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Silver Garden Spider and Domestic Violence

A silver back spider with brown and black stripes on legs, white markings on bottom.
Tue, Nov 25, 2008 at 7:49 PM
Found this one on my steps in my backyard. I live in North Park, San Diego, CA. My backyard is a bug haven, it’s a canyon. My housemate wanted to kill it, but I punched him and let it free in the tree.
Toby Gersalia
San Diego, CA

silver argiope toby 282x300 Silver Garden Spider and Domestic Violence

Silver Garden Spider

Hi Toby,
Here at What’s That Bug?, we promote the peaceful cohabitation between insects (and their relatives) and the human species.  One of our methods of education includes the Unnecessary Carnage section of our website where we post the unfortunate victims of a lack of tolerance.  While we are thrilled to hear that this lovely Silver Garden Spider, Argiope argentata, is now safely living in a tree, we are somewhat nonplussed that the intervention led to an incident of domestic violence.  We hope your housemate isn’t too badly bruised and that you two have reconciled.  Perhaps together you can peruse our Unnecessary Carnage section and hopefully your future household will be one where your own appreciation of the “lower beasts” is shared.  The Silver Garden Spider is harmless, though if carelessly handled, it may bite.  The bite, though not dangerous, may produce a slight swelling and irritation in sensitive individuals.

Posted 27 November 2008 § Orb Weavers ‡ Comments (0) °
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Possibly Huntsman Spider from Ecuador

Giant spider in Ecuador
Fri, Nov 21, 2008 at 1:08 PM
Friend that’s visiting found this spider in her sink – then behind her hand towel. it’s about 4-inches across. Is there a potential that this is venomous?
Curious in CA
Ecuador – Quito

spider ecuador kimmy 299x300 Possibly Huntsman Spider from Ecuador

Possible Huntsman Spider from Ecuador

Hi Curious,
Our first thought was that this resembled some type of Huntsman Spider. We received a previous photo from Ecuador that Eric Eaton identified as probably a Huntsman Spider, and we also posted images of large spiders from Costa Rica about the same time. Eric Eaton wrote to caution readers about large tropical spiders. Here is what he wrote: ” Ok, the spiders from Ecuador and Costa Rica: They are most likely NOT wolf spiders, but wandering spiders, either in the family Ctenidae or Sparassidae. They tend to be more common, and even larger than, wolf spiders in the tropics. At least one species, Phoneutria fera, is extremely aggressive, with potentially deadly venom. Do not mess with large spiders in Central and South America! The venomous types are very difficult to distinguish from harmless species, and in any event, a bite is going to be really painful. These spiders sometimes stow away in bananas, houseplants, and other exported goods, so they can show up in odd places. Be careful where you put your hands.” We are not certain that this spider is a dangerous species, but we would urge caution. In North America, the Huntsman Spiders, though large and scary, are harmless.

Hi, Daniel:
Wow, you have been very busy posting!  I turn my back for a week and….wham!  LOL!
Also, I need to amend  my commentary on the neotropical “wandering spiders.”  Apparently envenomation symptoms vary considerably, from mild to death.  Big help, eh?  It depends on whether it is a dry bite or not, and how an individual’s immune system responds to envenomation.  Please prompt me to send along an article about them (I need an address, though).
Eric

Posted 22 November 2008 § Huntsman Spiders ‡ Comments (0) °

Wolf Spider

This spider jumped out at me on the trail.
Tue, Nov 18, 2008 at 11:15 AM
I was hiking in Arizona just south of the Grand Canyon in the Kaibab National Forest when this spider ran out into the trail, front legs in the air and jumped around for a bit. The spider was about 2 1/2 inches long. I let him put his threatening display on for a bit, and snapped this picture. I love how the spider blends in with the sticks on the ground.
Sirena
About 15 miles south of Grandview Lookout Tower, Grand Canyon, Arizona

spider arizona sirena 300x229 Wolf Spider

Spider in Arizona

Hi Sirena,
We are going to try to identify your spider and may seek assistance. We love your photo and hope to have a proper identity for you very soon. We are entertaining the possibility that this might be a Giant Crab Spider in the family Sparassidae.

