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29 December, 2003:
Hi,
Interesting site! The attached pic shows a spider I found on my
garage wall, I can't figure out what it is. Can you help me? The
body size is about 20mm.
Thanks,
George Brautigam,
Perth
WA
Reply: George thought maybe a Sac spider? |
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14 December, 2003:
Hello, my daughter and I are doing an online photo collection
of animals,
http://groups.msn.com/LindasWildlife/shoebox.msnw and we are
having some trouble with some of our spider identifications. They
just look so similar! Could you help us out with some of these? |
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14 December, 2003:
Here's another - this species seems to appear ONLY in the fall for
some reason. I've never seen them in the spring/summer, but as
soon as the temp. starts to drop here in southern Ontario,
these spiders show up with its web around windows and doorways.
- Marc (St. Catharines, On) |
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24 November, 2003:
Hi,
I came across this spider here in Tucson Arizona, which is in the
USA. I know you are in Australia and that is a far cry from Arizona
USA but we were hoping you could help. We cannot really find where
this spider is living besides in my garage somewhere. We were hoping
you could help identify this critter.
Thanks
Brent McCoy
Tucson Arizona |
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24 November, 2003:
Hi ...
Spiders and scorpions are common in this part of Oaxaca, Mexico,
including black widows. This fall, after the rainy season, this type
of spider popped up everywhere, often in sunny places, as opposed to
the dark nooks favored by the black widows. It's about 1.5-2 inches
in length. Any ideas on what it is, and how nasty it might be, are
appreciated.
Cheers,
Tim
Tim Porter
www.timporter.com |
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21 November, 2003:
Hello!
I live In Galssel Park in Los Angeles. This fellow came up to me
while i was having coffee in my garden. Surely scared the.... Could
you help me ID it? I'm attaching the picture i took of it.
Thanks
Miq |
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19 November, 2003:
I found a rather nasty looking spider in my garage and was
wondering if you knew what kind it was. It looks like some sort of
purse spider or a trap door spider. Why was it in my garage then? |
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Click for a nice close-up. |
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16 November, 2003:
Ontario dock spiders.
In case you wanted some hi-resolution shots of them.... (they
grow VERY large up at our cottage near Parry Sound)
- Marc (St. Catharines, On) |
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2 December, 2003:
Reply: This spider looks to me like a wandering-spider (Phoneutria
nigriventer) - maybe the most venomous species on earth. Perhaps
even more venomous than your australian Atrax atrax... but it's only
MAYBE a Phoneutria nigriventer. If yes, then Jean was really lucky.
This species is really agressive. Felix Hug |
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Click the 4th picture for a
closeup of the eyes. Glad this poor fellow was dead before the pins
went in!! |
13 November, 2003:
Hi .....
I greatly enjoyed your spider's website and the enormous deal of
information it contains.....I've been studying spiders for about 15
years now and somebody from a fruit store in my region brought me
this huge specimen! It measures 5 inches across (leg to leg) and it
was found alive in a banana crate from Columbia, it died couples of
days after! here are some pictures of it! thanks in advance......any
info on this specimen would be appreciated!
Jean |
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10 November, 2003:
I spent a few hours on your website attempting to identify
this spider I found in September of 2001. It was at least 1 1/2"
body size. With leg span about 5". I found it in the woods in
Maryland. It is complexing to me because it is large enough to be a
fishing spider (compare with tree leaves it is on) but yet is on a
web that it is using to capture prey. Sorta resembles a nursery web
spider also. It was very "velvety brown". Lots of short dense hair
all over. Any ideas?
xtremlysassi@aol.com |
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9 November, 2003:
My email address is
dennismenace38@earthlink.net I am trying to find out what kind
of spider this is, I found it in Inverness this morning attach to my
shrubs. Please email me back when you get a chance Thanks |
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6 November, 2003:
Hi, We have been inundated with the spider in the attached
photos. We run across at least 2-5 every day, for the past year. I
travel to Nevada, Arizona, Utah, etc. at least once a year, and
think that I may have picked up some eggs while out there.
I live in New Jersey. The spiders are usually found in the basement
(finished), and on the first floor. They usually stay on the floor,
and are not very active walkers. My daughter has had several
unexplained bites (that appear when she wakes up), and I’m concerned
that the spiders have been protecting themselves. Can you help
identify them? |
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5 November, 2003:
What Kind of Spider is this? This picture was taken in my
great grandma's house in Barbados. The only possible match I found
came from your site, the bodies are different.
