Yellow Sac Spiders Inflict More Bites To Humans Than Any Other Spider Species In The US, And They Rest Within Little Sacs Suspended From Ceilings And Other Indoor Areas

Humans are naturally wary of spiders, and rightly so, considering the very deadly bites some of them can inflict. There are a number of venomous spiders out there that homeowners need to watch out for, but yellow sac spiders are one of the most common spider pests that like to invade our homes. In fact, they are the sixth most commonly managed spider pests in U.S. homes. This means they pose a serious risk to the health of the humans living in those homes.

Yellow sac spiders are experts at finding hiding spaces inside our homes, including under window sills and siding, as well as the corners of walls and ceilings. These spiders are quite small, around ¼ – ⅜ inch, and pale greenish, straw or tan in color, making them very easy to overlook, especially when they are hiding in the corner of a light-colored wall or ceiling. They will enter homes in the fall when the weather gets colder and insects for food are harder to find. They will happily aim their sights at small insects hiding out inside human homes. Because of this, out of all the dangerous spiders we could be bitten by, humans likely receive the most bites from yellow sac spiders. Even experts claim that yellow sac spiders account for more bites than any other kind of spider. Because of their similar symptoms, yellow sac spider bites are often misdiagnosed as bites from brown recluse spiders, very shy spiders by nature.

Thankfully, there is one very easy way to figure out if you have yellow sac spiders inside your home. When yellow sac spiders settle inside a home, they build a tube or sac with spider silk, to which they retreat during the daytime. They are nocturnal hunting spiders, so they do not build this structure for catching prey, only as a hideaway for them to rest inside during the day. This sac is where yellow sac spiders get their name. You can find these silk sacs or tubes in easily overlooked locations such as along ceilings, in the upper corners of rooms, on window molding, curtains and blinds, and behind pictures on the wall.

Have you ever spotted a yellow sac spider or one of their sacs in your home?