Spider Myth Resources
Explore even more! Additional spider resources and more myths (poor spiders can't catch a break!).
Photo: Cathy Morris/Burke Museum
Photo: Cathy Morris/Burke Museum
Myth: One specimen shows what's in my house
Illustration: Henry C. McCook
Illustration: Henry C. McCook
Myth: One specimen is enough of a sample to tell what spiders live in a house.
Fact: The underlying assumption is that "my house couldn't possibly have more than one kind of spider...and even one is too many!" In reality, a typical human dwelling may also be home to 10-30 different spider species. One specimen isn't going to tell you much.
