Below are comments that have been moved from the spider identification page. The spiders have been identified, but we don’t have a detailed overview page for them yet.
Identified Spiders
Overview of Spider Species in the United States
Overview of Spider Species in the United States
Below are comments that have been moved from the spider identification page. The spiders have been identified, but we don’t have a detailed overview page for them yet.
Found on my houseplant in South Texas.
Hi Eli, thanks for sharing this great find! This is a female lynx spider (Peucetia longipalpis), a close relative of the green lynx spider described here: https://usaspiders.com/peucetia-viridans-green-lynx-spider/
Here is a photo of a similar-looking Peucetia longipalpis on bugguide: https://bugguide.net/node/view/1466268/bgimage
Found in Wilton CA, which is slightly south of Sacramento CA. I have seen several of these spiders lately. Outside, at night. They appear to have eight legs and two very, very long “arms” that are held out straight in front of them as they move along.
Hi Bruce, this is a so called wind scorpion or sun spider – they are not true spiders but closely related arachnids: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solifugae
Found in Covington Georgia. Very small with 6 dots on butt area. Thanks for any help!
Hi Frank, great find! This is Araneus cingulatus: https://bugguide.net/node/view/32328
I found this in the kitchen sink, a little larger than a quarter. We live in Page, Arizona.
Hi Ginger, this is a ground spider of the family Gnaphosidae. They are not medically significant. I can’t really get closer with the ID from the photo alone but you could compare photos of this specis: https://bugguide.net/node/view/1240222/bgimage
The legs resemble one of them cellar spider we find in bathroom and corners of house but this guys head and fangs are way bigger and the body is completely different. Head to body maybe a little over three quarter inch. Never seen one before.
Hi Lucian, this is a long-jawed orbweaver (Tetragnatha sp.)
Smaller than a dime. Not an egg sack. No markings on legs. June 10, 2022. Wasilla Alaska
Just found this bud hiding in my room.
Hi October, this is an ant mimicking spider in the genus Castianeira. Possibly Castianeira longipalpa: https://usaspiders.com/castianeira-longipalpa-long-palped-ant-mimic-sac-spider/
But an ID on species level is not possible without location.
Hi Valerie, this is an orb-weaving spider in the genus Araniella – most likely Araniella proxima: https://bugguide.net/node/view/716319
Got bite by something while weeding my garden 2 days ago. I have a red swollen. Inflamed circle on my leg that burns and itches. I found this spider on my cucumber plant today and wondered if this is the culprit.
Hi Kathy, if you didn’t feel a sudden pain when the bite occured, similar to a bee sting, it is more likely some type of insect bite rather than a spider.
I can’t ID this one with certainty without a location. Can you share where the spider was found? I would assume somewhere in the western United States.
Did anyone identify this spider? I have one similar in my home.
Hi WIlliam, this is a wolf spider (Rabidosa sp.): https://usaspiders.com/lycosidae-wolf-spider/
Hi Brooke, this is an ant mimicking spider of the genus Castianeira. I am not sure on the species but you can learn more about this type of spider here: https://usaspiders.com/castianeira-longipalpa-long-palped-ant-mimic-sac-spider/
Smaller spider with a unique head shape. The body and legs are an almost copperish green color. Unique looking spider found in Virginia. (South Western portion of the state to be exact)
Hi Chance, thanks for sharing this great find. This is a male striped lynx spider (Oxyopes salticus): https://bugguide.net/node/view/1942299/bgimage
Found in Angels Camp, CA
Hi Raleigh, thanks for sharing this great shot! This is a female lynx spider of the genus Oxyopes. Most likely a western lynx spider (Oxyopes scalaris). This spider is not considered medically significant. A bite (which rarely happens) can lead to symptoms comparable to a bee sting.
If you are interested in learning more about spiders in California, check out our California spider identification and information book – available as an ebook here or as a printed paperback on Amazon.
Please help me identify this spider. Could it be this critter who bit my tenant????
Hi Bethanne, thanks for uploading this picture. This is a jumping spider – Metacyrba taeniola: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metacyrba_taeniola
It’s not medically significant.
