Texas is home to an amazing variety of spiders, from tiny jumpers to giant tarantulas. Some are colorful, some are camouflaged, and a few are even venomous. Whether you’re exploring the forests of East Texas, walking through open fields in North Texas, or just relaxing in your backyard, you’re bound to spot these fascinating creatures.
In this guide, I’ll introduce you to the most common, biggest, most colorful, and most dangerous spiders found across the Lone Star State, so you’ll know exactly what you’re looking at when you see one.
20 Types of Common Spiders in Texas
Texas is home to many types of spiders, each with its unique look and behavior. Here are 20 different spiders commonly found across the state.
- Texas Brown Tarantula
A large, hairy spider with a calm nature, often seen in dry, open areas. - Black Widow
A shiny black spider with a red hourglass marking; known for its potent venom. - Brown Recluse
Small, light brown spider with a violin-shaped mark; bites can cause serious wounds. - Golden Silk Orb-Weaver
Large, colorful spider that spins golden-colored webs in forests and gardens. - Bold Jumping Spider
A small black spider with white spots and bright metallic green mouthparts. - Wolf Spider
Big, fast-moving hunters that roam at night instead of building webs. - Southern House Spider
Brown-gray spider often mistaken for a brown recluse but harmless. - Common Garden Spider
Black and yellow spider that builds big, round webs outdoors. - Giant Lichen Orbweaver
Large greenish-gray spider blending into tree bark and lichen. - Fishing Spider
Semi-aquatic spider that can run across water surfaces to catch prey. - Green Lynx Spider
Bright green spider known for stalking insects in gardens and fields. - Spined Micrathena
Small white spider with a spiky abdomen, often found in wooded areas. - Long-Jawed Orb Weaver
Slim-bodied spider with very long legs, found near rivers and ponds. - American House Spider
Tiny cobweb spider common in homes, sheds, and garages. - Cellar Spider
Known as “daddy longlegs,” this spider builds messy webs in basements. - Trapdoor Spider
Burrowing spider that hides under camouflaged silk “trapdoors” in the ground. - Apache Jumping Spider
Orange and black jumping spider, active and colorful. - Regal Jumping Spider
Large black and white jumper often spotted on trees and walls. - Woodlouse Spider
Reddish spider with powerful fangs used for hunting pillbugs. - Marbled Orb Weaver
Orange-red spider with marbled patterns, spinning large webs in fall.
East Texas Spiders
East Texas, with its forests and humid weather, provides an ideal habitat for many unique spider species. Here are three common spiders you might spot in this region.
Golden Silk Orb-Weaver
The golden silk orb-weaver (Trichonephila clavipes) is a large, brightly colored spider known for its golden-hued webs. Females are much bigger than males, with long legs and a yellow or orange patterned body, often seen hanging in large webs between trees.
Spined Micrathena
The spined micrathena (Micrathena gracilis) is a small, unusual spider with a round, spiky abdomen. It is mostly white with black markings and sharp spines sticking out, giving it a fierce appearance despite its tiny size.
Long-Jawed Orb Weaver
The long-jawed orb weaver (Tetragnatha spp.) has an extremely slender body and very long legs. They are usually pale green or brown and are often found near water sources like ponds, rivers, and swamps, where they build horizontal webs.
Brown Spiders in Texas
Brown spiders are among the most commonly encountered in Texas. Their natural coloring helps them blend easily into outdoor and indoor spaces. Here are three brown spiders often seen across the state.
Brown Recluse
The brown recluse (Loxosceles reclusa) is a small to medium-sized spider with a light to dark brown body and a distinctive violin-shaped marking on its back. It prefers dark, undisturbed areas and is known for its potentially harmful bite.
Texas Recluse
The Texas recluse (Loxosceles devia) looks very similar to the brown recluse but is generally rarer. It has a light brown body, long legs, and the same violin-shaped marking, though slightly paler in color compared to its more common cousin.
Wolf Spider
Wolf spiders (Hogna spp.) are large, sturdy brown spiders with strong legs and excellent eyesight. They do not spin webs to catch prey but instead hunt on the ground, often startling people with their sudden movements.
Common Spiders in Texas
Many spiders are frequently found across Texas, from gardens to inside homes. Here are three of the most common spiders you are likely to encounter.
Southern House Spider
The southern house spider (Kukulcania hibernalis) is a medium to large-sized spider with a brown or grayish body. It is often mistaken for a brown recluse but is harmless. These spiders build tangled webs in cracks, windows, and dark corners.
Common Garden Spider
The common garden spider (Argiope aurantia) is striking with its black body and bright yellow patterns. It weaves large circular webs in gardens and open areas, often with a distinctive zigzag pattern across the center of its web.
Bold Jumping Spider
The bold jumping spider (Phidippus audax) is small and stocky, usually black with distinct white spots. It moves quickly and can leap impressive distances, using its silk thread as a safety line while hunting or escaping threats.
Big Spiders in Texas
Texas is home to some impressively large spiders, often surprising anyone who comes across them. Here are three of the biggest spiders you can encounter in the state.
