You might think you’re safe from the world of creep creepy crawlies in Jersey, but you’d be wrong!
More than 700 species of spiders are native to the Garden State and may call urban areas home.
Some of these types of spiders in New Jersey can cause significant harm, while others will stick to scaring you into remembering to close your windows at night to help you identify which types of spiders are common around where you live; this guide will give you 38 of the most common species you’ll likely encounter in New Jersey.
1. Grass Spider
The Grass Spider is one of the more common types of spiders that you can find in NJ. These types of spiders in New Jersey are not dangerous; they are mainly brown with a red stripe on their back.
They love to hang out near dry, open fields. Be careful when you see one because they will jump or lunge at you if they feel threatened.
But don’t worry; it’s all part of their natural defense mechanism. Wolf Spider: Another type commonly found in NJ is the Wolf Spider. They have six eyes instead of just two, making them great hunters!
2. Triangulate House Spider
Triangulate House Spider is undoubtedly one of the most common of all the types of spiders in New Jersey. Usually found between 14 and 18 inches from ground level, they build messy webs up to four feet wide.
These webs are made of an interlaced pattern of sticky silk that entangles bugs and other food sources for this type of spider.
Unfortunately, these webs may also get larger without a thorough inspection from homeowners. Once they have been built over time, it can become difficult to see or remove them without professional help.
3. American House Spider
American House Spider (also known as Tegenaria Domestica) is among the most common types in NJ and NY.
These types of spiders in New Jersey are active hunters that feed primarily on insects, especially ones that live around houses, like flies, mosquitos, and beetles. They will make their webs near windows where they sit and wait for food to come by.
When an insect is caught in its web, it will throw more silk to wrap up the prey before immobilizing them with venom; then, it will eat them.
American house spiders prefer to nest close to humans where they can- such as in their attics or between window blinds – so they can get into human homes if they want to be sheltered during wintertime.
4. Long-Bodied Cellar Spider
The long-bodied cellar spider is dark brown with a light brown or yellow marking on its back. This type of spider in New Jersey has a body length of one and three-quarters inches, but most of its length comes from its legs reaching up to four inches.
These New Jersey spiders typically build webs that are situated below ground level and will lay eggs in their webs so they are off the ground.
These types of spiders in New Jersey are mainly seen during the summer and fall months, with males being seen more often during these seasons than females.
They like to be close to wood piles or rock walls where moisture might be available to drink since they don’t eat any food.
5. Northern Black Widow
The Northern Black Widow spider is one of the spiders in New Jersey. Its coloring is usually a shiny black with an hourglass red stripe on its back, although it can be brown or tan. Like other widows, this spider rarely leaves its web and bites only when irritated.
These small brownish or tan spiders are often found around human-built structures such as houses and sheds. They use their thin webs to capture prey like flies and other insects that come into contact with it.
6. Southern Black Widow
Southern Black Widow spiders are black spiders with an orange or red hourglass marking on the underside. They grow to be about one and a half inches long. These spiders in New Jersey are one of our most evil types; their bite can be fatal if untreated.
Southern Black Widows can easily identify by seeing her distinctive red or orange hourglass on its belly. Female Southern Black Widows are usually larger than males.
7. Brown Recluse
One type you might find in your backyard is the brown recluse. These spiders in New Jersey are most commonly found throughout Arkansas and other southern regions but can still be seen near major cities like Detroit and Boston. These spiders are aggressive and will attack when they feel threatened.
Another characteristic of these types of spiders in New Jersey is that their bite contains a neurotoxin that attacks nerve cells and is said to have a necrotic effect, destroying tissue at a rapid rate, which may lead to severe wounds with little to no notice.
These bites can produce intense pain followed by blisters, lesions, or ulcers that destroy tissues and produce disability if left untreated. For more information on brown recluses or any other type of spider in New Jersey.
8. False Widow
A false widow spider, sometimes known as a steady triangular or steatoda Grossa. This is one of the most common types of spiders in New York and can vary greatly in appearance.
However, these new Jersey spiders are typically brown or tan, with an abdomen that has two stripes down it like a coloring book wolf.
These types of spiders in New Jersey also have pale markings around their eyes, making them look like a wolf from up close.
They prefer to hide behind bookshelves and other furniture items because they’re scavengers who will eat anything dead or alive, including insects and smaller invertebrates such as worms and roaches.
9. Western Lynx Spider
Western Lynx Spiders are primarily found in the West, but we occasionally see them in New Jersey. They’re so named for their large, prominent eyes and distinctive furry pedipalps (body segments that usually come before the mouth).
