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Fishing Spider

Giant River Spiders
Location: Downingtown, Pennsylvania
September 3, 2011 9:23 am
A friend and I went hiking and wanted to rest and sit on some big stones in the middle of the river. I saw these two long twigs resting on the rock and bent to move them, only to see that those long ”twigs” were legs belonging to a spider the size of my face. I’ve lived in PA all my life, but I have never seen a spider this big – and it wasn’t the only one. We saw a couple more in the same area. All I know is that they blended really well against the surface, there were only one or two spiders on each rock, and I didn’t see any spiders webs.
I’d like to know if they are poisonous and if they are particularly aggressive. Either way, I’m arachnophobic so I won’t be trekking through creeks and rivers again any time soon.
Signature: ”Why spider god, why?”

fishing spider rock 300x225 Fishing Spider

Fishing Spider

Dear WSGW?
We absolutely love your letter and we hope we can dispel your fears.  This is a Fishing Spider in the genus Dolomedes, and though we wish your photo had more detail, there is no shortage on our site of excellent images of Fishing Spiders.  Fishing Spiders are large spiders that are often associated with aquatic habitats.  They are capable of walking on the surface of the water and even diving beneath the water to escape predators or to capture prey, occasionally small fish, tadpoles and other aquatic creatures.  Like most spiders, they have venom, but they are not considered a species that is harmful to humans.  Here is what the Penn State University Entomology website has to say about Fishing Spiders:  “Although a large spider such as D. tenebrosus is able to bite humans, it is a shy spider that will run from people. Bites are typically no more severe than a bee or wasp sting. Exceptions do occur for individuals who are sensitive to spider venoms.”  We have never received a report from anyone that they were bitten by a Fishing Spider.  These are magnificent creatures and we hope you are able to overcome your fears so that you are able to continue to enjoy the wonders of nature in Pennsylvania’s amazing streams, creeks and other bodies of water.

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Posted 03 September 2011 § Nursery Web Spiders ‡ Comments (0) °
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Male Green Lynx

Green Spider
Location: Montecito Heights
August 31, 2011 8:04 pm
What is this? I’ve never seen one before and it’s in my house!
It’s about an inch and a half. The narrow depth of field in my camera requires that I show you the crazy antenna things and apparent eyes in two different pictures.
Signature: Martha Benedict

green lynx martha 270x300 Male Green Lynx

Male Green Lynx Spider

Greetings from the other side of the 110 freeway Martha,
Our offices are in Mt Washington, Los Angeles, CA, and though you did not provide a state, we are guessing you might be our neighbor.  This stunning spider is a male Green Lynx spider, Peucetia viridans.  Green Lynxes do not snare their prey with a web.  They hunt and pounce on insects and other arthropods.  They seem to have a fondness for awaiting on blossoms for pollinating insects and they often gravitate to rose bushes.  A female will eventually mature and once she has mated, lay one or more egg sacs that she fiercely guards.  Green Lynx Spiders are perfectly harmless to humans.  We have taken the liberty of combining the sharp focus components of your individual images so that both the eyes and pedipalps are sharp.  Male spiders have more developed pedipalps than females and they are used during mating.  According to Encyclopedia Britannica online:  “Spiders have six pairs of appendages. The first pair, called the chelicerae, constitute the jaws. Each chelicera ends in a fang containing the opening of a poison gland. The chelicerae move forward and down in the tarantula-like spiders but sideways and together in the rest. The venom ducts pass through the chelicerae, which sometimes also contain the venom glands. The second pair of appendages, the pedipalps, are modified in the males of all adult spiders to carry sperm (see below the section Reproduction and life cycle). In females and immature males, the leglike pedipalps are used to handle food and also function as sense organs. The pedipalpal segment (coxa) attached to the cephalothorax usually is modified to form a structure (endite) that is used in feeding.”  The additional explanation continues:  ” In male spiders the second pair of appendages (pedipalps) are each modified to form a complex structure for both holding sperm and serving as the copulatory organs. When the time for mating approaches, the male constructs a special web called the sperm web. The silk for it comes from two sources, the spinnerets at the end of the abdomen and the spigots of the epigastric silk glands located between the book lungs. A drop of fluid containing sperm is deposited onto the sperm web through an opening (gonopore) located on the underside of the abdomen. The male draws the sperm into his pedipalps in a process known as sperm induction. This may take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. Sperm induction may occur before a male seeks a mate or after the mate has been located. If more than one mating occurs, the male must refill the pedipalps between copulations. “ 

green lynx composite martha 300x178 Male Green Lynx

Male Green Lynx (composite image)

Thank you so much, Daniel! This is way beyond my wildest hopes. Absolutely fascinating!
And yes, we are neighbors across the Arroyo. I forget that you have an international following and I should have been a little more complete.
I will not hesitate to send you photos of all my mystery insects. I have some powerful macro lenses and love to get a good photo. In this case, I didn’t even set up my tripod. Next time! Thanks for compositing the detail shots.
What a thrill!
Martha

If we can use our PhotoShop skills to improve the anatomical renderings of our favorite local species of spider, then we will have to overlook the blatant disregard for journalistic journalistic integrity it connotes.  Our biggest defense is that when it was conceived, this website was an art project.  It has really metamorphosed from that remote time in another millennium.

