Woodlouse Spider

Woodlouse spiders are commonly found in homes and gardens throughout North America.  The spider gets its name from its prey, the woodlouse, also known as sow bugs, isopods and roly-poly.  The woodlouse spider is rather distinctive in its coloration, with a dark cinnamon colored cephalothorax and an elongated abdomen, which varies from gray to tan.  It has long fangs, which it uses to kill its prey by reaching underneath the rolled up creature and injecting venom.  It has six small eyes scrunched together near the front of the cephalothorax.  The eyes are rudimentary and probably only allow the spider to detect shadows or determine light from dark.  The bit of the woodlouse spider is rather benign to humans.  There is, however, some pain from the mechanical fang penetration.  The effects are usually gone within an hour.  Control issues would be similar to that of typical spiders.  This species does not usually show up in abundance.