These are medium-sized spiders with a distinct rust-colored patch on their backside, which makes them easier to identify.
These types of spiders in New Jersey usually hang out underneath logs and other debris in dark places like hollow trees and caves.
In California, they’re also known for preying on lizards, which might help you know where to find them if you live out West!
10. Striped Lynx Spider
The Lynx spider is one of the more poisonous spiders on this list. It has a thin body, and its legs are short, making it difficult to catch prey.
These types of spiders in New Jersey spiders look like they have stripes running across their body and around their eyes, giving them a lynx-like appearance.
They usually eat beetles, crickets, and other spiders. These spiders in New Jersey venom are not lethal to humans but can be very painful, causing redness and swelling around the bite area.
11. Goldenrod Crab Spider
The Goldenrod Crab Spider (Misumena vatia) is commonly seen on goldenrods and other flowers throughout summer.
These types of spiders in New Jersey may also appear on barberry plants and apple trees, grasses near creeks or gardens, or among fallen leaves.
If you pick up a flower with several small spiders, they’re probably Goldenrod Crab Spiders. The little insects are entirely harmless. There’s no need to kill them; just put the flower back where you found it.
12. American Nursery Web Spider
Spider bites are often harmless and include irritation, swelling, a rash, or fever. The one exception is the brown recluse spider, which usually bites because it’s threatened.
Brown recluses have six eyes arranged in pairs, whereas other types only have three. Black widow spiders also usually bite when threatened and can cause cramping, vomiting, and diarrhea; there’s also a slim chance they could give you cardiac arrest!
13. Blackfooted Yellow Sac Spider
You might find another type of spider, the Blackfoot Yellow Sac Spider. The Black-footed Yellow Sac Spider is medium to large and has yellow, light-brown, and dark-brown markings on its body.
The Black-footed Yellow Sac Spider has a dark brown stripe down its abdomen and six yellow lines along its legs. These types of spiders in New Jersey have no obvious pattern on their back as some other spiders do.
14. Banded Garden Spider
The banded garden spider is found throughout North America. It grows from 1/2 to 1. Females are usually a solid reddish-brown, while males are brown with two white, orange, and black stripes on their abdomen. Their web is a messy, irregular snare with a loosely woven hub where they wait for prey.
These types of spiders in New Jersey feed on flying insects and other spiders that get caught in their web. Banded garden spiders mate in the spring, and then females lay up to four egg sacs (each containing one to three eggs).
The lifespan of this species is unknown, but it’s likely 6-12 months, with some sources stating they could live as long as two years.
15. Six-spotted Fishing Spider
The Six-spotted Fishing Spider is native to North America and can be found in various habitats, including forest edges, meadows, marshes, and water treatment plants.
They have abdomens with patterns ranging from brown or gray to red or orange. These types of spiders in New Jersey are quite aggressive and will bite if they feel threatened or crowded.
Unlike other family members, the Six-spotted Fishing Spider does not spin a web to trap prey. Instead, it hunts for aquatic insects by walking about at night along stream banks and edges with water vegetation where many insects rest during the day.
16. Black and Yellow Garden Spider
Black and Yellow Garden Spiders, often mistaken for Brown Recluses, can be found around the Garden State, with many sightings reported to be more prevalent near coastal areas.
Garden Spider Identification Most Black and Yellow Garden Spiders have a shiny black color with yellow stripes running down their front and along the tips of their legs.
These types of spiders in New Jersey also have an orange-to-yellow hourglass shape on their back. However, while they somewhat resemble Recluses, Black and Yellow spiders are not brown or hairy like Brown Recluses.
17. Woodlouse Spider
Woodlouse spiders are only seen during the hottest, most humid months of the year and usually live underneath mulch piles or rocks.
They are often mistaken for nursery web spiders because they build webs around the base of plants. Woodlouse spiders can be identified by their abdomen, with two stripes running down it, one that starts at the head and another at the end of their abdomen.
These stripes vary in color, but some are orange or yellowish brown on a lighter brown background.
These spiders’ chelicerae also have a deep fovea on each carpal joint, easily distinguishable from many other spiders, such as tarantulas or black widows.
18. Arrow-Shaped Micrathena Spider
Micrathena spiders are a small group but are one of the types most commonly found in NJ. They can be characterized by their distinctive arrow-shaped pattern on their back. In addition, these spiders tend to move slower, like the banded ground spider.
This makes them an easy target for predators because it gives them time to react and defend themselves. The Micrathena genus is very diverse due to its large distribution and many other species similar to the one just mentioned.