~Alliea~ |
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5 November, 2003:
Hi. I found this spider in my bathroom. I live in North
Central, WV. I can’t find a picture that looks like it anywhere and
I would like to know what it is. Can you please let me know if you
have any ideas?
Thanks,
Lindsay
Reply: This looks like a typical
'daddy long legs' spider to me. Harmless to humans.
From the website:
http://spiders.ucr.edu/daddylonglegs.html |
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5 November, 2003:
Hi,
This we thought was a black widow due to the shape of the shiny
blackbody until we got it in a glass and saw the underside was not
the
expected red. Do you know what type it is?
It was crawling up the side of our house when it came to our
attention and after we photographed it, we let it go deep in our
woods. Thanks for your help! |
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12 November, 2003:
Hi, I sent you the pics for the spider labeled Nov. 4th. I have
managed to ID the spider as Hogna carolensis, or the Giant Carolina
wolf spider. I am also including 2 new pictures of her that you may
want to switch with the blurry ones I sent before.
Thanks,
Drew Z.
seaducer9@comcast.net |
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4 November, 2003:
Hi, great site.
Found a spider last week here in New Jersey, USA. I have never seen
any spider like this one here, and as it is starting to get cold I
decided to keep it, I think it hitch hiked a ride on a produce truck
or something. I am including shots of the back, a little fuzzy, the
abdomen, fangs, bottom, and a feeding pic. The spider is eating a
cricket that is about 1 1/2 centimeters long. With the leg span
included, the spider is about 6-8 cm long ( est since she won't stay
still for a reference.) Anyway, if you can ID it, I need some info
on how big it gets, how long it lives, or maybe a link to a good
natural history source?
Thank you,
Drew Z.
seaducer9@comcast.net |
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1 November, 2003:
Hi-
You website is great. I took this picture in the
Philippines on So. Leyte. I would see these all the time, and they
were quick to throw their legs back and show their fangs. What kind
is it? They were black and yellow and
would have 3-4 foot webs between banana trees. This one was still
alive, my missionary companion (a native filipino) wasn't at all
afraid of it, and he kind of mad it 'tired'
before he handed it to me by the one leg.
Kyle
Layton, Ut
2 December, 2003:
Reply:This spider looks look some sort of Nephila species.
Felix Hug |
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30 October, 2003:
I'm attaching a picture of a spider I encountered on 10/30/03
in a hollowed out tree in Southern Lower Michigan. In the picture,
it is upside down. The legs look quite substantial with alternate
colour banding on them.
Can you identify it?
Thanks,
Rick Gloger |
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30 October, 2003:
Here is a picture of the spider that I want identified and
any information you might find. It measures 1 3/4 inches long by 1
1/2
inches wide. It has made a web that covers the entire top half of
one of our windows that is on a shady side of the house (shaded by a
pine and maple tree). The legs are
black and white stripes with the part of the legs that are close to
the body being a bright reddish/orange. The body is a
yellowish/white with a intricate black pattern.
Please call me or email any information or questions.
Thanks,
Cathy Kerby
Chesapeake, VA 23322 |
Reply: This is a
Marbled Orb Weaver |
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25 October, 2003:
Hey my names Gina & I found this spider outside in my yard
hangin on a powerline type thing... I was just curious, are the
poisonous or anything? There were two of them sharing a web. Please
email me back and let me know what ya think I attached that photo so
you would know what it looks like. Thanx for your time!
Gina |
Reply: This is a spiny orb weaver.
(asteracantha cancriformis) |
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24 October, 2003:
Hey,
I have just not to long ago found a spider. I was kinda freaked out
by this thing. I took some pics of it as I have no Idea what it is.
Was wondering if you could give me some insight on this. It was
found in Northern Texas.
-Ryan |
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24 October, 2003:
i found at least one of this each month inside my house and i
am in worry about the venom. i have 3 little daugthers. do you think
this spider is dangerous? the spiders are about one and a half inch
or two inch in diameter.
thank you in advance.
