Eastern Parson Spider
Scientific name: Herpyllus ecclesiasticus Hentz, 1832
Overview
Herpyllus ecclesiasticus, commonly called the eastern parson spider, is a species of spider named after the abdominal markings resembling an old-style cravat worn by clergy in the 18th century. It is mainly found in North America east of the Rocky Mountains, from Alberta east to Nova Scotia in Canada, and south through the United States to Tamaulipas, Mexico, and Florida. Individuals can be found throughout the year, both in homes and under rocks or logs in deciduous forests.
From the Wikipedia article “Herpyllus ecclesiasticus”, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Where it lives
The Catalogue of Life records it in: Canada, USA, Mexico; USA.
Related animals
Sources
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Catalogue of Life — scientific name, classification, common names and range.
Version 2026-09-11, CC BY 4.0.
This species in the Catalogue of Life.
Citation
Bánki, O., Roskov, Y., Döring, M., Ower, G., Hernández Robles, D. R., Plata Corredor, C. A., Stjernegaard Jeppesen, T., Örn, A., Pape, T., Hobern, D., Garnett, S., Little, H., DeWalt, R. E., Miller, J., Orrell, T., Aalbu, R., Abbott, J., Aedo, C., Aescht, E., et al. (2026). Catalogue of Life (Version 2026-09-11). Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgz5n Source database: The World Spider Catalog.
- GBIF — species page and recorded occurrences.
- Wikidata — names in other languages. Q4265292, CC0 1.0.
- Wikipedia — overview, from the article “Herpyllus ecclesiasticus”, CC BY-SA 4.0.
- Photo — GlenPeterson, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. File page.
Last updated: 4 October 2026