wolf or grass spider?
Location: Southeastern Pennsylvania
November 9, 2010 11:56 am
Hi Bugman,
I’m trying to get a definitive ID on this spider with spiderlings. I took it this summer (2010) at the Nature Center where I work. I’d like to include it in a presentation I’m working on.
It matches some photos I’ve seen of wolf spiders, and I know that wolf spiders carry their spiderlings, but it doesn’t have the really big eyes that I think of as typical for them. Maybe it’s a grass spider? Or something else?
I love your site–I look at it every day!
Thanks for all you do!
Signature: Curious spider fan
Rabid Wolf Spider with Spiderlings
Hi Curious spider fan,
This maternal behavior is consistent with Wolf Spiders and not Grass Spiders which look somewhat similar. We believe this is a female Rabid Wolf Spider, Rabidosa rabida, and you can compare your specimen with the images posted to Bugguide.
What spider is this? ::
Location: Bali, Indonesia in the city of Kuta
November 4, 2010 2:44 pm
Hello bugman,
We came across the biggest spider we ever witnessed in real life on our honeymoon in Bali, Indonesia … specifically the city of Kuta. As my wife was digging through her suitcase this spider scatters out from under her clothes. Scary to say the least. The spider was at least 4-5 inches wide.
Signature: Namski
Huntsman Spider
Dear Namski,
Your spider is a male Heteropoda venatoria, commonly called a Huntsman Spider or sometimes a Banana Spider. This species is believed to have originated in Southeast Asia, though the cultivation and shipment of bananas has resulted in the range expansion to include most port cities around the world in warm climates. The species is not considered dangerous and it is a nocturnal hunter that preys upon Cockroaches.
Huntsman Spider
Seeking warmth in the garage
Location: Hatfield, MA
November 9, 2010 7:04 pm
I found this beauty underneath my recycling bin tonight while putting out the garbage. I assume he/she was looking for refuge from the weather, as he/she was moving rather slowly as most insects do in the cold. We’ve had a few nights in the upper 20’s here already! The specimen was 1 1/4” to 1 1/2” in length, and was quick to hide after I moved the bin. In the photos, she’s crawling across my lawn mower; and spinning some web as she goes. Looks similar to some varieties of huntsman spiders, house spiders, garden spiders…etc. You guys would know better than I what this particular specimen is. Any ideas?
I thought maybe you’d appreciate these photos to add to your (impressive) online collection.
Signature: Kyle C.
Nursery Web Spider
Dear Kyle,
This is a gorgeous specimen of the female Nursery Web Spider, Pisaurina mira. She may be looking for a sheltered location to lay her eggs. Nursery Web Spiders include the Fishing Spiders in the genus Dolomedes, and they are among the most protective parents exhibiting strong maternal behavior. Should this beauty lay her egg sac in your garage, we would love additional documentation.
Some kind of argiope?
Location: California
November 9, 2010 11:25 pm
I looked at several photos online, and did not see anything with this dark abdomen. I did not take this photo, a friend posted it on facebook.
Signature: John
Orbweaver
Hi John,
We wish your photo had more detail, but even then we often have difficulty identifying many Orbweavers to the species level. We do not believe this is an Argiope species, but rather, a member of the genus Araneus. Interestingly, BugGuide has a category under Araneus entitled “Dark California and Oregon with much white” and we would include your spider there.
red hairy penny-sized spider
Location: Temecula, California
November 8, 2010 4:43 am
My boyfriend took this picture of a spider that was sitting on his shoe. It was in Temecula, CA last month (October). He said that it was the size of a penny and able to see him from far away. The fangs were a blue-ish/green color. He said that the spider would stand up on its back legs whenever they got close to it (hence the far-away picture). We’ve looked online to try to decipher this little guy and think maybe it could be a red-back jumping spider(Johnson jumper?) The only difference is the entire top of the spider was red not only the butt. Just extremely curious as to what kind of spider this really is. Thanks!!!!!!!
Signature: Aimee and Blake
Apache Jumping Spider
Dear Aimee and Blake,
Though your photo is quite blurry, the markings and coloration of this Jumping Spider in the family Salticidae indicate that it is most likely Phidippus apacheanus, and though BugGuide does not indicate a common name, we would suggest Apache Jumping Spider as an obvious choice.
4
Red Shamrock I think
Location: Northern Illinois, USA
November 8, 2010 6:35 pm
I think he lives under my garbage can handle. He always spins a big round web to the ground when i put the can at the curb. We found him on the driveway after washing out the cans one day.
Signature: Simon
Shamrock Orbweaver
Hi Simon,
We concur that this is a Shamrock Orbweaver, Araneus trifolium. Though it is a highly variable species, as evidenced by the images on BugGuide, this dark red form is relatively common. Daniel remembers great numbers of the Shamrock Orbweavers, in every color from pale cream through dark brown, spinning their webs in the autumn meadows full of goldenrod and milkweed near Youngstown Ohio where he grew up.
PHILIPPINE SPIDERS
Location: philippines
November 8, 2010 5:10 am
Hi bugman!
im from philippines..here on our country,some people catch spiders in the shrubs and trees.then they put two spiders in a stick and let them fight each other.i wonder what kind of spiders they are.please help me…thank you..
Signature: correct
Spider Fight
Dear Correct,
We are curious about this custom. Is this just casual behavior? or is it more organized? Do people bet on the outcome like cock fights or Siamese fighting fish matches? Are there spider champions? Please provide us with additional information. The spiders in the tiny images you have attached appear to be Orbweavers.
Orbweaver
Ed. Note: WTB? does not endorse Spider Fighting, but in the interest of documenting this custom, we are including the following links.
Not content to wait for additional information, we did some web searching. Here is a 1998 article posted on Arachnophiliac. We also found a Philippine Spider fighting blog post blogspot though it contains much of the same information used on the earlier post. Guide To also has a posting on Spider fighting. Finally Hub Pages also has a Spider fight account.
California Trapdoor Spider
Location: Somoma County CA
November 6, 2010 1:45 pm
Hi Bugman,
I found this spider on the wall next to my backdoor in the evening on November 5, 2010. I live in Southern Sonoma County in a rural area.
From your website I have identified it as a California Trapdoor Spider. Can you confirm that for me?
Signature: Gayle
Trapdoor Spider
Hi Gayle,
While we agree that this is a Trapdoor Spider, and you have indicated it was found in California, we do not believe it is a California Trapdoor Spider, Bothriocyrtum californicum, because it does not match the photos on BugGuide. We looked at other Trapdoor Spiders on BugGuide and it is our opinion that it more closely resembles a Tube Trapdoor Spider in the genus Calisoga. BugGuide has many images of Tube Trapdoor Spiders in the genus Calisoga and they are all from California.
Thank you very much. I hadn’t seen the “Tube Trapdoor” the first time around. Thanks for the clarification.
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