Texas Brown Tarantula
The Texas brown tarantula (Aphonopelma hentzi) is one of the largest spiders in North America. It has a hairy brown body and legs, with adults reaching up to 4 inches in body length and even larger when including their legs.
Giant Lichen Orbweaver
The giant lichen orbweaver (Araneus bicentenarius) is a massive orb-weaving spider with a body covered in greenish-gray patterns resembling lichen. Their webs can span several feet across, often built high up in trees.
Fishing Spider
Fishing spiders (Dolomedes spp.) are large semi-aquatic spiders that can walk on water surfaces. They have long legs, brown to gray bodies, and are often found near ponds, lakes, and streams, hunting insects and even small fish.
Poisonous Spiders in Texas
While most spiders in Texas are harmless, a few possess venom strong enough to cause serious medical issues. Here are three poisonous spiders you should know about.
Black Widow
The black widow (Latrodectus mactans) is easily recognized by its shiny black body and the red hourglass marking on the underside of its abdomen. Its venom is potent and can cause severe muscle pain, cramps, and other symptoms, but bites are rarely fatal with prompt treatment.
Brown Recluse
The brown recluse (Loxosceles reclusa) is a small brown spider with a violin-shaped marking on its back. Its venom can destroy skin tissue and lead to large wounds if not treated early, making it one of the most medically significant spiders in Texas.
Western Black Widow
The western black widow (Latrodectus hesperus) looks very similar to the common black widow but tends to be found more in drier, western parts of Texas. It also carries powerful venom that affects the nervous system.
Common House Spiders in Texas
Many spiders live comfortably inside Texas homes, hiding in corners, basements, or windows. Here are three house spiders you are most likely to spot indoors.
American House Spider
The American house spider (Parasteatoda tepidariorum) is small, with a round body and long legs. It is grayish or light brown and commonly builds messy cobwebs in corners, under furniture, and near windows.
Cellar Spider
The cellar spider (Pholcus phalangioides), often called “daddy longlegs,” has a tiny body with very long, thin legs. These spiders create loose, irregular webs in basements, garages, and other dark, undisturbed places inside homes.
Southern House Spider
The southern house spider (Kukulcania hibernalis) is larger than most house spiders, with a brown to gray body. Although it looks similar to a brown recluse, it is harmless and often stays hidden in crevices around doors and windows.
Venomous Spiders in Texas
While most Texas spiders are harmless, a few species have venom strong enough to cause health issues. Here are three venomous spiders you should be aware of.
Brown Recluse
The brown recluse (Loxosceles reclusa) is a small brown spider easily recognized by the violin-shaped marking on its back. Its venom can cause severe skin damage, including deep ulcers, and sometimes requires medical treatment.
Black Widow
The black widow (Latrodectus mactans) is known for its shiny black body and red hourglass marking underneath. Its venom attacks the nervous system and can cause intense muscle pain, cramps, and other serious symptoms, although fatalities are rare with medical care.
Southern Black Widow
The southern black widow (Latrodectus mactans) is found more commonly in southern Texas regions. It looks identical to the black widow and carries similarly powerful venom that can lead to strong reactions, especially in young children and older adults.
Dangerous Spiders in Texas
Some spiders in Texas are considered dangerous due to their venom and the serious reactions they can cause in humans. Here are three spiders you should be especially cautious around.
Brown Recluse
The brown recluse (Loxosceles reclusa) is one of the most dangerous spiders in Texas. Its bite can cause severe tissue destruction, leading to large open wounds that may take weeks or months to heal without medical attention.
Western Black Widow
The western black widow (Latrodectus hesperus) is a highly venomous spider known for its black body and red hourglass marking. Its bite can cause extreme pain, nausea, and muscle cramps, requiring prompt medical care.
Northern Black Widow
The northern black widow (Latrodectus variolus) is less common but still present in parts of Texas. It resembles other widows and can deliver a venomous bite that affects the nervous system, though fatalities are extremely rare today.
Deadly Spiders in Texas
Although true fatalities from spider bites in Texas are very rare today, some spiders are still labeled as deadly due to the severity of their venom and the risks involved. Here are three spiders considered the most dangerous.
Black Widow
The black widow (Latrodectus mactans) is often considered the most deadly spider in Texas. Its venom is highly potent, affecting the nervous system and causing severe pain, cramping, and even life-threatening complications if untreated.
Brown Recluse
The brown recluse (Loxosceles reclusa) can cause deadly skin necrosis and infections if the bite is not properly treated. Severe cases can lead to serious health complications, although deaths are extremely rare with modern medical care.
Red Widow
The red widow (Latrodectus bishopi) is a rare widow species found occasionally in Texas. It has a bright red body and delivers venom that is similar in potency to the black widow, capable of causing serious systemic reactions in humans.
North Texas Spiders
The climate and landscape of North Texas support a variety of spiders, from small hunters to large web builders. Here are three spiders commonly found in this region.
Yellow Garden Spider
The yellow garden spider (Argiope aurantia) is a large, striking spider with black and yellow markings. It builds huge circular webs, often with a noticeable zigzag pattern through the center, in gardens, fields, and yards.