17 September, 2004:
Reply: I may be wrong, but these look extremely close to the
brown recluses I have running all over my place. I cannot tell if it
is or not without a clear shot of the back, but better safe than
sorry, right!??
john |
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8 October, 2003:
Hi, nice website. I think the unidentified blue tarantula
sent in by Mike may possibly be a Burmese Blue, which I think is
Haplopus lividus but the last I heard there was some dipute over the
taxonomy of this species. It seems to come from the right part of
the world but I found the specimen I kept to be cursorial rather
than nesting in tree holes, but who knows? It`s colour could also be
a photographic abberation but I`ve sent a pic along of a blue, use
it if you like but you may need to make it smaller.
BTW, I`m the owner of the Smallestroom site you mention on the Black
Widow page. ( I`ve sacked my typist friend for the spelling mistake,
LOL) Would you mind if I put a link to your site on there?
All the best,
Alan |
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3 October, 2003:
Dear Glen
Here is the second spider. It was very abundant in the forest of
Long Island, 50km off the NE coast of Papua New Guinea.
Best wishes
Mike2 December, 2003:
Reply:The photo taken in New Guinea from 3rd October is a
Nephila species, maybe Nephila maculata (golden orb-weaver).
Felix Hug
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Hi Glen
Here is the first one. It was taken in Sarawak,
East Malaysia (Borneo) in the Kelabit Highlands
between Bario and Batu Lawi. The spider was
pretty big (about 20cm) across from toe to toe,
very hairy and living in a tree hole at 2m
height.
I'll send the other in a few minutes.
Cheers
Mike |
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Reply: This looks like a
brown widow - be careful. 29 September, 2003:
Found a spider that just tried to walk in my front door. I
live in West Valley City, Utah, USA. The size isn't apparent from
the photo, but I'd say its leg span front to back was about one and
a half inches (4-5cm). I have a 13 month old son so I worry about
him coming into contact with larger spiders out of curiosity. It
doesn't match any of the really poisonous ones that I am aware of in
our area, but better safe than sorry. Can you tell me what this is?
Thanks
David Wilbur |
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29 September, 2003:
Hi, I was wondering if you could help me identify this spider
i found in my yard. I tried to identify it with no luck. I live in
North East Pennsylvania. Thank you. I love your website.
Danielle |
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Reply: This is awolf spider.
26 September, 2003:
We have caught a spider in our home that looks a lot like a wolf
spider but it is gray and the marking do not coincide with what the
wolf spider has on its back. Can you please tell me what it is if it
is identifiable. It was caught in Park City Utah. We also have many
more around the area but none of this size. He is 3 inches long with
a black bottom just like a wolf spider. But the top does not match.
Thank you for any help,
Frank Mysliwiec
frank@grampysworkshop.com |
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Reply:
This one is a garden orb weaver.
23 September, 2003:
Hello,
I live in Northern California: Oakland. Close to the redwoods. I was
gardening one morning and discovered that a large spider had built a
large web over my vegetable garden. She is about 1" long. I haven't
seen a spider like this around and wanted to make sure she wasn't
poisonous. I have been hearing about a brown spider that is
poisonous in Oakland. Please look at the photos I have
attached. I got some pretty good shots. One is of
her tummy and one is of her back. Is She Poisonous? Let me know if
you need any more information and if you are able to identify
her.Very curious about her identity.
Thanks,
minettm@sbcglobal.net |
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Reply: 9 November, 2003:
Glen,
I had a spider similar to the one Susaanne Steadman from Ontario
describes in the "Unidentified Spiders 2003" (below). I cut the
picture and included the link to the site that describes the spider.
Appearsto be benign if this is actually what she saw.
Regards,
Mike Kay Meyer
http://spiders.entomology.wisc.edu/Dysderidae/Dysdera/crocata.html
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22
September, 2003:
Hi there, my name is Sue.
I've been looking all through the internet and have had no luck
finding the name of a spider I found in my basement. I've from
Southern Ontario, in Canada. The spider I was about an inch in size,
red legs, white round body with a smaller round black head. I've
attached a picture of what it looked like, but I didn't have a
camera at the time. It's really bugging me and I'd like to know if
you can help.
Thank you,
Sincerely,
Susanne Steadman |
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22
September, 2003:
Hello. I've already asked about this little spider I found in
my backyard in Houston, TX. You responded with some info. about it.
I just wanted to send you a photo in case you could use it on your
site.
(We have found an orange one, a yellow one, and a white one so far.
