Possible fisher spider in odd location
Sat, Jun 20, 2009 at 8:16 PM
My friend sent me these pictures of a spider. We think it’s a fisher spider but we’d like confirmation since it was found in a rather atypical location — namely, on her stove in her kitchen!
She lives in southern New York state. It’s mid-June, warm, but not overly hot. There are no bodies of water really close to her home (although there’s a creek down the street).
The spider was non-agressive so she put it on a paper plate and took some photos of it. She took it in a container to work and someone identified it as “a really big spider”. Obviously, as the spider is nearly 2 1/2″ inches (legs included).
She took it to the woods near her home and released it into the wild where she got more fabulous photos of it.
Could you please confirm if it is indeed a fisher spider?
Thanks so much!
Krissy
Southern New York State
Fishing Spider
Hi Krissy,
Your identification of a Fishing Spider, Dolomedes tenebrosus, is correct. Fishing Spiders do not build snare webs, and they are a wandering mobile species. Perhaps your friend’s stove was just a warm stop on the way to a new hunting ground. We love the photo on the paper plate.
Large 4-inch spider under deck in MD
Thu, Jun 18, 2009 at 5:10 PM
Found her under the deck last night in central MD; body about 1-inch; almost 4-inch leg span. Lovely leg striations. Seemed shy. No web. Not hairy like a wolf spider and legs too long and skinny. What is she? Habitat? Have never seen one before. Would prefer she lives outside!!! Released her in our back woods with creek. Fisherman spider?
goodbug
ellicott city, MD
Fishing Spider carrying Egg Sac
Dear goodbug,
What a spectacular photo you have provided for us of a female Dolomedes Fishing Spider, probably Dolomedes tenebrosus, carrying her Egg Sac.
Spider beauty
Mon, Jun 15, 2009 at 4:46 PM
I found this beautiful spider today (June 15th) walking in my garden, across goldenrod, lily leaves, and onto a dead stump. It moved quickly but gracefully. I have been all through my three field guides and Bug Guide, and I can’t find anything close. I live in Newton, New Jersey, up in the northwest corner of the state. Thank you!
Jeannie
Newton, New Jersey
Male Orbweaver, we believe
Hi Jeannie,
This is a wonderful image. Based on the presence of the well developed pedipalps, the appendages closest to the mouth, we would say that this is a male spider. Male Orbweavers tend to be very reclusive, and they are not often photographed. The considerably larger females often spin large webs in the same location for long periods of time. The females are more sedentary, preferring to stay home in the web and capture insects while the diminutive male travels in search of a mate. We would venture a guess that this may be a male Marbled Orbweaver, Araneus marmoreus, though we have not seen a photograph of one. We are basing that possible identification on the similarity of the markings on the legs and abdomen of your specimen to the images posted on BugGuide of female Marbled Orbweavers. There is much variability in the markings and coloration of many of the Araneus species, and it is possible that your specimen is another member of the genus or even one of the other genera of Orbweavers. We gladly welcome our readership to assist in this identification.
Thank you so much! Your website is wonderful. Isn’t it funny, the ways we can brighten people’s lives!
Jeannie LeBlanc
Update from Eric Eaton:
Tue, 16 Jun 2009 06:47:16 -0700 (PDT)
Daniel:
I can’t even tell what family that spider belongs in, and not sure if I know anyone else who can, either. I’d be leaning toward a cobweb weaver (Theridiidae) or sheetweb weaver (Linyphiidae), though….
Eric
Is this a fishing spider?
Thu, Jun 11, 2009 at 7:24 PM
We had a pond in our front yard and have swamp land surrounding us. But this guy lives on and under our deck. About 1 foot from our back door. He can see me coming and ducks under the deck planks when i get to close. I’d estimate him to be 3 or 4 inches from toe to toe. He is very scary! At first a wolf spider was all that came to mind.
