As the name suggests, the fishing spider is a semi-aquatic genus of spiders that are found all over the world. Various species of Dolomedes can be found in every US state.
Dolomedes are a genus of the Nursery Web Spider family. They are large hunter spiders that usually find their prey around water. They will place their legs on the water surface and feel any movement that is caused by insects or even small fish.
When the Fishing Spider lays eggs, it wraps them in a sac and carries it underneath them. Before they hatch, it will tend to attach it to something and protect it.
Description of the Fishing Spider
While there are several species of the Dolomedes spider in the United States, the most common species are Dolomedes tenebrosus, Dolomedes triton, and Dolomedes vittatus.
Dolomedes tenebrosus
D. tenebrosus has a brown and black patchy pattern over the entire spider that mixes in well with the banded legs of the same colors. One of the smaller markings, which usually helps me recognize this spider, is the black mask around the eyes. If you see the brown and black pattern and the mask around the eyes, you likely have a Fishing Spider.
Photography by: William Wiley – Ypsilanti, Michigan
Dolomedes triton
D. triton Is basically all brown or black with a white stripe running the length of both body parts on each side. Slightly visible in the picture (sometimes not very visible on the spider) are two rows of white dots just to the inside of the stripes on the abdomen. There are six dark spots on the underneath side of the cephalothorax for which it gets its common name of Six Spotted Fishing Spider.
Photography by: Lauren Arthur – Brimley, Michigan
Dolomedes vittatus
D. vittatus can be medium brown with white trim running down its side, or almost black with no distinguishable trim line. They will have the white dots on the abdomen and in the center of the cephalothorax will be two dark triangular marks side by side. This spider can look very similar to D. scriptus males.
Photography by: Tiffany Mello – Louisville, Kentucky
Dolomedes albineus – White-banded fishing spider
D. albineus usually has white-brown legs, a mostly white cephalothorax and brown and black markings on the abdomen that can have a greenish hue. Its markings are very similar to that of D. tenebrosus, but mostly, the overall body color is somewhat lighter.
Size of the Fishing Spider
The Fishing Spider is one of the largest spiders in the United States, as the females of some species can grow up to 4” (102 mm), including the legs.
Web
The Fishing Spider spins a web to protect its eggs. She will carry the egg sac underneath her until they are ready to hatch, and then she will spin a web to attach the sac to a leaf or some wood or some other object. Once the egg sac is attached to something, she will stand guard over them. They do not spin webs to catch prey, as they are hunters and will wander around looking for their meal.
Bites
Dolomedes are not usually aggressive spiders, except when they are protecting their eggs or young. If you are bitten by a fishing spider, it is not considered to be dangerous. At its worse, you might have some localized swelling and pain that will heal on its own.
Photography by: Garrett Arens – West Olive, Michigan
Dolomedes Scientific Classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Subphylum: Chelicerata
- Class: Arachnida
- Order: Araneae
- Infraorder: Araneomorphae
- Family: Pisauridae
- Genus: Dolomedes
Common names
All common names of Dolomedes are in reference to its semi-aquatic behavior. They are: fishing spider, dock spider, wharf spider, raft spider.
Distribution of the fishing spider in the USA
Various species of the fishing spider can be found in every US state – Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont, Virginia, Washington, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming
Hi,
We are located in Northern Indiana and found this spider in one of our outbuildings. Is it a Fishing spider, type of Wolf Spider, or something else?
Thank you!
Hello Sally, this is a dark fishing spider (Dolomedes tenebrosus)
The patterned, gray color is unlike any picture of a spider. It is similar to the wolf or fishing spider but the color is all wron
Hi Jay, this is a white-banded fishing spider (Dolomedes albineus): https://usaspiders.com/dolomedes-fishing-spider/
Found this in the grass , it is about 3/4 to 1 inch is it a wolf spider or a barn funnel weaver?
Hi Jay, this is a dark fishing spider (Dolomedes tenebrosus): https://usaspiders.com/dolomedes-fishing-spider/
Picture #1 of 5 attached
I came across this spider 2 weeks ago (May 26) on the concrete floor of my basement. Did not find any webs. Must have been surviving on the crickets that find their way into my basement.
Spider looks brown with dark brown/black markings on the abdomen and thorax. Also have brown and black bands on the legs, which are hairy. Spider is quite big 2 – 3 inches (including the tips of the legs) and has a plump abdomen. Seems to possess a large set of black fangs.
