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Cross Orbweaver

Sits in a web like a spider… but is it?
Location: Princeton, New Jersey
September 20, 2011 8:51 am
We found this wacky bug sitting in a large spider web at our apartment complex… it doesn’t have the body of any spider I’ve ever seen. Is it even a spider? The pic isn’t as great as it could be, but I didn’t want to startle it. The legs were banded pale and brown, which is a bit hard to see in the pic.
Signature: Z

Addendum to ”Sits in a web like a spider…”
Location: Princeton, New Jersey
September 20, 2011 9:04 am
We were able to get a better photo of the insect in question.
Signature: Z

cross orbweaver z 300x212 Cross Orbweaver

Cross Orbweaver

Dear Z,
Thanks for sending a better photo.  This is definitely an Orbweaver, and we believe it is a Cross Orbweaver,
Araneus diadematus, the species that NASA sent into space in the early 1970s to determine if spiders could spin webs without gravity.  Read all about the Cross Orbweaver on BugGuide, and all about space travelers Anita and Arabella on All About Chemistry.

What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

What’s That Spider???

*URGENT*~Brown Spider with Black Stripes~PLZ IDENTIFY~*URGENT*
Location: Columbus, Ohio, USA- near cut firewood in the back yard
September 20, 2011 12:15 am
Dear Mr. Bugman, I live in Columbus, Ohio & I just moved from the west side (Hilltop) to the north side (easton) area. Right outside my apartment at night on the 19th of September, almost midnight I went to sit on my step to smoke, since I do not smoke indoors. I actually seen something kinda looked balled up but in the dark I really couldn’t tell so I actually kinda scooted it off my step with my bare hand. I thought nothing of it & continued on smoking my cigarette & entered back into my house. Going out a second time to smoke, this time I turned the porch light on & right where I had kinda flicked the thing was a big, nasty looking spider. There is a big wooden stand that holds cut firewood right on that side of my door, in the back yard. This spider was bigger than most I have seen around here, in my house as well as from what I have ever seen around the Hilltop. So, naturally I am looking for markings immediately. I have been bitten by a nast y- poisonous spider before & it has left it’s mark on me permanantly. I have the scar till this day, not a pretty memory I care to remember or even admit. So, I do have some fear. However, I also have what I call ’population control’ around my house; which is where I determine by the size, quantity, location, & just pure looks which spider I shall allow to live on, in, & around my house. If these spiders do not meet my standards of ’safety versus benefits’ I am sorry to say, they must die & I take them out immediately. Most of the time- a shoe, sometimes the occasional death by being flushed down the toilet or rinsed with water down the sink, shower or bath. Anyhow, this spider out back of my new house has me worried & I cannot quite put my finger on what type of spider it is. Before I should decide this spiders fate, I am trying to give it the benefit of the doubt here. I need your expertise… It is brown, slightly hairy but not too much though. It has what looks like 2 black stripes from his head down his back to the very end of him. I did notice on his (but) area, it looks as if whatever those things are, (two somethings) maybe his spinners or what he uses to make his web, but they look rather long or protruding. I have never seen them so defined on other spiders before. They are easily recognizable on the end of the back of his body. I cannot see his face though. Just 2 black stripes from what looks like end to end. Please, if you can help me with the identification of this, I almost want to say beast because he is sooo scary… but of this creature. I would greatly appreciate it. I think from the pictures I have seen, I would say he is either a ’Wolf Spider’ or a ’Grass Spider’. To me, he does not match perfectly with either. I am concerned because of my kids. They play in this yard as well as walk in & out of that door when needed. The difference between the two spiders I mentioned are extremely important. From what I have gathered a ’Grass spider’ can be very poisonious? A ’Wolf Spider’ doesn’t look too pleasant either. so, if you would ever so kindly please help me, I will forever be ever grateful to your cause & your generousity. thank you kindly, with love from The Hall Family……Sincerely, Lilly Hall
ps. It is the beginning of Fall here & it did just rain today. When I went back outside to see if I could get better quality pictures. I went to take a picture of the web it spun inbetween the wood logs & discovered another one already. Now, Im freaked out there is a whole family out there. Also, I caught a slug, worm & God only knows what else all these bugs are- coming from underneath my step. It’s like a jungle out there. AHHHH, somebody help me. Then I remembered it did rain…. I sure hope the pics are good enough to help u indentify the species. I took it from my 3.0 megapixel Samsung rogue cell phone. You can always zoom in on it,especially if u have some good software. I am sorry I didnt have a better camera. thanks for listening. Plz email me back, thx so much….
Signature: Authentically, I’m not sure I understand. Please, by any means you wish. whichever way is best I would guess. thank you. sorry I do not understand what this is asking….

spider columbus 300x206 Whats That Spider???