Sam
Central New Jersey
Fishing Spider
Hi Sam,
This is a magnificent specimen of the Northern Dolomedes, Dolomedes tenebrosus, one of the Fishing Spiders. They are generally found near water and the species is capable of submerging itself both to escape predators and to capture prey which may include small fish.
Salticid kills Asilidae Foodchain
Sat, May 23, 2009 at 10:09 PM
Hi guys,
Got this picture today of a Jumping Spider catching a tiny Robberfly. The spider is one I have been trying to identify with the help of the University of Southern Queensland but there are over 500 species most of which have never been photographed so it is proving quite difficult. Hope you like the shot
aussietrev
Queensland, Australia
Jumping Spider eats Robber Fly
Hi Trevor,
We cannot believe how far we had to go back in our email inbox to retrieve your letter which we were too busy to post when we first noticed it. Summer is approaching in the northern hemisphere and our mail is increasing to the point that we must virtually ignore much of it. Thanks for sending us your awesome image of a Jumping Spider feeding upon a Robber Fly.
Who was spying on my photo session
Mon, May 25, 2009 at 1:51 PM
I found this spider crawling on the ground next to me while taking photos of a big ol’ wolf spider. I went ahead and gathered him up to get him in on the photo shoot. He didn’t seem quite as content sitting on top of the rock as the larger wolf spider, camera shy I guess. Obviously I cant seem to figure out what it is, the guides on the net seem to be pretty lacking. The closest I can gather is this is another species of wolf spider, some characteristics look similar but not distinct enough for me to tell.
Scott
Northern Michigan, USA
Nursery Web Spider
Hi Scott,
Though the markings are atypical, we suspected that this was a Nursery Web Spider. Upon looking through the images posted to BugGuide, we located an individual with nearly identical markings identified as Pisaurina mira. The Nursery Web Spider, which is related to the Dolomedes Fishing Spiders, is a beautiful and fascinating species.
bathroom tarantula
Sun, May 10, 2009 at 8:28 PM
Hi there
First I have to say I love your site, it has served me very well! For the past two years I’ve been living in Costa Rica and this site has provided me with so much help identifying the seemingly infinite supply of new and interesting critters I encounter.
But today I have a new one and I can’t seem to get the answer for sure. The other day just before getting in the shower my pareja found this tarantula escaping from the tub. He trapped it under the trash bin and called me down to check it out…
It’s really only about 4 inches long, maybe 5 or 6 with its legs extended. Its furry and a bit skittish when approached, but generally seems pretty docile.
We live in a mountainous suburban region outside of a major city, but the area is mostly forest. I dug up some dirt from the garden and have the spider in a terrarium with some water. I tossed a beetle in there yesterday and it was gone in a few hours. I’ve never kept a spider as a pet before but this thing is pretty big and interesting. We’ll see how long it takes before I have to put it outside to keep my (human) relationship!
What do you say, can you identify it? Mostly I want to know if it prefers to burrow in the ground or hang from the trees.
Thanks and keep up the good work!
Josh in Costa Rica
Costa Rica
Unknown Tarantula
Hi Josh,
We hope our readership, which contains some Tarantula aficionados, is able to assist in the identification of this impressive creature, so we are posting it as unidentified.
primitive looking spider
Sat, May 2, 2009 at 10:58 PM
I live in the middle of a woodland forest in Mendocino County, northern California. All types of bugs find their way in my house. I promptly put them in a jar and take them back into the woods, mostly beautiful wolf spiders. But this certain spider I’ve never seen before (please see photo). It looks primitive to me, almost crab-like. Can you identify it? That would be amazing! I’d love to know what it is.
nat
Mendocino County, CA, woodlands
Crab Spider
Hi Nat,
This is most certainly a Crab Spider in the family Thomisidae, and we believe it is a Bark Crab Spider in the genus Bassaniana based on a photo posted to BugGuide. BugGuide does not list this genus in California, but the range is quite great, from coast to coast. Like Wolf Spiders, Crab Spiders do not build snare webs. Rather they are hunting spiders.
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