House spider is a common name for several spiders that often inhabit buildings. One well-known example, the common house spider, lives throughout North America. It has a round brown body about 1/4 inch (6 millimeters) long. The common house spider spins a tangled web, which consists of a jumble of threads.
Other house spiders belong to a group that weaves funnel-shaped webs. These webs narrow into a funnel at one end, where the spider spends most of its time. Funnel weaver house spiders once lived only in Europe, but they are now common in North America. They have a spotted brown and gray coloring. One example, the European house spider, usually lives in damp places. Other funnel weaver house spiders include the giant house spider, which has a body up to 2/3 inch (17 millimeters) long, and the aggressive house spider, which can inflict a painful bite that is slow to heal. All other house spiders are harmless to human beings. In fact, these animals benefit people because they feed on insects that stray indoors.