Spider

Dear Authentically, I’m not sure I understand. Please, by any means you wish. whichever way is best I would guess. thank you. sorry I do not understand what this is asking….,
Our staff is speechless.  If the spider spun a web that looked like a funnel with a retreat hole, then it is most likely a Funnel Web Spider, a family that includes the Grass Spiders in the genus
Agelenopsis.  If it hunted without a web, it is most likely a Wolf Spider.  Any Spider might bite if provoked or carelessly handled.  Some people might be allergic to the bites of certain Spiders because not all spider venom is the same.  If you are nervous about Spiders and other bugs, we suggest you get rid of the wood pile by the house.  In our opinion, smoking is a bigger threat to your health than either spider.

spider columbus 2 300x206 Whats That Spider???

Spider

Crab Spider Eats Skipper

Crab Spider? eating a skipper?
Location: Charleston, SC
September 19, 2011 12:15 pm
This was photographed just outside of Charleston, SC in a monastery called Mepkin Abbey. I found these two in small purple flowers growing along one of their many paths.
Signature: Steven

crab spider eats skipper steven 300x199 Crab Spider Eats Skipper

Crab Spider Eats Skipper

Hi Steven,
Your photo of a Crab Spider in the family Thomisidae feeding on a Skipper in the family Hesperiidae is an excellent addition to our Food Chain tag.  This is at least the fourth entry we have received documenting this particular predator/prey combination.  Crab Spiders are hunting spiders that do not spin a web, and several species are typically found hiding well camouflaged in blossoms awaiting hapless pollinating insects including Skippers.  Skippers are butterflies that are typically considered to be a transitional family between butterflies and moths, and they get their common name from their quick, darting flight.

What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Possibly Dotted Wolf Spider

Dotted Wolf Spider?
Location: Missouri
September 19, 2011 10:22 pm
I found this wolf spider in some brush when weed eating a few weeks back. I captured it and kept it as a class pet in my 5th grade classroom for a few weeks before releasing it. I believe it to be a dotted wolf spider or rabid wolf spider. I am leaning toward the dotted as the rabid usually has the abdominal stripe broken up and mine is smooth. Any confirmation would be a huge appreciation.
Signature: Nathanael Siders

wolf spider nathanael 2 300x199 Possibly Dotted Wolf Spider

Spotted Wolf Spider, we believe

Hi Nathanael,
The best we can do is provide you with our opinion.  We agree that this is a Wolf Spider in the genus
Rabidosa.

wolf spider nathanael 3 300x199 Possibly Dotted Wolf Spider

Possibly Spotted Wolf Spider

According to the Fairfax County Public Schools ecology website, the Rabid Wolf Spider, Rabidosa rabida, “is easily confused with other wolf spiders. It can be identified by its stripe pattern.  The cephalothorax (front body section) has two dark stripes. The abdomen (rear body section) has one dark stripe surrounded by two pale lines.”  That description matches your spider, however, the Illinois State Museum Spider Collection Online page on the Dotted Wolf Spider, Rabidosa punctulata, states:  “The Dotted Wolf Spider gets its common name from the black dots on the underside of its abdomen.”  Your photo of the underside of the spider clearly shows black dots.  Based on all of that, we agree that this is most likely a Dotted Wolf Spider.

wolf spider nathanael 4 300x199 Possibly Dotted Wolf Spider

Wolf Spider showing black dots

 

Trapdoor Spider

Shiny black spider with a fuzzy brown abdomen
Location: Redmond, WA
September 19, 2011 1:45 am
Dear Bugman,
I was alarmed to discover a spider on the wall right next to me. I’m generally happy to see my arachnid housemates–the long-legged web weavers that hunt ants, move nice and slow, and stay put beneath the sink, but this one was downright scary looking by comparison and moved real fast. (It’s about the size of a nickel.) I took a couple pictures, went to adjust the zoom, then looked back and it was gone.
My usual policy is to squish things that might be dangerous and I can’t avoid when I can, before they hide under something. (Especially since I live in a studio–it disappeared about eight feet away from my bed, and right next to my dresser.) But since this spider has found a momentary reprieve, just how dangerous is it? Is it safe for me to capture and put outside, or even safe enough to leave alone altogether?
I’ll feel a lot better either not squishing something unnecessarily, or knowing that it was honest self defense. Thanks!
Signature: Tim

trapdoor spider tim 300x287 Trapdoor Spider

Trapdoor Spider

Hi Tim,
We wish your photo had better detail, because we believe this is a Trapdoor Spider, and it really resembles the California Trapdoor Spider,
Bothriocyrtum californicum.  While insects and spiders do not have any respect for state or country borders, they do have habitat restrictions that limit their ranges.  We have only ever received reports of California Trapdoor Spiders from California, and all the sightings on BugGuide are also from California.  This is not an aggressive species and they are not considered dangerous, however, BugGuide recently added this bit of trivia to the sorely lacking in information info page:  “According to Guinness World Records, as of 2009, this is the strongest spider. It has been able to resist a force 38 times its own weight when defending its trapdoor. This equates to a man trying to hold a door closed while it is being pulled on the other side by a small jet plane!(1) Unfortunately, the Guinness book doesn’t mention if it’s the strongest North American spider or if it’s the strongest in the world. Also, one thing to think about is whether or not every spider’s strength has been measured. I guess one can safely say that the information is flawed in that aspect, but it still asserts the fact that these spiders ARE very strong.”