I’m in Chicago, Illinois, and I got video of this beauty making a perfect circular web on the outside of my 3rd story window. I think this spider is about 0.75 inches across, from leg to leg.
I can see another spider around the edges of the same window pane, and I think the second was even on the edge of this spider’s web at one point, but I haven’t been able to get a good photo of the second spider. I don’t think the first spider is happy to have a neighbor.
Hi Brittany, this is a furrow spider (Larinioides sclopetarius). We don’t have an overview page for this spider yet but here is more information for a close relative of your spider: https://usaspiders.com/larinioides-cornutus-furrow-spider/
Connecticut
Hi David, this is a black purseweb spider (Sphodros niger): https://bugguide.net/node/view/162793
Found in a wide open grassy space in Missouri with trees and a nearby creek (dog park). Appears similar to a grass spider, but not exactly the same. Very large, body easily over an inch long with very long legs. There is also a spike on the head. I haven’t been able to identify it anywhere.
Hi Joel, this is a Nursery web spider (Pisaurina dubia): https://bugguide.net/node/view/522993
Found on the exterior of my house in southern nevada. I love spiders and try not to kill them if I don’t need to (family and pet safety). Wanna know what this little spotted guy is so I know if they are friend or foe.
Hi T, thanks for getting in touch. This is definitely a jumping spider (family Salticidae). They are very docile and not medically significant – so friend, not foe 🙂
This is possibly in the genus Mexigonus: https://bugguide.net/node/view/311831
What kind
Hi John, great find! Can you please share the location where you found this spider?
This is Araneus iviei: https://bugguide.net/node/view/8701
We don’t have an overview page for it yet, but we will create one soon
Less then 1/2″ . Hairy legs and body. Black primary color with white on the back of his head section. Plus three white dots on his abdomen. Did not look like the common daring jumping spider in body shape and colors from other pictures found online. Seems to be happily looking for prey. Any help identifying would be appreciated. Thanks
Hello David, are you located in the Western US? This is a ground spider (family Gnaphosidae). Most likely Sergiolus columbianus: https://bugguide.net/node/view/166831
This spider was close to 3 inches. It has very uneven legs and is not symmetrical. It appears to be dark brown and may be a bit hairy. The body does not look like the body of any spider I have ever seen. It moves incredible fast in all directions.
Keep seeing these in my basement bedroom and bathroom and I’m concerned they are brown recluse’s. Any help would be much appreciated.
Hello Donald, this is definitely not a recluse. This is a male black-tailed sheetweaver (Florinda coccinea): https://bugguide.net/node/view/67291
Found in bathroom floor northwest suburb of Chicago
Hello Hank, this is a bark crab spider of the genus Bassaniana: https://bugguide.net/node/view/87495
Found this one in the yard on my shed and on random stuff like bikes, carts, etc. Had babies too, all the webs have that weird pattern down the center but the smallest of the babies don’t have as pronounced abdomen horns like the bigger ones or the biggest I found which is in the pictures.
A pretty small spider but the webbing is a oddly strong for it’s size and color is more white in person.
Hi Silver, interesting find! This is an orb weaver in the genus Allocyclosa: https://bugguide.net/node/view/1756080/bgimage
Spider less than 1/2″, longer legs, especially the front 4, body brown & black, legs alternate black & brown, no web seen
Hi Frances, this is a pirate spider (Mimetus sp.): https://bugguide.net/node/view/1986423/bgimage
They are not medically significant.
I live in southeastern North Carolina. I found this guy on my mailbox. I have never seen a spider like this before.
Hi Betsey, interesting find! This is an orbweaver (Araneus cingulatus): https://bugguide.net/node/view/429642/bgimage
Found in Spokane, WA
Hi Julie, this is a slender crab spider (Tibellus oblongus): https://bugguide.net/node/view/6824/bgimage
Please help me identify this spider. I came across two of these spiders on the ground while cleaning up leaves and clover. They were about an inch long; moved slowly. They looked like alien creatures!
Oxford, CT
July 2022
Hi Debbie, this is some type of mygalomorph trapdoor spiders. These are primitive spiders that live in underground burrows covered with trapdoors and roam around for food. It might be in the grnus Atypus but I am not 100% positive.
