Please ID this spider!
Thu, Nov 6, 2008 at 3:19 PM
We found this spider in our garage in Cincinnati, OH about a week ago. (late Oct. early Nov.). I dont think it had rained or anything but it is not a spider that I have ever seen in the area before. Its body w/o the legs is a little smaller than 1/2 inch. If you need any other info or pics just email me. Thanks for any help!
Mikey
Cincinnati, OH
Marbled Orb Weaver
Hi Mikey,
What a positively gorgeous Marbled Orb Weaver, Araneus marmoreus, a highly variable species whose many variations can be viewed on BugGuide.
Spider
Wed, Nov 5, 2008 at 7:34 PM
This spider was spotted out in the middle of the afternoon on 10/28. When i was trying to take his picture he retreated into what seemed to his home. I found it unusual that he had no web and but rather a cocoon like house. I have tried looking through different Florida Spider web sights and field guides but thus far have been unsuccessful in identifying it. I would really appreciate your help. Cheers!
Erin A.
Pine Island, SW Florida
Regal Jumper
Hi Erin,
Several days ago we posted images of a Regal Jumping Spider, Phidippus regius, in and out of its tent. That photo was a different color variation of the species, and your photos are a wonderful addition to our archive of this variable species from Florida that builds a retreat for itself when it needs shelter or when it is threatened. There is a slightly darker version of your individual’s pattern posted to BugGuide, and you can also see the great variety of colorations and patterns for this species.
Regal Jumper retreats to tent
Green lynx spider eats bumble bee
Tue, Nov 4, 2008 at 7:35 AM
Hi Bugman. Maybe this is the true reason for the bee shortage. We saw this food chain demonstration while hiking Moss Park in Orlando, Fl. on Nov.1st. The sun was setting and so we also saw gorgeous orb weavers busy spinning their webs. None of my past submissions have been posted so since this is your favorite spider, I hope my photo will make it to your website. By the way, I impressed my husband when I blurted out “oh, that’s a green lynx spider”! (just a little identifcation I picked up from my visits to your site). Thanks for the great website.
Elizabeth from Orlando
Orlando, Fl.
Green Lynx Spider eats Bumble Bee
Hi Elizabeth,
What a marvelous photo of our favorite spider, the Green Lynx Spider, Peucetia viridans.
Spider Identification
Mon, Nov 3, 2008 at 12:14 PM
I found this spider in my yard after running into his/her intricately made web that ran across the entry to my front door. What on earth is it? Thanks! Love the site by the way! 
Lauren F.
Cotati, CA
Cross Spider
Hi Lauren,
Your spider is a harmless Cross Spider, Araneus diadematus, a species introduced from Europe and found in both the eastern and western U.S. You can find many images and more information on BugGuide. A bit of trivia for you concerns Anita and Arabella, the names of the first two spiders sent into space. In 1973, Anita and Arabella, female Cross Spiders, were sent into space aboard Skylab 3 as an experiment to observe how gravity affected web spinning. Both Anita and Arabella died of dehydration during the mission, but their bodies are preserved at the Smithsonian Institution for posterity. You man visit About.com to read more about Spiders in Space.
.
Wolf Spider?
Mon, Nov 3, 2008 at 12:36 PM
Is this a kind of wolf spider? It was on the floor of an old garage and moved very quickly. It was almost the size of a compact disc with legs outreached. Body was about size of bottle cap.
JR
USA, northeast
White Banded Fishing Spider
Hi JR,
This is a Dolomedes Fishing Spider, not a Wolf Spider. Fishing Spiders are in the Nursery Web Spider group, and like Wolf Spiders, they are hunting spiders and not snare web building spiders. We believe your specimen is a White Banded Fishing Spider, Dolomedes albineus, based on an image posted to BugGuide. Your location, USA, northeast, is a bit vague. BugGuide lists sightings as far north as Delaware, but that doesn’t mean the species is unknown in New England. If this is not the White Banded Fishing Spider, it is another member of the genus Dolomedes.
Thanks Daniel, very interesting! I am sorry about the vague location. I
found it in Norridgewock, Maine, about 40 minutes north from Augusta and 1.5
hours north from Portland.
Thanks again, Jim
What is this bug?
Mon, Nov 3, 2008 at 3:03 AM
Found this bug drying out on a brick in the Mazzaron region of Spain after a rain shower. Was wondering if you could identify.
William
Mazzaron, Spain
Female Wolf Spider with Egg Sac from Spain
Hi William,
This is a female Wolf Spider, but we are not certain of the species. Female Wolf Spiders drag their egg sacs around with them and once the spiderlings hatch, the mother spider will carry the young on her back for several days until they disperse. This care method probably has the advantage of distributing the spiderlings in a larger area because of the mobility of the adult.
Six Legged Spider?
Sun, Nov 2, 2008 at 5:12 PM
Can you identify this spider, and is it harmful? I thought it was odd becuase it has only 6 hairy legs. It’s leg span is about 4 inches. I did not kill it, because I figured to be that size it must be eating a lot of other bugs. I have attached a photo. Thanks . . . Joan
Joan
Punta Gorda, FL
Huntsman Spider
Hi Joan,
You are a good person, and wise to not have killed this male Huntsman Spider, Heteropoda venatoria. Huntsman Spiders are also called Banana Spiders or Giant Crab Spiders and they are nocturnal hunting spiders that do not spin webs, preferring to hunt their prey. They are valued in many areas because they consume cockroaches.
Hi Daniel,
Thanks for your reply. I am surpised that you did not comment on his 6 legs. Isn’t that unusual for a spider? I thought spiders generally have 8 legs. I have attached a photo of another spider taken last year about this time. At the time I had identified it as a Huntsman by comparing it to photos on the website. Now I am not sure if that was corrrect. It was about the same size, but looked different from the 6 legged guy. It wasn’t as hairy. It also behaved differently. Last year’s spider moved very quickly if approached, whereas the 6 legged guy stayed put, and let me take lots of pictures.
Thanks again. Since moving to Florida, I have been fasinated by the spiders . . .
Joan
Huntsman Spider female
Hi Joan,
The six legged specimen is a male and your new photo is a female Huntsman Spider. They have sexual dimorphism, meaning the sexes have pronounced visual differences. In some animals, the differences are so pronounced that they appear to be different species. Often spiders lose legs, and occasionally, if they are young enough, the legs partially regenerate. Not so with your male Huntsman.
¶ Posted 04 November 2008 § ‡ ° Tiny pale green spider on forest floor…
Thu, Oct 30, 2008 at 9:27 AM
I was examining a scrape on the forest floor, looking for hair when I found this tiny little spider! It coudnt be bigger than a centimeter across the longest point (wish I had had a coin with me for size reference). It walked sideways like a crab. When disturbed it pulled its legs in and tried to look inconspicuous. After I got done taking pictures it crawled to the underside of a leaf and hid.
Dana
Athens, Georgia
Crab Spider
Hi Dana,
This is a Crab Spider in the family Thomisidae. We are not certain of the genus or species, but we would hesitate a guess at the genus Misumenops as evidenced by images posted to BugGuide. Crab Spiders do not build hunting webs. They ambush their prey using camouflage techniques.
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