Spiders in British Columbia (BC)

There are a wide variety of spiders in British Columbia. These include the crab spiders that camouflage themselves like flowers, the orb weavers whose webs look beautiful when dew or frost falls on them, or the deadly black widows whose venom is the most potent of all the species seen in the province.

Common Spiders: Sand Bear Wolf Spider, Sierra Dome Spider, Common Crab Spider

Biggest Spider: Hobo Spider

Dangerous Spiders: Western Black Widow Spider

Most Venomous

Comb-footed Spiders

• Western Black Widow Spider (Latrodectus hesperus)
• False Black Widow (Steatoda grossa)

Funnel Weaver Spiders

• Hobo Spider (Eratigena agrestis)

Less Venomous

Orb-weaver Spiders

• Shamrock Orb-weaver Spider (Araneus trifolium)
• Six-spotted Orb-weaver Spider (Araniella displicata)
• Bridge Spider (Larinioides sclopetarius)
• Missing Sector Orb-weaver Spider (Zygiella x-notata)
• Cross Orb-weaver Spider (Araneus diadematus)

Wolf Spiders

• Sand Bear Wolf Spider (Arctosa perita)

Woodlouse Hunter Spiders

• Woodlouse Hunter (Dysdera crocata)

Crab Spiders

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

Funnel Weaver Spiders

• Giant House Spider (Eratigena atrica)
• Giant House Spider (Eratigena duellica)
• Barn Funnel Weaver (Tegenaria domestica)

Sheetweb Spiders

• Sierra Dome Spider (Neriene litigiosa)

Comb-footed Spiders

• Common House Spider (Parasteatoda tepidariorum)
• Rabbit Hutch Spider (Steatoda bipunctata)
• Triangulate Cobweb Spider (Steatoda triangulosa)

Running Crab Spiders

• Cricket Thief Spider (Thanatus vulgaris)

Long-jawed Orb-weaver Spiders

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

Jumping Spider

• Bronze Jumper Spider (Eris militaris)
• Bold Jumping Spider (Phidippus audax)
• Red-backed Jumping Spider (Phidippus johnsoni)
• Zebra Jumping Spider (Salticus scenicus)