Spiders in Canada

Spiders are found all over Canada, preferring to stay out of sight in dark places indoors like corners, closets, and garages. In the wild, they are more widespread and more visible. Canada doesn’t have a wide variety of threatening arachnids, with the black widow considered the most dangerous, owing to the potency of its venom. While reports of apparent bites by brown recluse spiders have been made, whether or not a population exists is yet to be verified. Spiders act as excellent pest control, keeping the insect population down.

Most Common Spiders: Sand Bear Wolf Spider, Long-bodied Cellar Spider

Biggest Spider: Striped Fishing Spider

Most Deadly Spiders: Western Black Widow Spider, Black-footed Yellow Sac Spider

Spiders in Canada

Most Venomous

Comb-footed Spiders

Sac Spiders

  • Black-footed Yellow Sac Spider (Cheiracanthium inclusum)
  • Long-legged Sac Spider (Cheiracanthium mildei)

Funnel Weaver Spiders

Ground Spiders

Less Venomous

Orb-weaver Spiders

Hacklemesh Weaver Spiders

Wolf Spiders

  • Sand Bear Wolf Spider (Arctosa perita)

Crab Spiders

  • Common Crab Spider (Xysticus cristatus)
  • Utah Crab Spider (Bassaniana utahensis)
  • Golden-rod Crab Spider (Misumena vatia)

Woodlouse Hunter Spiders

Nursery Web Spiders

Funnel Weaver Spiders

Jumping Spider

Long-jawed Orb-weaver Spiders

  • Cave Orb-weaver Spider (Meta ovalis)
  • Silver Long-jawed Orb-weaver Spider (Tetragnatha laboriosa)

Intertidal Spiders

  • Metaltella simoni

Sheetweb Spiders

  • Sierra Dome Spider (Neriene litigiosa)
  • Old World Dome Sheet-web Weaver Spider (Neriene montana)

Comb-footed Spiders

Cellar Spiders

  • Long-bodied Cellar Spider (Pholcus phalangioides)

Running Crab Spiders

  • Cricket Thief Spider (Thanatus vulgaris)

Hackled Orb-weaver Spiders

  • Feather-legged Orb-weaver Spider (Uloborus glomosus)

Spiders in Canada (By Region)