Nesticodes

Nesticodes is a monotypic genus of comb-footed spiders containing only the red house spider [Nesticodes rufipes (Lucas, 1846)].^[1] It was first described by Allan Frost Archer in 1950,^[2] and has a pantropical distribution due to ship and air travel.^[3]

Nesticodes
Female with egg sac
Male
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Arthropoda
Subphylum:	Chelicerata
Class:	Arachnida
Order:	Araneae
Infraorder:	Araneomorphae
Family:	Theridiidae
Genus:	Nesticodes Archer, 1950[1]
Species:	N. rufipes
Binomial name
Nesticodes rufipes (Lucas, 1846)
Synonyms[1]
Anelosimus nelsoni Bryant, 1945 Robertus pilosus Denis, 1956 Theridion albonotatum Taczanowski, 1872 Theridion bajulans L. Koch, 1875 Theridion borbonicum Vinson, 1863 Theridion flavo-aurantiacum Simon, 1880 Theridion longipes Hasselt, 1882 Theridion luteolum Blackwall, 1859 Theridion luteipes O. Pickard-Cambridge, 1869 Theridion rufipes Lucas, 1846

Description

Nesticodes rufipes is a small red-bodied spider, venomous, but not harmful to humans.^[3] They can be extremely common inside homes, building webs in dark corners and under furniture. They have been observed preying on insects such as mosquitoes,^[4] flies,^[5] and ants.^[6]