To help you better identify these eight-legged residents, here is a more detailed look at the physical traits and unique habits of the most common brown spiders found across our region.
The Outdoor Specialists
1. Fishing Spiders (Dolomedes)
These are among the largest spiders in the province, often causing a fright due to their sheer size and leg span.
- The Look: They are a mottled dark-to-light brown with distinct banding on their legs. Their bodies are quite flat, allowing them to rest flush against tree trunks, rocks, or dock pilings.
- The Habit: Unlike most spiders, they can skate across the surface of the water. They have even been known to dive underwater to catch small aquatic prey.
- Presence: You’ll almost exclusively find them near water or in heavily wooded, damp areas.
2. Nursery Web Spiders (Pisaurina mira)
Often confused with wolf spiders, these are slightly more slender and have a different way of protecting their young.
- The Look: Usually a light, sandy brown with a prominent dark brown stripe running straight down the center of their back.
- The Habit: They are named for the “nursery” they build. A mother spider carries her egg sac in her jaws and then spins a silk tent around it just before the babies hatch, guarding the tent fiercely from the outside.
- Presence: These are common in tall weeds, gardens, and residential shrubs.
The Indoor Experts
3. Wolf Spiders (Lycosidae)
If you see a big brown spider in Ontario sprinting across your floor, it is likely a wolf spider.
- The Look: They are thick-bodied and covered in fine, sensitive hairs. Their most identifying feature is their eyes: they have two very large, prominent eyes in the center of their face that reflect light if you shine a flashlight at them.
- The Habit: They are “active hunters,” meaning they don’t use webs to catch food. They rely on their incredible eyesight and speed to chase down prey.
- Presence: They enter buildings at ground level, usually through gaps under doors or window wells.
4. Yellow Sac Spiders (Cheiracanthium)
These are likely the most common “hidden” spiders in local homes.
- The Look: They are small (about 1/4 to 1/2 inch) and have a pale, translucent tan or “custard” yellow color. Their front legs are notably longer than their other legs.
- The Habit: They don’t build flat webs. Instead, they spin a small, white, silk tube or “sac” in the corner where the wall meets the ceiling, hiding there during the day.
- Presence: Found in almost every room, particularly in high wall corners or behind furniture.
5. Cellar Spiders (Pholcidae)
Commonly known as “Daddy Long-Legs,” these are permanent indoor residents.
- The Look: They have tiny, peanut-shaped bodies and exceptionally long, thin legs.
- The Habit: When disturbed, they vibrate or “whirl” so fast that they become a blur to predators. They are actually highly beneficial because they eat other spiders—including much larger species.
- Presence: They prefer dark, undisturbed parts of the house, such as furnace rooms and cold cellars.
Stop the Invasion Before It Starts
While many of these spiders eventually wander indoors, their journey always begins outside. The most effective way to keep your home spider-free is to stop them at the perimeter.
The Spider Guys specialize in high-performance outdoor barrier treatments. By focusing exclusively on the exterior of your home, we create an invisible shield that prevents spiders from ever crossing your threshold. We target the specific cracks, crevices, and entry points where spiders hide, ensuring they stay in the garden and out of your living space.
Contact The Spider Guys Today for Your Professional Exterior Barrier Spray