Content Updated: June 25th, 2026
How to get rid of spider webs in your home
Spider webs are intricate structures made from silk that spiders use to catch prey, shelter themselves, and protect their eggs. While finding a spider web in your home may indicate spider activity, it doesn't necessarily mean you have an infestation, as webs are commonly found in undisturbed areas. However, if you’re noticing many spiders and webs within your home, professional spider control services may be necessary.
Spiders spin webs primarily to catch prey. These silk structures act as highly effective traps that help spiders capture insects for food. Spider webs vary in shape and size. Depending on the species, webs may also serve as a safe place for spiders to rest between hunts.
No, not all spiders make webs. While many species use webs to catch prey, others actively hunt insects without building webs. For example, jumping spiders and wolf spiders rely on their speed and eyesight to capture prey.
Spiders make webs by producing silk from specialized glands in their abdomen. The silk is released through structures called spinnerets, which allow spiders to create different types of strands for building frames, support lines, and sticky traps for catching prey.
There are many types of spider webs. Some species may build a simple web, while others create an intricate pattern designed to maximize the amount of prey they catch. Some spiders also repair and maintain their webs over time, while others rebuild the web regularly.
Spider silk production is a unique process that results in various types of silk, including dragline, capture spiral, and structural silk. These silks are produced in a spider’s silk glands, and the type of silk produced depends on the specific gland it comes from.
Dragline silk, known for its strength and elasticity, is used by spiders as a lifeline for hanging and swift movement. Capture spiral silk, which is more stretchy and sticky, is designed for trapping prey in webs. Structural silk serves as the foundation for web construction, offering durability and support.
Spider silk is extremely strong for its size. By weight, some types are stronger than steel while remaining flexible and lightweight. This strength and stretchiness help webs hold together and absorb the impact of flying insects without breaking.
There are many different types of spider webs, each with their own unique characteristics and purpose. The most common types of spider webs are orb webs, cobwebs, funnel webs, sheet webs, and triangle spider webs.
Orb webs typically feature a spiral of sticky capture silk, supported by non-sticky radial threads that anchor the web and provide its structural foundation. This design helps distribute tension so the web can absorb impacts from insects, wind, and rain. Orb webs are commonly built by orb-weaver spiders, such as garden spiders. These spiders typically build their webs in open areas or between branches to catch flying insects.
Cobwebs are irregular, tangled spider webs often found in corners, basements, garages, or other undisturbed areas. Cobwebs do not follow a clear pattern. Instead, they form loose, messy strands that can trap wandering insects. They are typically built by species such as the common house spider and comb-footed spiders, which anchor their webs to multiple points to create a wide, open area for insect-catching.
Funnel webs have a distinctive funnel-shaped retreat where spiders hide. The flat, open web is designed to catch wandering prey, which is quickly ambushed when the spider rushes out from the funnel. These webs are often built close to the ground in grassy areas, gardens, or shrubs, but can also be found in other sheltered outdoor spaces. Funnel web spiders, including grass spiders, commonly make funnel webs.
Sheet webs feature a distinctive horizontal or slightly inclined webbing that resembles a thin sheet stretched between plants, grass, or other structures. Above the sheet, spiders build a loose network of threads that knock insects down onto the web below, where they become trapped. These webs are commonly found in grassy areas, shrubs, and low vegetation, and are often made by sheet weaver spiders, including money spiders.
Triangle webs are small, triangular-shaped webs built by triangle spiders (Hyptiotes species). Unlike many other web-building spiders, triangle spiders hold part of the web under tension and release it when prey touches the silk, helping to entangle the insect quickly. These unusual webs are commonly found attached to branches, shrubs, and other vegetation in wooded or landscaped areas.
Finding spider webs in your home is unpleasant to most homeowners. In many cases, webs can be managed with routine cleaning, such as dusting and vacuuming. However, if you notice a growing number of webs, frequent spider sightings, or suspect potentially dangerous species such as black widows or brown recluse spiders, professional treatment may be necessary.
Spider control services from Terminix begin with a thorough inspection to identify spider activity, potential entry points, and conditions that may be attracting spiders to your home. Our experts can then implement targeted treatments and prevention strategies to help reduce spider populations and discourage future activity. Get spider control today.