Daniel:
Sorry to be late in replying….
The “threatening spider” from Arizona is a harmless wolf spider, family Lycosidae, probably in the genus Hogna.
Eric Eaton

Posted 20 November 2008 § Wolf Spiders ‡ Comments (0) °
What's That Bug? does not endorse extermination

Badge Huntsman Spider

Please identify this spider – from australia
Tue, Nov 11, 2008 at 5:32 PM
This spider came out at night (on the outside of our glass door) – it is about the size of a disposable coffee cup lid (including its legs) and I have tried to identify it from australian spider charts with no luck.
The bands on the legs were already bright though the flash from the camera made them a bit brighter. Any help with this would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks, Alex
NSW Central coast, Australia

banded huntsman australia 300x243 Badge Huntsman Spider

Badge Huntsman Spider

Hi Alex,
We believe this is a Banded Huntsman Spider in the genus Holconia. We found an Australian government website with some photos of Huntsman Spiders, but they don’t show the Banded Huntsman Spider on the ventral surface like your photo. Ventral surface photos for identification are not that common.

Correction:
This spider looks like a Badge Huntsman in the genus Neosparassus (formerly Olios). Brunet, in “Spiderwatch: A Guide to Australian Spiders”,says that Badge Huntsman, with 25 species, “have blue, yellow, black and white bands and spots on their legs, and often a brilliantly coloured ‘badge’ design on the ventral surface of their abdomens…” Most of them are harmless, but there are two species that can produce a brief illness if they bite humans.
Grev

Thanks Grev,
WE are having a difficult time finding a ventral surface view that shows the “badge” but we did find another nice Huntsman Spider page.

Daniel, Here’s a nice one, showing both aspects:

http://www.riddellscreeklandcare.org.au/Spiders/BadgeHuntsmanNdiana.ph

And another from the same site.
http://www.riddellscreeklandcare.org.au/Spiders/BadgeHuntsmanNpatellatus.JPG
Grev

Hi Daniel,
Thank you for getting back to me re my spider.
I have had feedback from another source also saying it is a banded (or badged) huntsman and completely harmless.  It is nice to know what it is and its presence is very appreciated (apparently disposes of mosquitos and cockroaches).
Many thanks,
Alex

Posted 13 November 2008 § Huntsman Spiders ‡ Comments (4) ° Tagged:

Orbweaver from Australia

A spider with a pearlescent back decorated with an indented line and 2 spots on each side, and a brown underside decorated with yellow markings.
Mon, Nov 10, 2008 at 4:12 PM
Hiya, I found this spider on our now flowering Floribunda Iceberg. What a beautiful spider with a pearlescent back decorated with very subtle markings (that look like engraving of a line in the middle and 2 spots on each side), and a brown underside decorated with yellow markings. It was sitting in the centre of a round web. My husband doesn’t like spiders, so my first thought was to pick it up and toss it out of the garden… which is why I have photographed it on this dried branch. But I know that spiders can be a good friend to have in the garden too, and so I am in a dilema. What should I do? I attach 3 photos offering the top, underside and side views. I hope these help. As I do not know how they should be measured, the side view photo is against a ruler. I am zero on spiders as you can see… hahaha… thanks very much!
Intrigued
Leederville, Perth, Western Australia

argiope banded florida white 300x212 Orbweaver from Australia

Argiope extensa

Dear Intrigued,
When we first read your letter, we read the word Floribunda and somehow thought you were in Florida. We were going to say that this was probably a light Banded Garden Spider, Argiope trifasciata, which is well represented on BugGuide. Sometimes we see very light specimens of this species. Once we realized we had erred and that you were in Australia, we tried to identify your Argiope. Seems the Argiope trifasciata we found on a Brisbane Insect website is a different species entirely and we suspect it is misidentified. We then found the Thumbnails of Australian Spiders website and there are several Argiopes pictured. We believe this may be Argiope extensa.  There are some good images of this species on the Find a Spider Guide of Australia.

