We all joke about spiders and how creepy they are and how finding one in or near us makes for great nightmare fuel. But did you know there are good spiders that exist?
“You’re joking” you may be thinking, but it’s true! Not every spider out there is deliberately trying to hurt us humans. In fact, most of the time they’re actually trying to avoid contact with us. Out of sight, out of mind, as they say…that is until you notice a lot of them in your home.
Before you panic and start calling your landlord asking to move out, calm down and read our list of spiders in Canada to find out which ones warrant that phone call to move out versus those you can leave alone…or safely take them outside where they can catch their food in peace.
Good Spider 1: Jumping House Spider
“A spider that jumps ?!” you’re probably thinking “Nope, no thank you, nope, Gimme the phone.” Hold on, though. These spiders actually do not mean harm. Sure, the thought of a spider jumping around is scary, but aside from the name, they are not deliberately trying to jump at you.
Don’t believe us? Check this out.
If this spider meant any harm, it would have bitten Kyle, but it didn’t. Jumping spiders sound horrifying, but they’re actually one of the least harmful spiders around.
Good Spider 2: Common House Spider
These little guys and gals thrive in our mild climate on Canada’s West Coast. You can usually find them in your closet, basement, attic, and in some cases behind your furniture. Their light brown appearance with a V on their backs are a dead giveaway. Some people mistake them for hobo spiders, which are indeed deadly, but they’re not—there’s nothing venomous about their bite.
Good Spider 3: Daddy Long Legs
“LIAR!” I can hear some of you screaming. “This is the world’s most venomous spider! Don’t you read the news?” As a matter of fact, I do, and I can safely assure you that what you just told me is actually fake. Sure, Daddy Long Legs look creepy with their longer-than-per-usual legs making up for their tiny bodies, but these spiders don’t make silk or, for that matter, venom. Also, if Adam Savage from Mythbusters can live after being bitten by Daddy Long Legs, then so can you.
Good Spider 4: Wolf Spider
One of Canada’s most native spiders is the Wolf spider. These big bad boys look tough and scary, but in reality they’re actually harmless. Their name derives from the fact that they don’t make cobwebs to trap their prey. What they do instead is run after them and catch them just like a wolf would. They only bite people if they’re threatened, but even then their bites are very mild and will disappear after a few days (stock up on itching cream and antihistamines anyway, just in case).
Good Spider 5: This Red and White Spider
As you can see, this spider’s only interest is in having the nearby flies (flies which may actually be pests trying to live in your home!) for lunch, and not in hurting you.
‘Bad’ Spider 1: All of them
To be honest, by “bad” we’re mainly talking about any and all spiders that are getting up close and personal in your living space! All spiders are poisonous, and we’re all too familiar with the bad boys (and girls) such as the Brown Recluse and the Black Widow. The good news is that the fangs that spiders have are too small to really puncture us and do much harm (save for mild redness and swelling), and spiders are actually not aggressive at all. Almost all of the time they bite is when they feel threatened, and they prefer to make their webs (or in the case of the wolf spider, hunt for their prey) in dark, undisturbed locations.
We’d also like to note that those two top deadly spiders we just mentioned don’t actually hang out here in Canada at all—we “know” they’re around, but it’s really all about the natural human fear factor going into overdrive. So you can take a deep breath and relax! Trust us, those two spiders are the least of your problems when it comes to worrying about pests and pest control.
In all honesty, the majority of the spiders we have listed here can be left alone in your home…that is, unless you see a lot of them nesting behind your furniture or in your home where you need to be (sleeping, eating, etc.).If you’re also hypersensitive to bug bites or allergic to being bitten or stung, and there are a lot more spiders around than you can handle, that’s also a valid reason to get some help with spider control. If any of this applies to your situation, call your local Pest Boss.
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