The black widow spider earns its name from the female version of the spider. Not including legs, female black widows typically have 0.12- to 0.5-inch long, jet-black bodies sporting the signature bright red hourglass belly pattern. The University of Maryland indicates that the black widow is the most dangerous spider in the state, often found in outside areas such as tool sheds, old lumber piles, rock and trash piles and other dark, moist exterior areas. Black widows live across the state of Maryland -- from cities to the country -- and are most often brought inside a home in boxes, flowerpots and baskets where they have established webs.
Yellow house spiders have bodies only 1/4 inch long. They move rapidly and are found in rooms. Entering a typical home during fall in Maryland and found living in leaf piles, gardens and outdoor areas, yellow house spiders weave small white webs where they then spend the winter. This small spider is known to bite humans but is not dangerous. Upon being bitten, you will see small lesions appear.
Cobweb spiders are common in Maryland, especially rural areas where insects are abundant. Cobweb spiders enter homes and set up inconspicuous, irregular webs in corners and windows -- especially where insects are found. The web becomes easy to spot when the spider dies: dust gathers on it, making it highly visible.
Wolf spiders usually do not attack humans. Rather they are active nighttime insect hunters that move quickly in search of prey. When they bite, the bite is not dangerous to humans. They most commonly enter the home in the fall and are often found in basements. Well-maintained weather sealing around doors and windows keep wolf spiders out of your home. Excluding the length of its legs, wolf spiders in Maryland reach up to 1 inch in length and are most commonly found in rural areas under logs, stones and other undisturbed places.
Jumping spiders are black and hairy and sometimes have red or white dots. They are tiny, with bodies up to 0.16 inch across. They usually hang out by windows, searching for flies and weave "retreat" webs used for resting and procreating. Jumping spiders get their name from their distinctive movement. In addition to running fast, this spider jumps place to place, often springing 50 times its body length. Jumping spiders are found in numerous habitats across Maryland.
Crab spiders are bright yellow or reddish and earn the "crab" name due to the the crab-like appearance of their numerous legs. Crab spiders cannot survive indoors and love to hunt prey on flowers. Crab spiders do not spin webs and can change colors to blend with their surroundings. Crab spiders do bite humans but are not dangerous. Their bodies range from 0.12 to 0.35 inches across. These tiny arachnids can be found in the countryside and gardens in Maryland.
Commonly found in gardens and woodland areas in Maryland, yellow garden spiders are 0.2 to 1.1-inch-long, not including legs. Yellow garden spiders weave a zigzag-pattern web. Their eggs hatch in the fall and adults frequently appear in summer.