Funnel Web Spider
Funnel web spiders (Agelenidae family) create dense, sheet-like webs with a funnel-shaped retreat where they hide. These spiders are usually brown or gray and prefer grassy fields, bushes, and ground cover.
Lynx Spider
The lynx spider (Oxyopes salticus) is a small, fast-moving hunter with a light green or yellow body. Found often on flowers and shrubs, it actively hunts insects instead of building webs.
Wolf Spiders in Texas
Wolf spiders are among the most widespread and easily recognizable spiders in Texas. Here are three types of wolf spiders you might encounter.
Carolina Wolf Spider
The Carolina wolf spider (Hogna carolinensis) is the largest wolf spider species in North America. It has a dark brown body with lighter markings and powerful legs, often seen running across open grounds or hiding under rocks.
Rabid Wolf Spider
The rabid wolf spider (Rabidosa rabida) has a distinctive striped pattern running down its body. It is fast, agile, and often found in grassy fields, forests, and residential lawns, actively hunting at night.
Hogna lenta
Hogna lenta is a medium to large-sized wolf spider with a brownish-gray body. It prefers open habitats like meadows and prairies, where it roams at night looking for insects.
Giant Spiders in Texas
Texas is home to some truly giant spiders that can surprise even the most seasoned outdoors lovers. Here are three of the largest spiders you might come across.
Texas Brown Tarantula
The Texas brown tarantula (Aphonopelma hentzi) is one of the biggest spiders in the United States. With its thick brown body and legs, it can have a leg span reaching over 4 inches, making it a gentle but imposing presence.
Fishing Spider
Fishing spiders (Dolomedes spp.) are large semi-aquatic spiders that can run across water surfaces. They are brownish-gray with long legs and can grow up to 3 inches across, often spotted near ponds, lakes, and streams.
Giant Lichen Orbweaver
The giant lichen orbweaver (Araneus bicentenarius) is a big web-building spider with a greenish-gray, lichen-like body. Its body size can be quite large, and it creates massive circular webs high in trees.
Green Spiders in Texas
Some spiders in Texas stand out with their beautiful green coloring, helping them blend into plants and grass. Here are three green spiders you might spot.
Green Lynx Spider
The green lynx spider (Peucetia viridans) is a bright green hunter often found on shrubs and flowers. It has long spiny legs and a slender body, perfect for camouflaging among leaves while stalking prey.
Magnolia Green Jumper
The magnolia green jumper (Lyssomanes viridis) is a small, bright green jumping spider. It has a translucent appearance and is usually seen on broad-leaved plants like magnolia trees, moving quickly from leaf to leaf.
Cucumber Spider
The cucumber spider (Araniella spp.) is a tiny orb-weaving spider with a vivid green body. It builds small, delicate webs on shrubs and low plants, often going unnoticed because of its perfect camouflage.
Jumping Spiders Found in Texas
Jumping spiders are some of the most active and curious spiders you’ll find across Texas. Here are three jumping spider species commonly seen in the state.
Bold Jumping Spider
The bold jumping spider (Phidippus audax) is easily recognized by its black body with white spots and shimmering green or blue mouthparts. It is quick and playful, often turning to watch humans that approach.
Apache Jumping Spider
The Apache jumping spider (Phidippus apacheanus) has a striking orange-red and black body. This spider is bold in color and behavior, using quick jumps to chase prey or escape danger.
Regal Jumping Spider
The regal jumping spider (Phidippus regius) is one of the largest jumping spiders in North America. It has a chunky black and white body and is admired for its impressive leaps and curious nature.
Large Brown Spiders in Texas
Several large brown spiders are commonly found across Texas, often blending easily into outdoor surroundings. Here are three of the most noticeable ones.
Texas Brown Tarantula
The Texas brown tarantula (Aphonopelma hentzi) is a huge, thick-bodied spider covered in brown hairs. It moves slowly and prefers dry, open areas, making it one of the most recognized large brown spiders in Texas.
Brown Recluse
The brown recluse (Loxosceles reclusa) is a smaller but very significant brown spider. Though not large like a tarantula, its slender, tan body and long legs make it appear bigger than it is when moving quickly.
Southern House Spider
The southern house spider (Kukulcania hibernalis) is a large, harmless brown spider often found inside homes. Its body and long legs give it a bigger appearance, and it usually stays hidden during the day.
Red Spiders in Texas
While less common, some spiders in Texas display vivid red coloring, making them easy to spot. Here are three types of red spiders you might encounter.
Woodlouse Spider
The woodlouse spider (Dysdera crocata) has a reddish-brown body with powerful fangs. It is known for hunting pillbugs and is usually found under rocks, logs, or in damp basements.
Red Widow
The red widow (Latrodectus bishopi) is a rare and brightly colored spider with a red head and thorax, and a black, spotted abdomen. Though it belongs to the widow family, sightings are extremely rare in Texas.
Marbled Orb Weaver
The marbled orb weaver (Araneus marmoreus) is a colorful spider with an orange to red abdomen covered in dark marbled patterns. It spins large, beautiful webs, especially noticeable during the fall season.