Many populations only house one type of this type, but others have been seen with up to 7 different Micrathena types inhabiting the same region!
19. Eastern Parson Spider
Often mistaken for a recluse, the eastern parson spider is usually found under stones or wood pieces around woodpiles. This spider is often found inside houses during the warmer months and is most active in the evening.
Parson spiders have six eyes arranged in three groups (2-1-2) on top of their head and sometimes appear to have black spots on their abdomen.
However, they are typically brown or gray with lighter colors at the tip of the abdomen. Parson spiders generally live for about one year.
20. Garden Ghost Spider
These large types of spiders in New Jersey have an impressively long leg span, measuring up to four inches. They are usually brown or gray, blending well with their surroundings. They are also called harvestmen and live on the ground instead of on the web.
Garden Ghost Spiders feed on invertebrates and insects and feast on small caterpillars if they come across them. And though you can’t see it, these arachnids have tiny hairs on their legs that allow them to sense prey from a distance before pouncing!
21. Rabid Wolf Spider
Rabid wolf spiders are one of the largest types of spiders in NJ, and they feed primarily on insects but sometimes can take down small lizards or rodents.
This type of spider in New Jersey has six eyes and a furry cephalothorax. Rabid Wolf Spiders bite their prey with sharp fangs that pierce the skin.
They are not known for carrying rabies but have the potential to spread disease through bites because their saliva may contain bacteria, fungi, or other potentially harmful microorganisms.
Startled by its aggressiveness and proximity, Brett backed away from the hole as fast as he could without turning around; he felt his back collide with a tree trunk and sent splinters into his arm.
22. Tiger Wolf Spider
Tiger wolf spiders are mostly found on tree trunks and can be identified by their light stripes along the top and bottom of the spider.
These types of spiders in New Jersey are mostly gray or brown but do have spots on their abdomen. In addition, tiger wolf spiders can produce a defensive sound if they feel threatened, a tactic many tiger wolf spiders use to escape when they come into contact with human beings.
Tiger wolf spiders feed on other arachnids and small insects such as mosquitoes and fruit flies. Their bite is considered poisonous but not lethal.
If you believe a tiger wolf spider has bitten you, seek medical attention. Assessing whether any underlying health conditions may have caused your sensitivity to the toxin is important.
23. Zebra Jumping Spider
A zebra jumping spider will not harm a human. These types of spiders in New Jersey are typically non-aggressive spiders that live outside and climb plants to jump onto the top of leaves or other high places.
They are often called the Bandit Spider because they have striped legs and loudly buzz when agitated.
I hope this blog post has helped you better understand the different types of spiders in New Jersey. If you know any more types, feel free to comment below!
24. Golden Jumping Spider
A Golden Jumping Spider is commonly found throughout the eastern half of the US, including New Jersey. They are one inch in size and can be distinguished by their unique coloring.
Often, they are not spotted because they camouflage themselves to resemble tree bark or leaves found on plants. However, a Golden Jumping Spider’s appearance is similar to that of other spiders and should not be handled if spotted because its bite may cause skin irritation and swelling.
25. Dimorphic Jumping Spider
The Dimorphic Jumping Spider is the twenty-eighth most common spider found in the state. These types of spiders in New Jersey are brightly colored and hang out on vegetation, such as flower heads, bushes, and trees. Male jumping spiders are smaller than females.
When it’s time to mate, males leave their webs and start roaming, looking for a female to mate with. When they find one, they wait nearby until she has trapped a prey item or become entangled with her web; then, they will rush over and try to jump onto her back while furiously vibrating their palp; this is the male mating dance.
26. Canopy Jumping Spider
The canopy jumping spider is a beautiful spider found on high branches. Their colors range from pink to brown, usually seen when the sun is shining down on their abdomen.
Canopy-jumping spiders usually live near houses with dense foliage or trees around them. Females are between 2.1 and 3.7 centimeters long, while males are smaller at 1 to 2 cm long.
27. Hentz Orbweaver
New Jersey is home to a variety of different spiders. While each type may have its attributes and dangers, some are more common and identifiable than others.
One spider you might come across is the Hentz Orbweaver. Hentz Orbweavers are found most commonly throughout the northeastern US.
These types of spiders in New Jersey rest on fences, walls, or grass during the day with their heads down as if it was injured.
These spiders hunt mostly at night by spinning a web around their prey before attacking it. Female Hentz Orbweavers have significantly larger abdomens compared to males because they store sperm inside them until they decide to mate again.