Isn't it cool?) They make very strong webs in high places. What did
you say it was called again? It is a relative of the Jeweled spider,
right? Thanks again for your help.
Melissa Powers
mm.powers@earthlink.net |
Reply: This is a spiny orb weaver.
(asteracantha cancriformis)
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21
September, 2003:
hi. i found this on my door, and based on the width of of
that rectangle, this spider should be between 4 and 5 inches
long. i've tried a few sites, and i haven't really found
anything that looks really similar. is it poisonous? should i
worry? i just wanna know what it is. thanks!
Reply: Looks like a Huntsman from
the shape and size. |
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21
September, 2003:
Hello!
Awesome site! I live in Hollywood California and I caught a black
widow and kept it in a jar for about a month. I fed her flies and
other spiders whenever I caught them and she aggressively attacked
and consumed her prey. Yesterday, however, I place a fairly
big spider I caught in the jar with the widow. The widow attacked
many times over the course of an hour. The other spider would not
die. It retreated every time the widow attacked even thought it was
3 times the size. I went upstairs for about 20 minutes, and when I
returned, the widow was dead and inside the mouth of the other
spider! I keep reading that the widow is the most poisonous in North
America so I do not understand how this happened! I have attached a
picture from your site what the spider looks like. Can a spider I
found in my garage fight and win against a black widow?
Please advise!
Thanks,
Anthony |
Reply: This is a garden orb weaver.
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Reply: This is a garden orb weaver.
21font>
September, 2003:
Hi,
I took these pictures of a spider that has recently made it's home
under our deck. Oun next-door neighbour also have one of these guys
under their deck. We're in Maryland (U.S.). It looks much like the
spider sent in on 7 September, 2003 by Mitch and Jo Shaw but may not
be a match. If anyone could assist with identification we would be
grateful. Thanks.
Vicky Ames & Belynda Hicks
Gaithersburg, MD USA |
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19
September, 2003:
I found this spider on my mothers porch in central Indiana.
I'm not sure what it is though. It is about the size of a quarter,
but when it's moving it's more like the size of a half-dollar. Do
you know what it is? ssupafly85@yahoo.com
Thank you,
Steve
Reply: This one looks
like another garden orb weaver. They and the Argiopes are being seen
a lot at this time of the year.
glen |
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19
September, 2003:
Dear Spider Expert,
This is a picture I took of a spider that lives among my tomato
plants in the open sun in Central Ohio. I have noticed my "pet" for
several years, but there always only seems to be one of them
inhabitating the tomatoes. From looking through your website, I
think it might be a Argiope aurantia. I have always called it a
garden spider. If you could let me know, I would really appreciate
it. There has been more than one instance when I was picking
tomatoes and got quite a scare because I got too close to the spider
without seeing it. Usually I look for it every year and wherever it
happens to settle becomes its own, personal tomato plant. I have
always left it alone because I guess I figured anything that
brightly colored is probably poisonous to some degree and I don't
want to find out the hard way. If you could let me know what it is,
I would really appreciate it. Feel free to use this picture however
you like. Thank you!
Amelia Walton |
Reply: Yes this is Argiope aurantia
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17
September, 2003:
Fantastic site!!! Can you identify this one I found in a rug
on my porch in San Francisco today? Sorry- I only have a photo of
it's underside.
Thanks Don Zirulnik
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17
September, 2003:
hi, i live here in the Philippines and i am a mountaineer,
on one occasion we came across a spider just sitting there on a fallen tree, i don't know the name so i'm
sending you an image of him, hoping you might identify him.
Its body is around 1 inch in diameter, its legs are around 3
inches long each. hope you can help me. thank you and
more power. Lemuel R. Galera
http://www.sps-spitech.com
l.galera@spitech.com |
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24
September, 2003:
Hi, Glen!
Got a roll of film developed with a new picture of that baby
huntsman. Notice the eye reflection. If I understand what I've read
on spiders recently, huntsmen and wolf spiders are the only ones
with reflective
eyes.
Pat
17
September, 2003:
Glen,
As the search goes on for an adult, I found a baby last night. And
where was it? In the baby's room, of course!<G> See attached photos.
Still no clear photo of the back though.
Pat |
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16
September, 2003:
Hi Glen,
Here's another shot of the spider we found on our tent in Killbear
Provincial Park in Central Ontario (original post was on Sept 9/03)
-- this is a much clearer picture. Hopefully, someone will be able
to tell us what kind of spider it is.
