Yellow Sac Spider

Category:

Actual Size: 5 mm to 10 mm

Characteristics: Light yellow to cream color. It does not have distinguishing markings, but its front legs are longer than the rest of its legs.

Legs: 8

Habitat: Lives outdoors in gardens, bark, and underneath vegetation. Will access homes in the fall to seek warmth, constructing a saclike retreat wherever walls and ceilings meet.

Habits:

  • Earns its name by building small tubes or sac-like nests.
  • They have a bite that is painful but does not have long-term side effects.
  • Often shipped in agricultural products such as grapes and can make its way into homes on produce.


Yellow Sac Spiders in North Carolina

Yellow sac spiders are often pale yellow in color and have even been known to have a hint or tinge of green. Similar to most spiders, sac spiders prefer to stay away from human contact and typically only find their way indoors by accident. For the most part, sac spiders prefer to feed on a variety of types of spiders along with other garden insects. Though rare, bites can be painful for the victim. Yellow sac spider bites probably account for more spider bites than any other spider and their bites are sometimes misdiagnosed as brown recluse bites by healthcare providers.

Yellow Sac Spider Habitat

Outdoors, yellow sac spiders can be seen in gardens, under vegetation, bark, in rolled leaves, and organic debris. Yellow sac spiders are often shipped in agricultural products such as grapes and can make their way into homes on produce. It is common to see these spiders inside a home during the fall as they begin to seek warmth from the dropping temperatures outdoors. Yellow sac spiders can easily climb slick surfaces and will construct silk, saclike retreats wherever walls meet other walls or ceilings.

Yellow Sac Spider Behaviors, Threats, or Dangers

The bite of a yellow sac spider can be misdiagnosed as a brown recluse spider bite. Bite wounds develop in a similar manner but are much less severe. Reactions, such as swelling, slow healing, and ulcerated sores around the bite site, are similar to brown recluse bites and can be confusing. Most bites will start to improve in a few hours to 2-3 days. Some people are allergic to spider venom as others are to yellowjacket or honey bee venom. Seek medical attention if the symptoms persist or intensify.

If you are dealing with excess yellow sac spiders, contact your local spider exterminators.