If you’ve seen a white spider scurry across your stucco wall or garden hose, you’re not alone. While most of the common spiders in Arizona, like the wolf spider and Arizona brown spider, tend to be darker in color, a handful of white or pale-colored species live right here in Phoenix and Tucson.
These spiders often go unnoticed until they move, and then suddenly, they’re very hard to forget. In this article, you’ll learn how to identify the most likely white spider species found in Arizona and what you can do to get rid of them.
Key Takeaways
- White spiders in Arizona are easy to spot because their pale color stands out in desert homes and gardens.
- Goldenrod crab, jumping, and ghost spiders are common types that look different but rarely cause problems for people.
- Entry points, cluttered garages, and indoor pests can all make your home more inviting to white spider species.
- Spider problems in Phoenix and Tucson are best handled with seasonal pest control and help from local professionals.
Common Types of White Spiders in Arizona
A few pale spider species live in Arizona, some native to North America, others just well adapted to desert life. While none are the largest spider you’ll find, their light color and sudden movement make them easy to notice.
Here’s how to tell them apart.
Goldenrod Crab Spider
Goldenrod crab spiders are part of a group of arachnids that don’t spin webs to catch prey. Instead, they use camouflage and patience.
With the ability to shift their coloration from white to yellow, they blend into desert blooms like brittlebush or globe mallow. The females are the ones you’ll spot—larger, white-bodied, and usually lying in wait for bees or wasps.
While not one of the most dangerous spiders, they do bite if provoked. However, their bites rarely require medical attention.
Still, like any spider bite, they can cause mild irritation.
White Jumping Spider
Jumping spiders are well known for their large eyes, quirky movements, and stalking behavior. Some species are pale or white, particularly in younger stages or in desert environments where lighter coloration helps with camouflage. These spiders have a short leg span but quick, deliberate movements.
In Phoenix backyards and patios, they are often mistaken for dust or debris until they leap. They’re not aggressive, but their erratic movement can be startling.
Desert Ghost Spider
Desert ghost spiders aren’t technically white, but their pale tan color often appears whitish in low light. They’re ground hunters, typically hiding in woodpiles, under potted plants, or inside garages and basements. You may spot one bolting across the floor if you surprise it.
Their body structure features a slightly bulkier front section (also known as the cephalothorax) and long, slim legs. These traits make them resemble certain types of huntsman spiders, though they’re smaller and move at a slower pace.
Unlike cellar spiders or daddy long legs, desert ghost spiders don’t build webbing for prey capture.
How to Get Rid of White Spiders in Phoenix
Seeing a white spider once in a while isn’t an infestation, but repeated sightings, especially inside, are a sign it’s time to take action.
In the Sonoran Desert, where arthropods thrive year-round, proactive spider control is key. Here’s what you need to do:
Inspect and Seal Entry Points
Arizona homes often have structural gaps that seem minor until they become entryways for house spiders and even scorpions. Sealing cracks around the foundation, windows, and crawl spaces helps keep out both prey insects and the spiders that hunt them.
Focus on transition areas, like garages and basements. Remember that spiders can flatten themselves to fit through tight spots, so even a small opening can be enough.
Keep Landscaping Spider-Unfriendly
If you’ve got flowering plants or desert-adapted shrubs near your house, you’re creating a buffet for crab spiders and orb weavers. Garden spiders love messy vegetation. Trim bushes, remove fallen branches, and clear out old nests and egg sacs when you find them.
Also, avoid letting debris collect near your home’s base. White spiders and other species of spiders love dark, undisturbed places to shelter.
Reduce Indoor Insect Prey
White spiders don’t want to live in your home. They want to eat what’s already living there. If you’re seeing them, it often means there’s a steady supply of cockroaches, ants, or even wasps inside.
Reducing food sources will limit what draws spiders indoors. Store pantry food in airtight containers, repair leaky faucets to eliminate moisture, and wipe up crumbs, especially in kitchens and garages.
Clean and Declutter Storage Areas
Spiders of all kinds—whether white, dark brown, or black-bodied—love clutter. Garages and basements are prime real estate because they tend to be dark and full of places to hide, like cardboard boxes or holiday décor.
Replace cardboard with plastic bins, vacuum around stored items, and check for egg sacs. You don’t want to accidentally hatch dozens of baby spiders next time you dig out your camping gear.
Consider Seasonal Pest Control Services
In Phoenix, spider activity peaks in the spring and fall. That’s also when other pests, like ants and beetles, are most active. That combination leads to more sightings of venomous spiders, including the infamous western black widow spider, known for its red hourglass shape marking and glossy black body.
Professional pest control services are familiar with the seasonal behaviors of spiders in Arizona, including species with medically significant bites.
At Green Home Pest Control, we understand the types of spiders that show up in Arizona homes, and we know how to deal with them.
Our local teams specialize in treating everything from harmless ghost spiders to dangerous spiders like the brown recluse spider.
And because Phoenix and Tucson homes face unique pest pressures year-round, we offer tailored treatments that focus on prevention, not just reaction.
If you’ve been spotting white spiders, or any spider that makes you do a double-take, give us a call.
Our team can help you keep your home spider-free, season after season.
21 years of pest control experience
Founder and Owner of Green Home Pest Control
13 year resident of Arizona
