Spiders in Florida: Common, Harmless and Venomous Species

How many spiders live in Florida?

Florida is home to hundreds of spider species, thanks to its warm climate and wide range of habitats, from pine flatwoods and hardwood hammocks to mangroves, scrub and suburban gardens. Nearly all of them are shy predators that help control insects, and only a handful are ever seen by most residents.

All spiders have venom, which they use to subdue prey, but the venom of most species is too weak, or their fangs too small, to cause more than minor pain in people. For a global view of the spiders that do pose a risk, see our list of the most venomous spiders.

Golden silk orb-weaver (banana spider)

The golden silk orb-weaver (Trichonephila clavipes), often called the banana spider, is Florida’s most eye-catching spider. Females are among the largest web-building spiders in North America, with a body 2.4–4 cm (0.9–1.6 in) long, a silvery head region, an orange-brown to yellowish abdomen with small pale spots and long banded legs with black, brush-like tufts of hair. Males are tiny, only about 6 mm (0.25 in), and often sit at the edge of a female’s web.

The species is named for its silk, which shines gold in sunlight. Its large, slightly lopsided orb webs can span several feet between trees and shrubs in woods, hammocks and gardens, and they are often kept and repaired for long periods rather than rebuilt from scratch each night. For how orb webs are built, see how do spiders spin webs?. Tiny silver dewdrop spiders often live in the outer threads, stealing small insects from the web.

Golden silk orb-weavers are not aggressive and bite only if grabbed. Their venom is weak, and a bite is usually no worse than a bee sting for a healthy adult.

Spinybacked orb-weaver

The spinybacked orb-weaver (Gasteracantha cancriformis) is small but unmistakable. Females are 5–9 mm (0.2–0.35 in) long but wider than they are long, with a hard, shiny abdomen that is white or yellow with black spots and six red or black spines around the edge. People sometimes call them crab spiders or smiley-face spiders.

They build small, neat orb webs in shrubs, trees and garden plants, often decorated with tufts of silk along the support lines. They are very common in Florida, including in citrus groves, and are completely harmless to people. Males are tiny and rarely noticed.

Other common web builders

• Yellow garden spider (Argiope aurantia): a large black-and-yellow orb-weaver, females 19–28 mm (0.75–1.1 in) long, that sits head-down in the center of its web above a thick zigzag band of silk.
• Orchard orb-weaver and other long-jawed orb-weavers: small, colorful spiders of shrubs and wetland edges with horizontal or tilted webs.
• Southern house spider (Kukulcania hibernalis): a dark, velvety spider that lives in crevices on buildings. Males are long-legged and tan, and they are often mistaken for brown recluses.

Huntsman spider

The huntsman spider (Heteropoda venatoria) is a large, flat, brown tropical spider that has spread around the world with shipping, including to Florida. Its body is 2.2–2.8 cm (0.9–1.1 in) long and its legs span 7–10 cm (2.8–3.9 in). The legs extend sideways, like a crab’s, allowing it to slip into narrow gaps and move very fast.

Huntsman spiders do not build webs to catch prey. They hunt at night on walls, tree trunks, palms, garages and sheds, catching cockroaches and other insects. A bite can be painful, but the species is not considered dangerous. They are also called giant crab spiders or cane spiders.

Wolf spiders

Wolf spiders are fast, hairy, ground-hunting spiders that chase or ambush their prey rather than using webs. The Carolina wolf spider (Hogna carolinensis), the largest wolf spider in North America, lives in Florida; females are 22–35 mm (0.9–1.4 in) long. Many smaller wolf spiders hunt in lawns, leaf litter, beaches and the edges of ponds.

Female wolf spiders drag their round egg sac behind them, attached to their spinnerets, and carry newly hatched spiderlings on their backs. At night, their eyes reflect flashlight beams as tiny green sparks, which is a fun way to find them on a lawn. They bite only when handled or trapped against the skin, and bites are not dangerous.

Jumping spiders

Jumping spiders are small, compact, daytime hunters with huge front eyes and excellent vision. They stalk prey and pounce, rather than spinning webs. The regal jumping spider (Phidippus regius), the largest jumping spider in eastern North America, is most abundant in Florida. Females are 7–22 mm (0.3–0.9 in) long and gray, brown or orange, while males are black with white markings. Both have iridescent green to violet jaws.

Florida also has many tiny jumping spiders, including ant-hunting species, on walls, fences and plants. Jumping spiders are harmless to people. The bright green lynx spider (Peucetia viridans) is another daytime hunter, waiting on flowers and shrubs to pounce on insects.

Florida’s widow spiders

Florida has four widow spiders. Three are native, and the brown widow was introduced. All belong to the genus Latrodectus, and only adult females are large enough to give a significant bite.

Southern black widow

The southern black widow (Latrodectus mactans) is the most common widow in Florida. Females are glossy black with a round abdomen and a complete red hourglass on the underside, and they often have a red spot above the spinnerets. They build messy, strong cobwebs in sheltered spots such as woodpiles, sheds, meter boxes, under outdoor furniture and in rock walls, and they usually hang upside down in the web.

Northern black widow

The northern black widow (Latrodectus variolus) looks similar but usually has an hourglass broken into two separate marks and a row of red spots along the top of the abdomen. In Florida it is found mostly in the north of the state and tends to live in woods rather than around buildings.

Brown widow

The brown widow (Latrodectus geometricus) is native to Africa and has been in Florida since at least the 1930s. It is tan to dark brown with a black, white and orange geometric pattern on top and an orange hourglass below. Its round egg sacs are covered in small spikes, which makes them easy to recognize. Brown widows are now common around homes, under railings, mailboxes and patio furniture. Their bites are generally milder than those of black widows.

Red widow

The red widow (Latrodectus bishopi) is found nowhere in the world except Florida. It lives in the sand pine scrub of the central and southern peninsula, where it builds webs in palmetto leaves. It has a red-orange head region and red legs, and its black abdomen has rows of red spots ringed in yellow, but no complete hourglass. It is rarely seen, and bites are almost unknown.

Widow venom affects the nerves and can cause severe pain, muscle cramps and sweating. Bites are uncommon and rarely fatal, but they need prompt medical care.

Why brown recluses are rare in Florida

The brown recluse (Loxosceles reclusa) is native to the south-central United States, not Florida. No recluse species is native to the state. University of Florida researchers reviewing the records concluded that there is no evidence of a widespread brown recluse population, and most records were of one or two spiders that had been accidentally transported into the state. See where do brown recluse spiders live? for the real range.

A 2026 University of South Florida study, published in the Journal of Medical Entomology, checked 220 Florida properties with suspected infestations and confirmed breeding recluse populations at only 19. Those populations were mainly the introduced Mediterranean recluse rather than the brown recluse. Many skin wounds blamed on recluse bites in Florida are actually infections or other medical conditions.

Staying safe around spiders

Spider bites are uncommon, because spiders bite only when pressed against the skin or grabbed. A few simple habits reduce the risk:

• Wear gloves when moving firewood, clearing sheds or reaching into dark corners, and shake out shoes and gloves left outdoors.
• Look before you sit or reach under outdoor furniture, railings and mailboxes, where brown widows often build webs.
• If someone is bitten by a widow or develops severe pain, cramps or other worrying symptoms after a bite, call 911 or seek emergency medical help immediately.