American House Spider

Achaearanea tepidariorum

This spider emerges in darkness to produce webs beneath ceilings or in window frames, taking advantage of every angle to set sticky strands where insects may get caught. Then the spider lies in wait on a part of the web that has an extra layer of silk. If large prey, such as a cricket, gets ensnarled, the spider throws more silk on it and then pulls it up into the web.

Look For : A round, yellowish-brown body streaked with black and gray.

Length : 1/4".

Habitat : Houses, barns, other buildings.

Range : Widespread.