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American Cellar Spider

Pholcophora americana

Spider or relative · family Pholcidae · order Araneae

  1. G1
    Critically imperiled
  2. G2
    Imperiled
  3. G3
    Vulnerable
  4. G4
    Apparently secure
  5. G5
    Secure

NatureServe global rank G5: secure[2].

Updated October 30, 2026. Published by Humblebee.

Endangered Species Act
Not listed[1]
NatureServe global rank
G5 Secure[2]
Native in
1 state[3]

The American Cellar Spider (Pholcophora americana) is a spider in the family Pholcidae[4]. NatureServe ranks it G5, which means Secure worldwide[2].

Conservation status

NatureServe gives the American Cellar Spider a global rank of G5, which it describes as Secure[2]. The species is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS data checked on 2026-10-30[1]. In Montana, the state rank is SNR, which means the state has not ranked it[5].

Status Value
Endangered Species Act[1] Not listed
NatureServe global rank[2] G5 (Secure)

Where American Cellar Spider lives

NatureServe lists this spider as native in one US state or territory, Montana[3]. People have also reported it on GBIF in Colorado, California, Washington, Utah and Montana[6]. Those record counts follow how much people look and report, not how many spiders live there[6].

Alaska: not recordedAKMaine: not recordedMEWisconsin: not recordedWIVermont: not recordedVTNew Hampshire: not recordedNHWashington: not recordedWAIdaho: not recordedIDMontana: native, state rank SNRMTNorth Dakota: not recordedNDMinnesota: not recordedMNIllinois: not recordedILMichigan: not recordedMINew York: not recordedNYMassachusetts: not recordedMAOregon: not recordedORNevada: not recordedNVWyoming: not recordedWYSouth Dakota: not recordedSDIowa: not recordedIAIndiana: not recordedINOhio: not recordedOHPennsylvania: not recordedPANew Jersey: not recordedNJConnecticut: not recordedCTRhode Island: not recordedRICalifornia: not recordedCAUtah: not recordedUTColorado: not recordedCONebraska: not recordedNEMissouri: not recordedMOKentucky: not recordedKYWest Virginia: not recordedWVVirginia: not recordedVAMaryland: not recordedMDDelaware: not recordedDEArizona: not recordedAZNew Mexico: not recordedNMKansas: not recordedKSArkansas: not recordedARTennessee: not recordedTNNorth Carolina: not recordedNCSouth Carolina: not recordedSCDistrict of Columbia: not recordedDCOklahoma: not recordedOKLouisiana: not recordedLAMississippi: not recordedMSAlabama: not recordedALGeorgia: not recordedGAHawaii: not recordedHITexas: not recordedTXFlorida: not recordedFLPuerto Rico: not recordedPR
State presence as recorded by NatureServe[5].
Show state ranks (1 states)
StateRankMeaning
MontanaSNRNot Ranked

When to look for it

Reports of this spider on GBIF are most often made in May, June and July[7]. Few records fall in winter, and none appear for November[7]. These records show when people look and report, not how many spiders there are[7].

January: 3 recordsJanFebruary: 4 recordsFebMarch: 2 recordsMarApril: 16 recordsAprMay: 22 recordsMayJune: 22 recordsJunJuly: 31 recordsJulAugust: 18 recordsAugSeptember: 13 recordsSepOctober: 7 recordsOctNovember: 0 recordsNovDecember: 2 recordsDec
US observation records on GBIF by month, all years. The three months with the most records are highlighted. Records show when people look and report, not how many animals there are[7].
Show records by month
MonthRecords
January3
February4
March2
April16
May22
June22
July31
August18
September13
October7
November0
December2

Where to see it

States with the most GBIF observation records: Colorado, California, Washington, Utah, Montana[6]. These counts follow where people look and report, not population size.

Questions people ask

Is the American Cellar Spider endangered?
It is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act[1]. NatureServe ranks it G5, Secure[2].
Where does the American Cellar Spider live in the US?
NatureServe lists it as native in Montana[3]. GBIF records also come from Colorado, California, Washington and Utah[6].
When is the American Cellar Spider seen?
GBIF records peak in May, June and July[7]. This shows when people report it, not how many spiders there are[7].

Facts and sources

  1. American Cellar Spider is not listed as endangered or threatened under the US Endangered Species Act in USFWS ECOS data (checked 2026-10-30). USFWS ECOS
  2. NatureServe global conservation status rank for American Cellar Spider: G5 (Secure). NatureServe Explorer
  3. NatureServe lists American Cellar Spider as native in 1 US state or territory: Montana. NatureServe Explorer
  4. American Cellar Spider (Pholcophora americana) is a spider or relative in the family Pholcidae, order Araneae. NatureServe Explorer
  5. NatureServe state ranks for American Cellar Spider (map and table on this page). NatureServe Explorer
  6. US states with the most GBIF observation records of American Cellar Spider: Colorado, California, Washington, Utah, Montana. Record counts follow observer effort, not population size. GBIF
  7. GBIF observation records of American Cellar Spider in the US by month (chart on this page). GBIF

Status, range and habitat come from NatureServe Explorer (CC BY 4.0) and USFWS ECOS at the snapshot date. Listings change by federal rule. State lists are where NatureServe records the species, not a promise that you will see it there. Never name a place smaller than a state. GBIF and park records count observations and checklists. They show where and when people report the species, not how many animals live there.

NatureServe. 2026. NatureServe Explorer [web application]. NatureServe, Arlington, Virginia. Available https://explorer.natureserve.org. (Accessed: October 30, 2026). Licensed under CC BY 4.0; SpeciesFacts selected and summarized it.