Pest guide
Spider identification around Atlanta homes
Most spiders around your home eat insects and are harmless to people. A few deserve caution.
Medically important
Black widows are shiny black with a red hourglass underneath. They hide in woodpiles, meter boxes, crawl spaces, under outdoor furniture and in garages. Brown recluse spiders are far less common in metro Atlanta than many people fear, and many suspected recluses turn out to be other brown spiders. Seek medical care for a suspected widow or recluse bite.
Common, mostly harmless spiders
| Spider | Notes |
|---|---|
| Wolf spiders | Large, hairy, fast; hunt on the ground; wander inside in fall |
| Orb weavers (garden spiders) | Large wheel webs in gardens late summer–fall |
| Common house spiders | Tangled webs in corners and garages |
| Jumping spiders | Small, compact, curious; daytime hunters |