Identify Any Spider from a Photo
Most spiders in a North American or European home are harmless: house spiders, cellar spiders, jumping spiders, and wolf spiders. The two that warrant attention — brown recluse and black widow — have a specific look you can verify in seconds. Our AI spider identifier names the species and flags the medically significant ones.
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Most spiders are harmless and helpful, eating the insects you would rather not have around. Identifying one comes from body shape and size, leg length, color and markings, and the kind of web it builds. A close photo names the species and, importantly, flags the few that can deliver a medically significant bite.
Below are the kinds of spiders people most often find indoors and out. Scan yours to identify it and learn whether it is one of the rare dangerous ones.
Common types of spiders
A quick reference to the ones people ask about most. Not sure which you have? Snap a photo above and let the AI name it.
House spiders
Small, drab, web-building spiders that live in corners and basements. Harmless and the most common indoors.
Wolf spiders
Large, hairy, fast ground hunters that do not build webs. Intimidating but not dangerous.
Orb weavers
Build the classic wheel-shaped web in gardens. Often large and colorful, and harmless to people.
Jumping spiders
Small, fuzzy, with big front eyes. Curious, harmless, and many people find them endearing.
Black widows (venomous)
Glossy black with a red hourglass underneath. A medically significant bite, found in sheltered outdoor spots.
Brown recluse (venomous)
Tan with a violin-shaped mark and six eyes. Limited to parts of the central and southern US.
Why identifying spiders matters
Spider fear is mostly misplaced. Nearly every spider you find indoors does more good than harm, eating other insects. But knowing the difference between a wolf spider (intimidating, harmless) and a brown recluse (small, plain, medically significant) is the kind of call you want to get right the first time.
What helps identify spiders
Body shape and size
Spiders have two body segments (cephalothorax and abdomen). Body length and the ratio between the two segments is highly diagnostic.
Leg length and posture
Long thin legs (cellar spiders), thick muscular legs (wolf spiders), or short tucked legs (jumping spiders) each tell a different story.
Markings and color
The violin shape on a brown recluse, the red hourglass on a black widow, and the metallic green of jumping spiders are species-defining.
Web and habitat
Funnel webs, orb webs, messy cobwebs, or no web at all (hunting spiders) narrow the family quickly.
Dangerous or harmless?
In the US, only two groups deliver bites that need medical attention: widow spiders, glossy black with a red hourglass, and the brown recluse, tan with a violin mark and a limited range. Everything else, including big scary wolf spiders and orb weavers, is essentially harmless. The AI flags whether your spider is one of the medically significant species, but if a bite causes a spreading wound or strong reaction, see a doctor.
Photo tips for the best identification
- 1Photograph from above to capture body shape and leg arrangement.
- 2Use a clear glass or container to safely contain the spider for a sharp photo.
- 3Include scale — a coin or fingertip in the frame helps the AI estimate size.
- 4If you saw the web, photograph it too in a second shot.
Frequently asked questions
Is this spider dangerous?
Of all spider species in homes in the US, Canada, UK, and most of Europe, only the brown recluse and black widow regularly cause medically significant bites. Everything else either cannot pierce human skin or causes only a minor local reaction.
How do I tell a brown recluse from a wolf spider?
Brown recluse: small (6–20 mm body), uniform tan, violin-shaped mark on the back, only six eyes (most spiders have eight). Wolf spider: large (10–35 mm), hairy, stocky legs, mottled brown — and harmless despite the menacing look.
Should I kill spiders I find indoors?
Generally no. Cup-and-paper them outside. They eat the bugs you actually care about. Exceptions: confirmed brown recluse or black widow in a high-traffic area.
Identify spiders on the go
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