Thanks!
Michelle |
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Reply: Looks like a grass
spider/funnel weaver.
16b>
September, 2003:
Hi,
We were in Australia recently and I found this spider
(alive) in the room where we keep our luggage. I killed it but
wanted to figure out what it was in case it laid some eggs
somewhere. I can't seem to identify it after looking at hundreds of
pictures on your website and others. Your help would be greatly
appreciated.
Many thanks,
Carrie
Philadelphia, PA |
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13
September, 2003:
Love the website. Thought you would like to see some
pictures. We live in East Tennessee and have recently been invaded
by literally hundreds of these spiders. They are large at just over
a 50 cent piece. I think that it is a type of Golden Orb Weaver. You
will only see them at night and they build beautiful, large webs
that are super strong (we have many strong thunderstorms this time
of year and the webs usually survive.) Their diets seems to consist
of flying insects, although we have noticed a couple types of moths
that seem to see the webs and fly around them. Sorry about the
flashback in the 2nd and 3rd pictures, but was using a digital
camera. Thanks! |
Nice pics thanks, click to see a larger view. |
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10 September, 2003:
Glen,
Pardon the interruption. I couldn't see a link to submit spider pics.
I have quite a few of the spiders in the attached photo. I have
always assumed they were a wolf spider of some type and therefore
nothing to worry about. However, I have had numerous sightings in
the house over the past few months and now we have a one-month-old
son to worry about. Can someone ID this guy from the attached
photos? He popped out of the coffee cupboard one morning recently.
Thanks,
Patrick Huber
Anaheim, CA
So. California
USA
15 September, 2003:
Reply:" The spider in these pictures looks like a desert loxoceles. in the book i
have the info on this spider says " The venom of this species is
significantly less dangerous to people than that of most violin
spiders. A faint indication of a dark, violin shaped mark is
sometimes present on the abdomen, but never enough to warrant giving
this species the common name "violin Spiders". " |
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10 September, 2003:
I found this spider in the mountains of North Carolina in a
patch of wildflowers. I've been trying to identify it and the only
similar spider I have come across is the spiny backed
gasterocanthinae. The one in my picture only has two large spikes,
with two medium spikes at the opposite end of its mid-section and 2
small spikes closer to its head. The colorful part of the spider is
also narrow and elongated, rather than the wide circle seen in many
of the pictures on your site. Do you think this is the same kind of
spider or are there similar types? I wondered if this might be a
juvenile and perhaps the proportions change as they grow? Any
thoughts would be appreciated.
hanks!
Gina Allen, NC |
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9 September, 2003:
I found this in my yard. Can't figure it out. Looks like a
spinybacked orbweaver, but don't know for sure. Can you help??? Fist
picture of 3.
Thanks,
Bob
16 September, 2003:
Reply: These spiders look
like arrow shaped micrathena. |
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9 September, 2003:
Hi there,
We snapped this photo this past weekend at Killbear Provincial Park,
in central Ontario. It was hiding underneath the fly on our tent,
and was roughly 1 -2 inches long. After doing some digging around,
we think it might be a wolf spider, but we're wondering if anyone
can
tell us for sure...
Thanks! |
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9 September, 2003:
Being a photography major here in Missouri, I couldn't pass
up the opportunity of photographing these spiders. I know absolutely
nothing about spiders, but I do know that the "leaf spider"
photograph is actually a
Spiny-Bellied Orb Weaver, the other, I have no idea. If you could
help me identify it I would be appreciative. Are they harmless? Can
you refer me to a site that can help me out on learning more about
them? And, I love you site. I jumped when I felt something "crawl'
on me LOL! I really do not like spiders all that much and that was a
little disturbing, but I'm okay :). Thanks and feel free to use
these photo's if you would like. Hopefully they will be in my school
gallery soon ;). |
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8 September, 2003:
Could you please tell me what type of spider this is? I live
in Eastern Michigan in the USA. Thanks for your time,
Ruthann |
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Reply: This one looks like a garden
orb weaver.
7
September, 2003:
Hi. We found this spider in our yard a few days ago and
haven't ever seen one like it. We visited your page and saw a
picture from southern California that looks a lot like it. We're in
southern Ohio. If anyone can identify this, we'd appreciate hearing
about it. Thanks.