Possibly Carolina Wolf Spider

Burrowing Wolf Spider ?
Location:  cheney ks
September 18, 2011 5:42 pm
I have been finding these holes on my property this summer while watering the garden.
I decided to investigate and dig up the hole and see what type of insect was making these holes.
I believe it’s a Burrowing Wolf Spider from looking at photos on your site but I could be wrong .
Signature: Chris Harris

hogna hole chris 300x206 Possibly Carolina Wolf Spider

What's In that Hole???

Hi Chris,
Thank you for a wonderful submission.  We opened your email yesterday afternoon, but we knew this was going to be a labor intense posting and we did not want to rush through it, so we waited until after some social commitments were fulfilled.  We are very excited that you submitted a photo of the hole as well as its occupant.  We agree that this is a Wolf Spider, and we are relatively certain that it is in the genus
Hogna, and though we believe it is a Carolina Wolf Spider, Hogna carolinensis, we have a few nagging doubts.

hogna chris 300x229 Possibly Carolina Wolf Spider

possibly Carolina Wolf Spider

The hairy orange chelicera or fangs and the other facial characteristics are a near perfect match to a Carolina Wolf Spider photo posted to BugGuide, but not all the Carolina Wolf Spiders posted there have such distinctive orange fangs.  The BugGuide info page on the species provides this information:  “The carapace is dark brown with gray hairs (lighter in males) and usually without distinct markings. The abdomen is brown with a somewhat darker median stripe. (1)  Orange paturons (chelicera) and black around the the ‘knees’ ventrally are characteristics of the species.(Jeff Hollenbeck)”  The dark abdominal coloration on your specimen does not seem to match any of the photos posted to BugGuide of the Carolina Wolf Spider, the majority of which have the darker median stripe.  Another confusing difference for your individual is that back of the knees are not black, but appear to be a lighter almost orange color.  We don’t know how much of this can be attributed to individual variation.  There are also many more species of Hogna listed on the genus page on BugGuide that are not represented by photos.  Kansas is listed as a known location for the Carolina Wolf Spider which is reported to be the largest Wolf Spider in North America.  BugGuide does not have any information on the burrowing habits of the species or the genus for that matter, however, we did locate some other links that mention the burrows.  The Carolina Wolf Spider Care Sheet on the PetBugs website has some helpful information including:  “Terrestrial, but will burrow to some extent.”  The Off Beat Pets website also contains helpful information including:  “Carolina wolf spider is terrestrial and does not build webs. It spends most of the time on the ground but may burrow to some extent.”  We have taken the liberty of deleting your street address to keep poachers who may want to collect and sell your Burrowing Wolf Spiders to collectors.  Again, thank you for providing us with a wonderful posting.

hogna face chris 300x237 Possibly Carolina Wolf Spider

Face of a Wolf Spider: Hogna species

 

Rare Sighting: Male Red Legged Purseweb Spider

What’s this bug, please?
Location: Central Virginia
September 18, 2011 4:22 pm
Looked and could not find this one id’d anywhere. Any idea what it might be?
Signature: Kkildea

red legged purseweb spider virginia 300x225 Rare Sighting:  Male Red Legged Purseweb Spider

Red Legged Purseweb Spider

Dear Kkildea,
Your photo has really brightened our day.  This is a male Red Legged Purseweb Spider,
Sphodros rufipes, and only the males have the signature red legs.  Females rarely leave their pursewebs, and the males wander about in search of a mate.  When we first ran a post on this species in 2003, we reported that they were considered rare and possibly endangered.  Most of our reports come in June, so this September sighting is unusual.  Purseweb Spiders are primitive spiders related to Tarantulas and Trapdoor Spiders, and they are not considered to be dangerous to humans. 

Fishing Spider

Wolf or Fishing Spider?
Location: Southeastern, Ontario
September 18, 2011 6:58 am
Dear Bugman, I keep finding these large spiders around my backyard, usually around the pool or the deck. This one was around the patio doors. I would just like to have it idendified and find out if they would harm a child if bitten. Thank you.
Signature: curiousbugperson

fishing spider ontario 300x206 Fishing Spider

Fishing Spider

Dear curiousbugperson,
This is most assuredly a Fishing Spider in the genus
Dolomedes, and in our opinion, it is Dolomedes tenebrosus based on information posted to BugGuide.  According to the information that is available, this is a harmless species, though we would not discount the possibility that one of these shy and docile Fishing Spiders might be provoked into biting a person.


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