 

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Posted 01 September 2011 § Green Lynx ‡ Comments (0) °

We Stand Corrected

All spiders do not have venom.
August 30, 2011 11:12 pm
Thank you for your interesting web site – I have been visiting it for many years now.
Just one query pls. Your regularly indicate that “All Spiders have poison”.
I was taught at varsity that the family Uloboridae does not have venom glands and the members are therefore not venomous. Was I taught wrong?
Regards
Deon, Pretoria, South Africa
Signature: Deon

Hi Deon,
Thanks so much for bringing this to our attention.  As we have stated in numerous locations on our website, we do not have science backgrounds, but rather, we are visual artists who have an interest in the lower beasts.  We decided to research this a bit, and have now learned that there is at least one family of spiders, Uloboridae as you have pointed out, that does not have venom.  According to BugGuide, these Cribellate Orbweavers or Hackle-band Orbweavers  are “unique among spiders in our area in having no venom at all.”  The Spiders of Australia website has a nice page on them that also points out  “Uloborid spiders are unusual in having no poison glands. They rely completely on wrapping their prey in silk.”  Alas, we doubt that we will have the time to make this correction in every location on our website, but we will be sure to not make this error again.

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Posted 31 August 2011 § ‡ Comments (0) °
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Who Smashed the Golden Orbweaver???

Poisonous?!
Location: New England
August 30, 2011 7:32 am
I found this spider dead and was unsure if it is poisonous or not. I have never seen it around here before and it makes me think it’s dangerous. I have young kids and am worried. Please respond quickly!!! Thank you,
Signature: A Ditressed Homeowner

argiope smashed1 300x229 Who Smashed the Golden Orbweaver???

Smashed Golden Orbweaver

Dear Distressed Homeowner,
All Spiders have poison, but very few are considered dangerous to humans.  Spiders are not generally inclined to bite people unless they are carelessly handled or threatened.  This stately Golden Orbweaver, Argiope aurantia, was a magnificent spider prior to being squashed.  Golden Orbweavers are not considered to be dangerous spiders.  Often people will smash spiders and insects because they are of the opinion that is it “just a bug” which we find quite troubling.  We cannot claim that a Golden Orbweaver would not bite a person or a small child, but Orbweavers rarely leave their webs, and if they do leave their webs, it is most likely that they were forced to leave their webs.  Conscientious gardeners will leave an Orbweaver in the garden, knowing where it has spun its web.  The Golden Orbweaver was the inspiration for the classic children’s story Charlotte’s Web.

Dear Bugman,
Thank you very much. The Golden Orbweaver was dead when I discovered it, but when I moved it to take a picture it got slightly squashed. I understand your concern and agree, bugs are very mistreated.

We Stand Corrected
All spiders do not have venom.
August 30, 2011 11:12 pm
Thank you for your interesting web site – I have been visiting it for many years now.
Just one query pls. Your regularly indicate that “All Spiders have poison”.
I was taught at varsity that the family Uloboridae does not have venom glands and the members are therefore not venomous. Was I taught wrong?
Regards
Deon, Pretoria, South Africa
Signature: Deon

Hi Deon,
Thanks so much for bringing this to our attention.  As we have stated in numerous locations on our website, we do not have science backgrounds, but rather, we are visual artists who have an interest in the lower beasts.  We decided to research this a bit, and have now learned that there is at least one family of spiders, Uloboridae as you have pointed out, that does not have venom.  According to BugGuide, these Cribellate Orbweavers or Hackle-band Orbweavers  are “unique among spiders in our area in having no venom at all.”  The Spiders of Australia website has a nice page on them that also points out  “Uloborid spiders are unusual in having no poison glands. They rely completely on wrapping their prey in silk.”  Alas, we doubt that we will have the time to make this correction in every location on our website, but we will be sure to not make this error again.

 

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Posted 30 August 2011 § Orb Weavers ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged:

Golden Orbweaver eats Cicada

Location:  Roanoke Virginia
August 29, 2011
Daniel,
My Cicada pic made it onto the local CBS news! Thanks for publishing it as that is how the reporter found it!
I now have some pics of a beautiful Garden spider. So huge and intimidating. He has a cicada all wrapped up for later. icon smile Golden Orbweaver eats Cicada
And could “crop 1 Garden Spider 011″ be her mate? He was WAY smaller but I know males often are. He was in the same web.
Best wishes!
Paul Mays
aka neanderpaul

argiope eats cicada neanderpaul 300x225 Golden Orbweaver eats Cicada
Golden Orbweaver eats Cicada

Hi Paul,
Thanks for the update and the great news about your previous photo.  We will be creating a new posting for your Golden Orbweaver images.