Mitch and Jo Shaw |
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Reply: The unidentified spider,
pictured on Sept 7th, looks to be a brown widow. If the person who
took the picture happens to live in Florida, then the chances are
even higher that it is a brown widow. |
° Kingdom: Metazoa ((=Animalia)
multicellular animals)
° Phylum: Arthropoda (arthropods)
° Class: Arachnida (spiders, harvestmen, scorpions, mites, etc.)
° Order: Araneae (spiders)
° Family: Theridiidae (cobweb weavers)
° Genus: Latrodectus (widow spiders)
° Species: Latrodectus geometricus
° Common Names: Brown Widow |
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7
September, 2003:
My husband came upon this spider and we have never seen such
a thing before. It has a large abdomen and the top is white on the
top and yellow towards the lower surface of the top. The
bottom side has two yellow stripes down it. The legs are black
and yellow striped. What do I have and is it poisonous? I have
attached two pictures one of the top side and one of the bottom
side.
Thank you, Meg. |
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5 September, 2003:
Hi,
I have attached some photos of a spider that I have been trying to
identify without much luck. There are about eight of these in a bush
in our yard - each guarding egg sacs. We live in Philadelphia. My
daughters and I have been watching them for several weeks now. We
would love to identify them (before they hatch!). I hope you enjoy
the pictures!
Thanks, Dan
Nice photos, click for a larger view. |
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Hi Glenda,
Someone just identified the spiders in the pictures I sent you the
other day. The spiders are Basilica Orb Weavers (Mecynogea
lemniscata). Information was found on this site -
http://www.floridanature.org/species.asp?species=Mecynogea_lemniscata
Thanks again - great site! Dan |
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3 September, 2003: Glen, first of
all I have to say I love your site. I ran across it when trying to
identify the spider in front of my house in Reno, NV, pictures of
which are attached. So far I have been unable to find anything about
it. This one seems unusual because of its bright-orange color and
the bright-yellow "horns" which you can see protruding in the
posterior picture.] Unfortunately I don't have the best camera. I
would love to know what it's called. Also, do you know of any
"spider encyclopedia" on the web that covers North American species?
Appreciate a |
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1 September, 2003:
hey there
we saw your website and wanted to see if you could help us id this
spider found on our couch upon cleaning. its pretty small, its the
size of a small finger nail. if you need more info please send
questions
thanks for your time
sheri |
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20 August,
2003:
You have a great web site. Can you help identify 2 of the
following I found after hosing down the eaves of the house? (I know
the 3rd photo is a Black Widow which I found in our garage.) |
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20 August,
2003:
Glen,
A friend took these pictures last weekend in a relatives house in
Southern Texas. He couldn't stay there any longer.
We thought it was a Huntsman spider like this one in the
link but the markings are all wrong and he was in
southern texas not florida. Can you post the following pictures, We
searched the internet forever and couldn't find a definite match.
Thanks,
DAVE |
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Reply: I would
say it is a huntsman, the size and shape indicate that it would be.
Any other ideas from anyone? Giant crab spider is another name for
them.
Reply: The unidentified spider from Texas seen hiding behind
a wall clock is likely a Giant Crab spider( Heteropoda venatoria
(L.),). We have them in Florida, too... pretty much all the spiders
here are that big... I would have left the house, too! |
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14 August,
2003:
Here's a couple of shots - of a spider that builds the web
each night and tears it down - leaves only the anchor strands.
He/she is munching on something they caught. quite large spider.
Rosalie Wolfe
Foley, Alabama
Reply: This one looks like a Garden
Orb Weaver |
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6
September, 2003
More info:
Hi, I can identify the spider that Mike said was a "Scorpion
Killer", it is actually called a Whip Scorpion (Tanzanian
Giant Tailless) - Damon variegatus. I used to live in South
Africa and we used to play with them as children, there where
hundreds of them under our pool pump cover. They are harmless (but
do pinch) and run very quickly sideways, sort of like a crab
and they like the dark, and fit into small spaces. I love them!!
great pictures too.
