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Common Spiders in Wichita Homes: Friend or Foe?

  • Writer: Matthew Johnston
    Matthew Johnston
  • 1 day ago
  • 2 min read

Most people do not love spiders. We get it. But here is the surprising truth: the vast majority of common spiders in Wichita homes are actually doing you a favor.

Let's run through the most common spiders found in South-Central Kansas, what they do, and which ones actually deserve a second look.

A common outdoor garden spider spinning a large web near a Wichita home entryway.

Beneficial Common Spiders in Wichita


  • Wolf spiders

A large, brown wolf spider on a clean white background, highlighting its distinct hairy legs and markings—a common household pest found in Wichita and Derby, Kansas homes.

Big. Hairy. Fast. They look terrifying. They are also harmless to humans.


Wolf spiders do not build webs. They hunt at night. If you see one running across the basement floor in June, it is probably looking for crickets and other insects to eat. They eat a lot of pests you do not want around.



  • Cellar spiders (daddy long-legs)

A close-up of a cellar spider (daddy long-legs) with a tiny body and long, thin legs on a white background—a common basement pest found in Wichita and Rose Hill, Kansas homes.

Long thin legs. Tiny body. Messy webs in basements and crawl spaces. These are the polite roommates of the spider world. They eat other spiders and small insects.




  • Common house spider

Small, brown, builds tangled webs in corners. Harmless. They eat flies and small insects.


  • Garden spiders

Big, beautifully patterned, builds large round webs in gardens and on porches in late summer. Harmless and helpful. They eat a huge number of garden pests.


The two to know

Two spiders in Kansas can cause a real medical bite. They are not common, but you should know them.

Spider Variety

Identification Marks

Typical Hiding Spots

Brown Recluse

Light brown, about the size of a quarter (including legs), featuring a distinct, dark violin-shaped marking on its back.

Close-up of a brown recluse spider showing its distinct violin-shaped marking—a venomous pest sometimes found in Kansas City and Lee's Summit homes.

Storage boxes, under undisturbed furniture, inside rarely worn shoes, and cluttered garages. Most bites happen accidentally when a human pinches the spider against their skin.

Black Widow

Glossy, jet-black body with a striking, bright red hourglass shape on the underside of its rounded abdomen.

A glossy black widow spider showing the bright red hourglass marking on its abdomen—a venomous pest found in dark areas of Kansas City and Independence homes.

Messy, exceptionally strong webs in dark, undisturbed areas like woodpiles, sheds, crawl spaces, and outdoor electrical boxes.

⚠️ Important Safety Note: If you suspect you or a family member has been bitten by a Brown Recluse or a Black Widow, please seek medical attention from a local healthcare professional immediately.


Reduce spider activity in your home

Spiders are after food. Reduce the bugs and you reduce the spiders.

  • Knock down webs regularly (we offer dewebbing as an additional service!)

  • Keep storage tubs sealed

  • Reduce outdoor lighting that attracts insects

  • Clean clutter in basements, garages, and sheds

  • Seal gaps around windows and doors


Learn more

Penn State has a great spider identification guide here: https://extension.psu.edu/common-spiders-in-and-around-the-home



The Bug Shockers approach

If you are seeing spiders in numbers that are bothering you, our general pest control service includes treatment around entry points. We serve Wichita, Derby, Andover, Rose Hill, El Dorado, and Augusta.


Bug Shockers Pest Control. Local. Family-Owned. The Shockingly Smart Choice.


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