argiope neanderpaul 300x225 Golden Orbweaver eats Cicada

Golden Orbweaver

While both of your spiders are Orbweavers, the large female Golden Orbweaver, Argiope aurantia, is a different species than the smaller spider which we believe is an Orchard Spider,Leucauge venusta.

orchard spider neanderpaul 300x225 Golden Orbweaver eats Cicada

Orchard Spider

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Posted 29 August 2011 § Orb Weavers ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged:

Antmimic Spider

Location:  Louisiana
August 27, 2011
My cat was toying with it, Louisiana
Ryan

ant mimic louisiana 300x222 Antmimic Spider

Antmimic

This is one of the Antmimic Spiders in the family Corinnidae and we believe it is most likely Castianeira amoena based on photos posted to BugGuide.

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Posted 28 August 2011 § Ground Spiders and Ant Mimics ‡ Comments (0) °

Northern Widow with Egg Sac

How big can black widows get?
Location: Sanford, NC
August 26, 2011 10:52 am
My husband was moving the basketball hoop in our yard (getting ready for the huricane), when we spotted this huge spider with an even bigger egg sack. she was the size of a dime and her sack more like a nickel. The biggest spider and sack we had ever seen. Under the hoop was also 3 other large sacks and 2 smaller black widows. We did exterminate them, as our 4 children & small dog play in that area with no shoes on. My question is: how big can black widows get? I did not know that they got this large! Thank you
Signature: Keriann

northern widow egg sac keriann 300x224 Northern Widow with Egg Sac

Northern Black Widow

Hi Keriann,
The red spotting on the back of this mature Widow identifies her as a Northern Black Widow based on the information contained on BugGuide.  We have seen adult female Western Black Widows with abdomens nearly as large as a marble or a small grape.  These are mature females that are most likely filling with eggs.  While we feel badly that you have exterminated several Black Widows from your basketball court, we fully understand your concern for your children and pets.  Black Widows are not an aggressive species, and they are rarely found far from their web, unless they have been disturbed.  We once allowed a Western Black Widow to keep her web by our porch light.  We knew she was there and we were not concerned about getting attacked.  You would be much safer to fully educate the children regarding the dangers of being bitten by a Black Widow and ensuring that they learn to recognize them.  If you killed three individuals in your yard, there are most likely more to be found in hidden locations and you will probably not be able to eliminate them all.  We hope Hurricane Irene steered clear of your area.

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Posted 28 August 2011 § Black Widow § Eggs ‡ Comments (0) °

Whitetail Spider, or not???

Possible White-Tail?
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Reply
TN – Arachnaphobia Sufferer TN_Dastardlyj@hotmail.com to bugman
show details 8:41 pm (1 day ago)
Subject: Possible White-Tail?

Location: Launceston, Tasmania

August 24, 2011 10:41 pm

Bugpersons of gender unimportant:

Last evening, as I was attempting to climb into my bed, I was joined by a brazen harlot. She sat on top of the covers of my bed I commenced my spider ritual (running around, limbs flailing, screaming like a woman). In Truth, my normal reaction would have been to find the biggest heaviest thing I could pick up and heave it in the direction of the spider as they terrify me to no ends, but from reading your website whilst at work the last fortnight I’ve discovered that this practice is generally frowned upon under bug carnage. So After decided on a name for my harlot (Charlotte), I obtained a plastic container and piece of laminated paper and attempted to negotiate her the hell out of my bed.

In truth, what followed was fifteen minutes of me freaking out every time she moved to the edges of the container while I carefully slipped the plastic under her. I took some photos of her incarceration with my phone, hence the terrible quality. While I understand you chaps are generally more focused on North American bugs given your geographical location, I wonder if you might be able to confirm Charlotte’s identity?

I thought it strange to see any spiders this time of year given Tasmania is the coldest of the Australian states on average and we’re in the last month of Winter.

If Charlotte is indeed a Whitetail I wonder if you had anyone with sufficient knowledge of these spiders skulling around? She was about the size of an Australian 50c piece (Maybe 4-5 cm). The majority of her legs were splayed forward, and as you can see in the second photo she had a white marking on her tail, hence my guess at her origins.

From what I gather, Whitetails have been speculated to have Necrotising bites, which gives me even more reason to fear spiders. A bite that rots flesh? Lets leave the zombie movies to the professionals, thanks folks.

Any assistance you can offer would be most apprciated.

Signature: TN – Arachnaphobia Sufferer

whitetail spider tasmania 2 300x209 Whitetail Spider, or not???

Whitetail Spider???

Wow, this is a detailed letter from a location with mysterious species.  This will take considerable research and after a lovely social evening, our editorial staff would like something a little less challenging at the moment.

whitetail spider tasmania 300x206 Whitetail Spider, or not???

WhiteTail Spider or Not???

 

Posted 26 August 2011 § ‡ Comments (2) ° Tagged:

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