Keep up the good work:)
Usha Thorp
Here's a link to some more info on this whip scorpion sent in by Usha Thorp
http://centralpets.com/pages/critterpages/insects/other_insects/BUG4334.shtml |
5 September, 2003
Reply: Hi Glen, this is Tiffany Honrada. I was looking at the
picture of the spider that Mike sent in on the 11th of August, the
one eating the lizard in Mexico. It looks like a tail-less
whipspider or whipscorpion to me. They are rare in areas like
Mexico, but have been seen on occasion. There are several different
types of these spiders/scorpions(have not been able to determine
which they are yet), but here are two pictures of the Tanzanian kind
that look similar to that which is shown in Mike's picture. This is
my best guess! If you read about them and look at them, they are
very interesting creatures. Sort of like a cross between a spider
and scorpion. This could be why they are called scorpion killers.
They have two really long legs that are like whips and help in
capturing their prey.If you look at Mike's photo, you can see the
legs on the spider/scorpion. At first I thought it was a crack in
the ground but then realized that it was part of the spider. These
are also a spider/scorpion collectors dream to have and can be sold
for a pretty good price if caught, which usually does not happen due
to their speed. Thanks again for your site, its always nice to learn
some new info about spiders!
Take care,
Tiffany |
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11 August,
2003:
Hello,
Can you help me identify this spider? The photo was taken August
2003 while we were vacationing in Central Mexico. One night after
dinner the owner of the home we were staying at went downstairs to
check something and a few minutes later calls up "Anyone want to see
a spider eating a lizard?" Of course, we all run down and there is
this spider in a corner of a storage room with gecko in its jaws!
The monster was about the size of a man's hand - 10" or so across -
with the legs extending out even farther. He told us the name in
Spanish, which I have forgotten, and said they are known as
"scorpion killers". Incredible.
Mike |
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11 August,
2003:
Hi,
Saw this in Algonquin Provincial Park. Ontario, Canada in July/Aug.
Wondered what type of spider it is.
Marc Jones |
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10
August, 2003:
My daughter found this on my living room floor in Oklahoma.
Can you guy tell me what this is, it looks like a wolf spider? |
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10
August, 2003:
I have a spider that I cannot identify. I just saw this
spider at a friends house and it landed on her face but she
brushed it off. Can you please tell me what kind of spider this
is? I have 3 pictures as attachments enclosed. |
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9 August, 2003:
Dear Glen,
I have found this spider on my house or should I say about 27 and
counting of these spiders. (That is all I counted) I took several
pictures of the mama spider she had children around her.
Please find out for me………………….
Reply: Looks a bit like a marbled orb weaver:
http://www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/ent/clinic/Bugofwk/965460/marbspid.htm |
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2 December, 2003:
Reply: This a Tegenaria spec.. I´m from Germany and we've
them in every house all over the country (we call them house-spider
or house-corner-spider). The problem with these spiders is the fact
that in Germany Tegenaria domestica lives in the houses. They´re
harmless. In America Tegenaria agrestis lives in the houses, their
venom causes much more damage to the tissue than the venom of T.
domestica. Here in Germany T. domestice keeps T. agrestis out of the
houses, I don't know how. I don`t know any report about an encounter
of the third kind between the hobo (T. agrestis) and humans in
Germany. T. agrestis here only lives in forests and quarries. But in
America the hobo was introduced bevor the T. domestica so they could
spread all over North-America in houses.
The one on the picture is definitive a Tegenaria spec., but I can't
say exactly if it is a domestica or an agrestis. They only differ in
size and details that can`t be seen on a photo like the one on your
side, sometimes agrestis is lighter than domestica. Because the one
on the photo seems to me very small (comparison to the coin - I`ve
seen a T. domestica with a leg-span of nearly 9cm - the one on the
photo!) I would say it´s a hobo-spider.
Felix Hug |
8 August, 2003:
Hi,
I have been visiting your page periodically and identifying
some of the spiders I find around my Calgary, Alberta home (basement
suite). Over the past summer months, I have caught or killed almost
a dozen spiders identical or similar to the one shown in the
attached photos. I haven't found a photo on your website that shows
a spider identical to these ones. What worries me (and I don't worry
easily), is that in my searching I found out about Hobo spiders.
These spiders are apparently found in my neck of the woods, and the
effects of their bite is virtually the same as that of a Brown
Recluse spider. Closely examine the photo I supplied and compare it
with that shown here, do these look close enough to each other to
justify my worry? Also, these guys are fast and difficult to catch -
I sometimes have to spray them with a cleaning chemical to daze them
enough to catch them. They have been running across my living room
and bedroom floors quite often. According to descriptions of their
behavior, this seems on par. Recently, a fellow in Edmonton (300km
north of us) was bitten by a spider, supposedly a Brown Recluse, and
the effects of that bite are shown in the other two attached photos.