A very curious jumping spider landed on my hand yesterday afternoon in Washington, DC. It was TINY — smaller than my fingertip — and mostly white with 4 black markings on its back. Its feet each had little black dots on them as well. (Pic 1 of 2)
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Hi Holland, thanks for sharing this great shot. This is a jumping spider of the species Hentzia mitrata.
Found in Maryland.
Hi Mary, this is a jumping spider (Colonus sylvanus): https://bugguide.net/node/view/2014
Hi, my name is Bridgette and I’m a zoo teacher at the Abilene Zoo. My kids and I found this little spider and wanted to know what it was (we’re learning about insects and arachnids). It would raise its front legs up if we got too close.
Hello Bridgette, this is a male Hentzia mitrata jumping spider: https://bugguide.net/node/view/1971951/bgimage
Found this guy on my wall this morning. First though was some kind of jumping spider but it’s about the size of a dime and I’ve never seen one that big before. This is in California.
Hi Brian, this is indeed a jumping spider. Most specifically Menemerus semilimbatus: https://bugguide.net/node/view/507268
We don’t have an overview page for it here on our page as it is not a very common spider.
If you are interested in learning more about spiders in California, check out our California spider identification and information book – available as an ebook here or as a printed paperback on Amazon.
However, Memeberus semilimbatus is not included in the book as it focuses on the most common spiders.
Found this spider on my garage door. Looks closest to a brown recluse. I live in far northern california, on the oregon border. I’ve heard both that brown recluses do and don’t live in our area. I’d love to hear your thoughts!
Hi Hollis, this is a Titiotus sp. wandering spider. They are not medically significant but look very similar to recluses and are often mistaken as such. The easiest and quickest way to tell them apart is the reddish color of Titiotus spiders – recluses are more tan.
Recluse spiders are found in California, but not in the far north – only up to San Francisco.
If you are interested in learning more about spiders in California, check out our California spider identification and information book – available as an ebook here or as a printed paperback on Amazon.
Hi there! This guy just built a pretty skimpy web by my front door (here in Los Angeles, CA), but seems to rest on the house rather than on the web itself. S/he has a long abdomen and his/her front legs are way longer than the others. Thanks!
You may not have noticed but her jaws are long, too. So long, in fact, that they are called “Long-jawed orb weavers” 🙂
It is the Tetragnathidae family but I won’t even try to guess at which genus or species.
Hello Timothy, n2guns is right – this is a long-jawed orbweaver in the family Tetragnathidae. I’m fairly certain this one is in the genus Tetragnatha.
If you are interested in learning more about spiders in California, check out our California spider identification and information book – available as an ebook here or as a printed paperback on Amazon.
I’m in western Washington State and found this in my bathroom window.
Hello Cassie, this is a ground spider of the genus Sergiolus: https://bugguide.net/node/view/24017
If you are interested in learning more about spiders in Washington State, check out our Washington spider identification and information book – available as an ebook here or as a printed paperback on Amazon
Please help me identify this spider found on my ceiling in Grayson County, Texas. The black body is about an inch long; the thorax is bigger than the abdomen; the abdomen is red with a black fiddle mark and no spinnerets, the legs are hairy with white joints, and the fangs are white.
Looks like one of the Jumping Spiders (Phidippus clarus). They eat plenty of pest and don’t leave webs around your house 🙂
https://bugguide.net/node/view/2036/bgimage
Hi Samantha, this is a male Phidippus clarus jumping spider.
Hi,
This spider is from our garden in Petersburg, Alaska (Southeast Alaska)–it descended from the Sitka Spruce and Western Hemlock canopy in our yard. It has light yellow and black striped legs, large yellow ‘shield-like’ shape on back and black under-belly. Approximately nickle-sized body. I have two more photos.
Thanks,
Ed Wood
Hi Ed, this is an orbweaver of the genus Araneus. Most likely Araneus nordmanni: https://bugguide.net/node/view/39146
Found in Copper Center Alaska
Hi Joshua, this is a fierce orbweaver (Araneus saevus). We don’t have an overview page for these spiders yet – here is a link to bugguide: https://bugguide.net/node/view/842634
Identified with the help of this website, thank you so much and you have a donation coming. These little cuties (Lined Orbweaver) are plentiful at a marsh near me that has a plethora of pitcher plants also. I’ve wondered what they are.
