Poor Shelob
Location: Knoxville, TN
November 25, 2010 8:24 pm
So the other night I was halfway into a nice dream about a college grant when I heard my younger tweenaged sister screaming bloody murder in her room. I dashed into her room to find her cowering in the corner and shaking one of her crutches (she’d broken her leg the preivious thursday,) at the blinds. After dashing back to my room to get my glasses (I’m VERY nearsighed,) I got to behold THIS huge bugger. I got her camera from her dresser and this is the only shot I got of him. I told Emmers not to swat at it, being an avid spider lover (I own a very sweet rosy-toed tarantula, whom I love dearly and whom my sister wishes to coat with Raid,) and I rushed to Google the big boi. I got about three minutes to search before I heard a screech and several thwacking sounds coming from Emily’s room; the spider had apparantally made a dash for the closet after Emily had tossed a shoe at it. When I arrived, I found the poor arachnid squished into paper form. I gave him a tiny burial beside my Aloe plant and gave him a little cardboard headstone, which I marked ”Shelob”, before going back to bed. I then found this website and decided to ask what kind of spider he is. I’m assuming it’s some kind of wolf spider. As much as I like spiders, I’m not too familiar with the different spieces.
Signature: Lexie Bee

Huntsman Spider

Dear Lexie,
We believe you encountered an introduced Huntsman Spider, Heteropoda venatoria, though BugGuide only reports it from the extreme southern states of Florida, Georgia, Louisiana and Texas.  This spider, which is believed to have spread to many warm port cities around the world because of stowing away on banana shipments, has even been reported in northern climates before the quality control on banana shipments was improved.  You can compare your image to this one on BugGuide or this one on a forum.

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Arizona Spider
Location: Prescott, AZ
November 25, 2010 10:03 am
My son in Prescott AZ saw this spider wandering around the kitchen. Two days later it was in the bathroom. He took this photo before putting it outside. There are so many variations of spiders we have not been able to ID it, but think it is perhaps a Wolf spider or a baby Tarantula.
The weather is starting to get cold in Prescott, so the spider was probably looking for a warmer area.
Signature: Jim W

Giant Crab Spider

Hi Jim,
Your spider is a perfect visual match to an image we located on BugGuide that is identified as a Giant Crab Spider in the genus Olios that is also from Arizona, but it is not identified to the species level.  The following remark was recently posted to the genus page on BugGuide:  “Olios  The genus Olios is in need of a major revision. Most of the described western species were written up over 75 years ago and there has never been a comprehensive review of the genus. Additionally,there are apparently numerous undescribed species in various collections. So, for now, the safest thing is to leave it Olios sp.  … R.J. Adams, 17 October, 2010 – 12:48pm.”  Giant Crab Spiders are also known as Huntsman Spiders.  They are hunting spiders that do not spin a web for snaring prey, and they also hunt by night.

Dan,
Thanks for taking the time to reply.
It is really considerate of you to spare some time to satisfy the curiosity of random strangers.
Jimmy said the spider was very handsome, and aggressive, too. When Jimmy moved the spider outside it stood up on it’s back legs and threatened him by waving the front legs at him.
Spunky little guy. Hopefully he will be OK outside.
Jim

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