Knowing that Brown Recluse spiders do not exist north of the mid-US,
I have to wonder if this wasn't from a Hobo instead.
Please let me know what you think,
Gerad |
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Photo sent in by Felix -
Tegenaria domestica |
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Gerad's spider |
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8 August, 2003:
Very nice web page. Lots of pics. Keep up the good
work.
Tonight I felt a sting on the back of my neck and swatted this
spider off. The sting started out the size of a flea bite. Now, 3
hours later it's almost gone. Do you know what kind it is?
Thanks
Keith |
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8 August, 2003:
Hi,
I have a question. What do you make
of this one? I let her go without making a formal i.d. My opinion is
"wolf spider," but I'm not sure what kind. This one was on my back
porch in North Carolina, USA. That's a backlighted .5
inch grid she is sitting on. You're welcome to use this image
if you like. I've already put it on
Wikipedia with a tentative i.d. as Lycosa sp. Thanks.
Patrick Moran |
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7 August, 2003:
Here is a couple of pics of what I believe to be a Carolina
Wolf Spider (Lycosa carolinensis). I found the spider being dragged
along the ground behind my home in south Mississippi (US), by a
large wasp. The spider had obviously been stung and was barely
moving when I chased the wasp off and collected the fine specimen.
It is one of the largest spiders I have ever seen in this area. The
spider, unfortunately, has expired, but now has a home among a
collection of naturalist items (animal skulls, fish bones, etc) I
have been finding over the years. I am considering purchasing some
clear resin and attempting to preserving the spider. If you would
like to add the photos to the collection please do so.
Regards,
David Grantham |
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4 August, 2003:
Hello,
I found your website and could not find a match for this spider.
They are approximately 1"-2'" in diameter and seem to always in
appear in my Southern California yard in August. I have found three
separate spiders making webs between the trees at night around our
outside light fixtures. The underside belly markings are quite
unique. What is it ?
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23 July, 2003:
I would like to know if anyone can identify this spider. I've
never seen any like it. It was found hanging from it's web on the
side of my van in the evening after a very hot day in Alberta
Canada. When approached with a string it became very aggressive and
at one point bit the string and held on.
Thanks,
Jeff |
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Reply: This is a Goldenrod Spider
(Misumena vatia)
http://www.yahooligans.com/content/animals/species/3696.html
for more information - thanks
to Dawn in California, USA |
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23 July, 2003:
I was recently up on the North Shore of Lake Superior in
Minnesota and I was out taking some pictures. I came across this
colorful, yet strange "spider". At least I think it is a spider. I
haven't been able to find any other pictures of anything like this
one. I have attached a photo I took of it. I think it my be related
to the drab spiders, based on what I have seen and read on the
websites suggested by your site. If you have any idea what it is I
would love to know. Thanks
Rachel Hawkins
New Hope, Minnesota
Photo taken July 16, 2003, Lutsen, Minnesota along the shore of Lake
Superior |
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Reply: Both
this and the one above look very similar and are probably some sort
of crab spider. |
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23 July, 2003:
Hi! My name is Sandra and I live in North Carolina. I found a
spider hanging from my son's basketball net. I was looking through
your photos attempting to identify it and found a picture submitted
by "John" on June 30 of a spider he found in South Carolina. This
spider has the same odd marking on it's underside. I think it may be
a Southern House Spider, but they are often confused with the Brown
Recluse. I can not find any mention of the marking though in either.
Can you help?
Thanks!
Sandra Williams |
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2 December, 2003:
Reply: This spider is much too massive for being a Tegenaria.
It looks more like a member of the Lycosidae-family (Wolf-spiders).
Felix Hug |
22 July, 2003:
Hello! You have a really educational website, which I very
much enjoyed! I was hoping to ID a spider my room mate and I found
in our kitchen. If you would be kind enough to help us ID the
spider, we'd appreciate it! My initial guess is that it's either
something from the Wolf spider family, or maybe something in the
Tegenaria family (Tegenaria gigantea maybe?) We are located in
Huntsville, Alabama.
Thanks!
Dave |
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