Hi Andrew, this is a dark fishing spider (Dolomedes tenebrosus): https://usaspiders.com/dolomedes-fishing-spider/
Picture #2 of 5 attached
I came across this spider 2 weeks ago (May 26) on the concrete floor of my basement. Did not find any webs. Must have been surviving on the crickets that find their way into my basement.
Spider looks brown with dark brown/black markings on the abdomen and thorax. Also have brown and black bands on the legs, which are hairy. Spider is quite big 2 – 3 inches (including the tips of the legs) and has a plump abdomen. Seems to possess a large set of black fangs.
Picture #3 of 5 attached
I came across this spider 2 weeks ago (May 26) on the concrete floor of my basement. Did not find any webs. Must have been surviving on the crickets that find their way into my basement.
Spider looks brown with dark brown/black markings on the abdomen and thorax. Also have brown and black bands on the legs, which are hairy. Spider is quite big 2 – 3 inches (including the tips of the legs) and has a plump abdomen. Seems to possess a large set of black fangs.
Picture #4 of 5 attached
I came across this spider 2 weeks ago (May 26) on the concrete floor of my basement. Did not find any webs. Must have been surviving on the crickets that find their way into my basement.
Spider looks brown with dark brown/black markings on the abdomen and thorax. Also have brown and black bands on the legs, which are hairy. Spider is quite big 2 – 3 inches (including the tips of the legs) and has a plump abdomen. Seems to possess a large set of black fangs.
Picture #5 of 5 attached
I came across this spider 2 weeks ago (May 26) on the concrete floor of my basement. Did not find any webs. Must have been surviving on the crickets that find their way into my basement.
Spider looks brown with dark brown/black markings on the abdomen and thorax. Also have brown and black bands on the legs, which are hairy. Spider is quite big 2 – 3 inches (including the tips of the legs) and has a plump abdomen. Seems to possess a large set of black fangs.
Hi Andrew, thanks for sharing these pictures. This is a dark fishing spider (Dolomedes tenebrosus): https://usaspiders.com/dolomedes-fishing-spider/
Lindacorri44 @ Yahoo .com
Hello there,
Found this beauty in my shed. Looks to me like a fishing spider and would like it confirmed. I’m located in Iowa.
Thank you!
Could you please identify this for me? He/she is hanging out on my blueberry bushes. I’m from MN. Thank you !
I found this spider on my door frame. We live in Comanche, OK. . It’s about 3 1/2” total in length. The grey and black banded legs are striking but the body with the large white “mask” like marking is a mystery to me. What is it?
Hi Judy, this is a white-banded fishing spider (Dolomedes albineus): https://usaspiders.com/dolomedes-fishing-spider/
Found in the cushions of wicker chair on patio.
Hi Andre, this is a dark fishing spider (Dolomedes tenebrosus): https://usaspiders.com/dolomedes-fishing-spider/
Found this in our warehouse, not sure what it is, other than big.
Hi Chris, this is a dark fishing spider (Dolomedes tenebrosus): https://usaspiders.com/dolomedes-fishing-spider/
Photo #1 of 2 – This spider was in my Ohio kitchen. I knocked it off a door jamb into a box and took it outside (probably one of the bravest things I have ever done). The body was easily 2-inches long and hand-sized with legs fully extended. I’m thinking it’s a fishing spider?
Hi Jamie, yes, this is definitely a dark fishing spider (Dolomedes tenebrosus). Great that you saved her by taking her outside.
Photo #2 of 2 – This spider was in my Ohio kitchen. I knocked it off a door jamb into a box and took it outside (probably one of the bravest things I have ever done). The body was easily 2-inches long and hand-sized with legs fully extended. I’m thinking it’s a fishing spider?
Found on a garden rock in central Michigan. I’m thinking Dolomedes sp.?
Hi Jake, this is a fishing spider (Dolomedes scriptus): https://usaspiders.com/dolomedes-fishing-spider/
Found on a tree within a creek in northwest FL. Is it D. tenebrosus or a different member of the dolemedes genus?
Hi Tom, this is Domoledes vittatus
What is this one
Anyone know this in northwest South Carolina?
Hi Seth, this is a fishing spider (genus Dolomedes) – most likely Dolomedes albineus: https://usaspiders.com/dolomedes-fishing-spider/
I used the identification tool. Looks like a wolf spider, but I understand that represents several species.
Hi Kenneth, what a great photo! This is a dark fishing spider (Dolomedes tenebrosus): https://usaspiders.com/dolomedes-fishing-spider/
They look similar to wolf spiders. The best way to differentiate them are the eye patterns. The four upper eyes of your spider are all similarly-sized. Wolf spiders have two very large central upper eyes and smaller outer eyes.