. The spider’s body may be cream or green, even if it is normally white. Its back is marked with colorful V-shaped patterns that range in hue.
The common candy-striped spider has a white or cream-colored globular abdomen with transparent legs and red or greenish stripes on its back, which helps it to be identified.
White Florida Crab Spider (Gasteracantha cancriformis)
The Florida crab spider is one of the most unusual white spiders you’ll ever see, and it’s also called spiny-backed orb spiders. The spider’s abdomen is black with six distinct red or black spurs and covered in brilliant white. The spider’s crab-like appearance, with a big, wide abdomen and a tiny head, is one of its distinguishing features.
White adult spiny-backed orb-weavers range in width from 0.4 to 0.5 inch (10 to 13 mm) and in length from 0.35 to 0.40 inch (9 to 10 mm). In North America, shrubby gardens and woodlands are home to the white and black or white and red spider.
The Florida Crab Spider, or the spiny-backed orb-weaver, is another name for this species. To catch insects, the white spider creates beautiful webs. Before wrapping its victim in silk, the white Florida crab spider stings it to paralyze it.
The distinctive brilliant white abdomen of the White Spider is covered in black dots and six triangular red or black spines, making it easy to recognize. The little white spider’s abdomen is wider than long because of its unusual shape.