Spiders are among the most common arthropods found around homes. Although many people fear them because of their appearance, most spiders commonly found in Indian homes — cobweb spiders, huntsman spiders, jumping spiders — are harmless and help control insects such as flies, mosquitoes and moths.

Almost all spiders possess venom, but they use it mainly to capture insects, and most will move away rather than bite when disturbed. A small number of species that can cause a more serious bite needing medical attention have also been documented in Northeast India, though they’re far less commonly seen indoors than the harmless varieties covered here. The clearest warning sign is a distinct hourglass-shaped marking on the underside of the abdomen, usually red or orange — if you notice this, it’s best not to handle the spider directly.