28. Arabesque Orbweaver
We’ll start with the most common type of spider in New Jersey, the Arabesque Orbweaver. This arachnid is named after its web, which is decorated with intricate arabesque patterns and resembles a flower when viewed from above.
One distinguishing characteristic is that this spider lacks an abdomen (i.e., it looks like a peanut). It is sometimes called eight-legged mommy for this reason.
However, one downside to these spiders is that they are often mistaken for another species and may become widely invasive by accident.
29. Tan Jumping Spider
Tan Jumping Spider (aka Giant Wood Spider) is the largest spider species in NJ. They are most commonly found on evergreen trees.
Tan Jumping Spiders grow to 3 (7 cm), with the females being slightly larger and darker than males, while males have a much more pointed cephalothorax than females with a more oval one.
Females also often carry their egg sacs beneath their abdomens until they hatch after 12 days of incubation.
30. Sylvan Jumping Spider
Even though their venom is not very potent, Sylvan Jumping Spiders should still be avoided. They’ve got a bite with relatively low toxicity, but it will still be pretty painful.
Also, if you were to see one in your house, you could confuse it with a brown recluse spider because they look very similar.
However, this type of spider in New Jersey tends to have large black or white stripes that run the length of its body. You may find these spiders on plants and other higher surfaces like branches, fences, doors, and window sills.
31. Bold Jumping Spider
You may have heard that the jumping spider can leap fifty times its body length. However, you may not know that it can see up to 120 degrees by turning one pair of eyes to see near and the other to see far.
The bold jumping spider’s diet includes many types of small prey, like flies, wasps, caterpillars, moths, and butterflies. As a result, there are more than 2000 species of jumping spiders worldwide!
32. Six Spotted OrbWeaver
Six-spotted Orb Weaver is a type of spider known for the web that it spins. The spider’s web is usually, but not always, an evenly spaced-out circle. They are usually found near the ground and not as high up as other types of spiders may be.
They are nocturnal, which means they usually come out at night when there’s less chance that birds or any other potential predators will see them.
Finally, the Six-spotted Orb Weaver is a non-aggressive type of spider, which means they will try to run away rather than fight if disturbed.
33. Orchard Orbweaver
Do you live in Garden State? Do you know your favorite critter? The Orchard Orbweaver spider is a resident of eastern North America, and its most distinctive feature is that it has relatively large eyes.
This feature might seem unusual for a creature that spends all its time in the dark. Still, it’s an adaptation to let them see potential prey against low-light forested areas and meadows where they commonly make their homes.
34. Marbled Orbweaver
Spiders are an important part of nature and play a crucial role in the ecosystem. One type you will often find near water is the marbled orb weaver spider. These spiders can typically be found near pools, ponds, and creeks, looking for food.
It’s their favorite place to hunt down prey. Marbled orb weavers are easy to spot because they usually sit on one of their webs, which can be visible from far away.
35. Cross Orbweaver
Common across the globe, spiders come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. One type, called the cross orb weaver, is especially common in North America. Its broad, zigzag-shaped webs are easy to spot from afar.
The types of spiders in New Jersey are identified by their yellow body with black stripes. It is about 3 cm long. Females can lay up to 1,500 eggs and care for the young after they are hatched.
Cross-orb weavers will consume anything they can get their hands on–bees, wasps, and even other spiders!
36. Red-spotted Orbweaver
Spider taxonomy can be very difficult to figure out, which is why there are some more common types of spiders found in New Jersey that family breaks down.
The Red-spotted Orbweaver (Araneus Trifolium) is one type that has a round body with three eyes on top and red markings on its abdomen.
These spiders are typically about an inch and a half long but grow about 2 inches when they build a large web or cocoon for breeding. Other species within the Araneidae family are the Sac Spider, Yellow Garden Spider, and Black-Legged Widow.
37. Eastern Cave Long-jawed Spider
There are a lot of misconceptions about spiders. Am I guessing you thought they were generally all the same? Unfortunately, this is not the case.
There are dozens, if not hundreds, of different types! The Eastern Cave Long-jawed Spider is the most common type in NJ.
They are brownish to tan and have long jaws that come from their head sideways. Generally, they live in caves or tunnels along the East Coast to be seen from as far North as Canada to South Carolina.
38. Shamrock Orb Weaver
When you’re traveling on a long drive, it’s the perfect time to test your knowledge. You can start by finding some interesting facts about the state you visit. For example, have you ever heard that spiders are often found near cedar trees?
In New Jersey, cedar trees are found throughout the entire state. It turns out that these two things go hand-in-hand because seven types of spiders are native to this state!