Hi Edward, thanks for your great feedback! This is a lined orbweaver (Mangora gibberosa). We don’t have an overview page for it yet but here is a link to bugguide with some photos and information: https://bugguide.net/node/view/35280
This guy/gal was on my porch in the Lake Cushman area North of Hoodsport Washington in the Olympic peninsula. Quite large, maybe silver dollar size? We have LOTS of spiders up here, but have never seen this one before. Maybe someone can help identify it. Thanks…
Hi Cid, this is a fierce orbweaver (Araneus saevus). We don’t have an overview page for these spiders yet – here is a link to bugguide: https://bugguide.net/node/view/842634
Thanks!
Second time I found this spider inside the house in central Florida. First one I caught started making a web very quickly while this one did not. It is very small and grey with banded legs and no obvious hairs.
Hi Lacy, this is a wall spider (Oecobius sp.). Compare the photo and information on bugguide: https://bugguide.net/node/view/99995
This guy had hitched a ride on my back while riding a bike in Boise yesterday. The picture has a gloved finger to give sense of scale. Nearly an inch in size.
Hi there, great shot! This is an orbweaver of the genus Araneus – most likely Anareus saevus.
Description of the spider: Black, legs about same size as body or slightly bigger, body ~0.5”, slightly furryish on body & legs.
City and U.S. State where the spider was found: NYC/Brooklyn, NY
Your name how you want to be credited on our website: n/a
Hello, this is a hacklemesh weaver of the family Amaruobiidae. They are not medically significant: https://bugguide.net/node/view/7018
Found in our unfinished cellar in the Catskills in New York State. This one was garding it’s egg sack. The cellar ceiling was dotted with many egg sacs and there were many same kind spiders on the wall.
Body is about an inch and legs even longer. Color is dark and light brown.
Thanks!
Hello Anne, this is a cave orbweaver (Meta ovalis): https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meta_(spider)
Sand Springs, Oklahoma, July 15, 2022. Approximately dime sized.
Hi S.B., this is an emerald jumping spider (Paraphiddipus aurantius): https://bugguide.net/node/view/2038
Found this charming creature on my outdoor patio chair. I’m continuing to search for identification. Let it go away from patio.
Hello Joan, what a great find! This is a male Phidippus mystaceus: https://bugguide.net/node/view/23004
Found this beauty at my campsite. Not positive but believe it to be a Heckelmesh Weaver but they aren’t known to be here in Western Washigton state. This one was big, about an inch long not counting legs. I’ve seen other smaller ones at the same campsite too.
Hello Tina, this is most likely a hacklemash weaver of the genus Callobius – they are found along the west coast.
This little black spider was running fast across our bed on a below freezing winter morning. We are next to National Forest near Oakridge, OR at 2300′ elevation. Body length about 3/8″ and total length about 5/8″. Sorry my cellphone picture isn’t clearer. I could only make out two eyes; I know there are more.
Hello Merlla, this is probably a hacklemesh weaver (genus Callobius): https://bugguide.net/node/view/18812
Saw this tiny spider walking across my backyard patio. Looked like it was missing an arm, but I couldn’t find what type of spider it was. Anybody have an idea?
Hi Brian, this is a male white-jawed jumping spider (Hentzia mitrata): https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/153842-Hentzia-mitrata
Found in Flat Rock, NC (descending onto a desk’s stuffed animal from the ceiling). Maybe an inch across or so? Picture taken in yellowish light.
Hi Sarah, this is a bark crab spider (Bassaniana sp.): https://bugguide.net/node/view/87495
Hi guys found this in my basement in NY and was wondering if anyone knows it is. It was just about an inch if not slightly bigger and was on the ground in a corner.
Hi Lisa, this is a black lace weaver (Amaurobius ferox)
Sitting on a picket of my fence. Maybe 3/8 inch long body
Hi d1z, great find! This is a wall spider, aka flattie of the family Selenopidae: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Selenopidae