argiope banded florida under 300x250 Orbweaver from Australia

Argiope extensa

Posted 13 November 2008 § Orb Weavers ‡ Comments (0) ° Tagged:

Golden Silk Orbweaver or Golden Silk Spider from India

Golden Orb Weaver?
Mon, Nov 10, 2008 at 8:19 PM
I found this spider when I went rafting in Rishikesh, India. Have tried looking for it online but could not find anything specific. Came across your site and I think it is a wonderful way to learn and teach! Keep up the good work. Hoping you can help me with my picture.
Gaurav Pathak
Rishikesh, India

nephila india 224x300 Golden Silk Orbweaver or Golden Silk Spider from India

Golden Silk Orbweaver

Hi Gaurav,
While we are not certain of the species, we can tell you that your spider is a Golden Silk Orbweaver or Golden Silk Spider in the genus Nephila.  This genus of spiders has very strong golden silk and attempts were made in the past to weave it into fabric.

Posted 13 November 2008 § Orb Weavers ‡ Comments (0) °

Crablike Spiny Orb Weaver

UNIDENTIFIED SPIDER FROM ECUADOR IN NORTH CAROLINA
Sat, Nov 8, 2008 at 9:50 AM
RARE FIND: SPIDER FROM ECUADOR IN WILMINGTON, NC/STILL ALIVE!
On my car antenna I found this spider, looks like a crab/star it has a bright yellow shell with indented black dots on it and the coccoon web is a neon yellow green. Its small but fast. I did find a picture on internet of it and said it from the Montane rainforest in Mindo, Ecuador. What is it doing in Wilmington, North Carolina. Should I save it or kill it what?
Annette Forestieri
Wilmington, NC (on my car now alive)

spiny orbweaver annette1 Crablike Spiny Orb Weaver

Crablike Spiny Orb Weaver

Hi Annette,
This is a Crablike Spiny Orb Weaver, Gasteracantha cancriformis, and it is a local species for you.

Thanks for replying so quick, but did you see the picture> I looked up and found it on science photo library # Z460/245 Dr. Morley Read from there says its from Ecuador… OK I looked up but how come it looks the one they say it from ecuador? it looks the same exceipt for the color?
thanks Daniel….for the info

Hi again Annette,
The species may also be found in Ecuador, but according to BugGuide, the North American range includes North Carolina.

Posted 09 November 2008 § Orb Weavers ‡ Comments (0) °

Banded Orb Weaver

Unknown large spider
Sun, Nov 2, 2008 at 5:41 PM
I have used your site for a few years now and love it. A great resource. I found this spider today (Nov. 2, 2008) near the four corners/Monument Valley, close to Mexican Hat, Utah. It was larger than a Black Widow, about the size of a half dollar. And as you can see in the photo it has a large abdomen, maybe the size of a small grape. Very strong web. The closest I found on your site is a banded orb weaver but this is not quite the same and we saw no zig zag in its web.
Brandt
Mexican Hat, Utah

banded orbweaver white utah 280x300 Banded Orb Weaver

Banded Orb Weaver

Hi Brandt,
Sorry about the delay, but between our convention trip with students and the elections, we fell behind in responses.  We are finally returning to older letters we never opened.  We agree with your first assumption that this is a Banded Orb Weaver, Argiope trifasciata.  Often the markings of desert creatures are lighter to better reflect light, preventing overheating.  BugGuide indicates that the stabilimentum of the web is less prominent than the Golden Orb Weaver, but some information on BugGuide explaining this is truncated.  This truly is a stunning individual.

Posted 08 November 2008 § Orb Weavers ‡ Comments (0) °

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