Did you find a spider in the U.S and you would like to identify it? Then you are at the right place. This page will help you identify your spider. Simply read through the content on this site and answer the questions below, and you will hopefully identify your spider. If not, you can still reach out to us (more details below).
Are you dealing with a venomous spider?
Let’s first start off by eliminating the possibility that you are dealing with a potentially dangerous spider. There are only two medically significant spider genera in the United States: Widows and recluse spiders. Look at the following pictures below. Does your spider look like any of these? If yes or if you are unsure, click on the pictures to see more pictures and learn more about the venomous spiders and their range in the U.S.:
If your spider doesn’t look like yours – Great! Then you are most likely dealing with a harmless spider. Let’s identify it!
USA Spider Identification Tool
Please answer the questions below and you will get one or more possible results based on your answers. In a few rare cases, you might get no result. If this happens, you could try the spider identification tool over again or upload your spider pictures in the comment section below, so we can identify it for you. You are also welcome to leave a comment or feedback about the spider identificator (criticism is also welcome, we are working hard to improve).
Juvenile spiders can have white or red markings on their back 
Wolf spider 
Nusery web spider 
Did the tool not help you to (correctly) identify your spider? Let us help you identify your spider!
Did you also look through the list of common spiders for your state on this site and didn’t find any information?
Simply upload a picture of your spider as a comment to this post below in the “Leave a reply” section at the bottom of the page – no sign-up or login necessary. Along with the photograph, please add the following information:
- Description of the spider (helps with the identification but is not mandatory)
- City and U.S. State where the spider was found
- Your name how you want to be credited on our website
By uploading a picture, you are giving us permission to use the picture on this site. Please only upload pictures you own the copyright to. Do not upload pictures taken from other web sources without proper crediting. Any pictures we use, we will place your name and city where it was found beneath the picture as the photographer.
When uploading your picture, you are required to enter your email address. Your email address will not be posted publicly. As soon as we have found an ID for your spider, you will be notified by email to the email address provided by you.
Taking the perfect picture of your spider
The more detail can be seen, the better. It is easiest for others or for us to identify your spider if the photograph is taken from the top of the spider. If both body parts, the colors, and the markings are visible, it will go a long way to getting the spider correctly identified. If you have a good camera and are not afraid to get a good close macro shot of its eye pattern, that can also help immensely. Some species can only be distinguished by a close look at their eye patterns.
Please upload the picture as its own file to the comment form below. Our upload form allows all standard image files up to a size of 15 MB. It is not possible to upload .zip files or more than one picture per upload. If you have more than one picture of your spider sighting, please upload them separately and copy the description text including the location along with it.
Backup: Email contact of USAspiders.com
If for some reason, the upload form doesn’t work or you prefer that your spider picture is not published publicly, you can email us with the information to [email protected] and we will get back to you with an ID via email. However, we do prefer that you upload your picture in the comment form below as it will benefit all our readers.
I caught a tiny jumping spider. This is the best picture I could get of it. It really is small. My best measurement with a caliper is 4mm.
I want to know what kind or jumping spider it is, possibly what gender it is. Is it still too early to figure that out?
LoL OP here. Forgot to mention it was found in San Diego, CA.
I came across this little bully while camping along the Dalton Highway in Alaska this past June. We were camped at a pipeline access road along the Dietrich River next to Table Mountain. My partner is an entomologist so I was photographing this odd group of three Western Tailed Blues for him, when I noticed this little jumping spider creeping up. It was waving its forelegs, came right up to the butterfly, scooted to the underside of the leaf, and then reached up and flipped the butterfly right off the leaf! Disbelieving what I had just seen, I called my partner over to watch as this little guy went up to the next leaf…and did it again! I took video of the second encounter and it’s probably the funniest nature clip of the whole trip.
In the comment above I failed to mention these were found in central Pennsylvania, USA
My in law was in his garage, found this weird spider on his pants & took photo today. Fargo ND. He said it jumped, was small & hairy.
Hello Brenda, this is a jumping spider (family Salticidae). I think it might be a Phidippus sp. jumping spider – but I can’t tell the exact species.
I have seen many of these spiders, they are quite large and seem to be all over my house. Sometimes they get in and I fear that the cats will try to eat them and get bit or get sick if they actually catch one. Their body is longer than 1/4″ and generally pretty close to 1/2″ when I find them, some larger than 1/2″ and generally shy.
Hi Gerry, could you please share your location to help with identification? Thanks!
This thing is living in my storm door.
This little beauty is bigger than most jumping spiders I see, about 5 – 7mm. The closest I can find it Red-Backed Jumping Spider but the coloration is a bit different. It was at the Atlanta Botanical Gardens so may have come in on a plant if not usually found in the area.
The following post has a picture of the back.
Jumping-Spider_IMG_6060-2048-wm
This is a shot of the back of the spider posted above.
Front shot of the jumping spider found at Atlanta Botanical Gardens. I think my Tiff file didn’t work.
Hello Rebecca, thanks for getting in touch! And thanks for sharing these incredible shots! This is most likely a female emerald jumping spider (Paraphidippus aurantius). Here is a similar looking lady on bugguide: https://bugguide.net/node/view/2357
The white spots on the back and missing black hairs above the eyes rule out Phidippus.
May we use these photos on our site and credit you as the original photographer?
This tiny spider, ~ 1/8 inch, lives in my sunny window frame inside the house.
Oshkosh, Wi
Tulsa Oklahoma
Hello Matthew, thanks for getting in touch! This is a rabid wold spider (Rabidosa rabida): https://usaspiders.com/lycosidae-wolf-spider/
They are not medically significant and not aggressive (despite their name).
Found this guy stuck outside on my door wall in my apartment. It’s giving me the heebie jeebies about going out onto my balcony again, hahaha. I’ve seen him before, but usually at night? I haven’t seen a web yet, he’s usually just on the window. He’s about the size of a quarter (with legs), maybe a schmidge bigger. We live in Whitmore Lake, MI. I was thinking, looking at your pictures, he might be an orb weaver or a wolf spider?
Hello Karen, thanks for getting in touch! This is most certainly a furrow orb-weaver (Larinioides cornutus): https://usaspiders.com/larinioides-cornutus-furrow-spider/
Saw this outside my front door in Morristown Vermont. I have never seen any around the house before and am trying to identify it.
I found this little friend in TX. I was sitting on my swing when she hopped up on my leg and was munching on what I think was a mosquito. She kept acting like she was going to attack other flies and mosquitos that were landing on my leg but they flew off to fast. 🙁 I was thinking MAYBE it was a grey wall jumper, but I am uncertain.
Hello Susie, thanks for getting in touch! Tan jumpers usually have an orange band below the eyes. I think this might be some type of Phidippus sp. jumper. The long black hairs pointing upwards from the head also suggest that.
Possibly Phidippus mystaceus: https://bugguide.net/node/view/85337
Found 9/17/2021
Beaumont, Texas
Hi Cindy, thanks for getting in touch! This is a beautiful female spotted orb-weaver (Neoscona crucifera). It’s not medically significant: https://usaspiders.com/neoscona-crucifera-spotted-orb-weaver/
It’s been released and unharmed.
Found this spider in my bathroom making a web from the ceiling light….held me hostage for an hour 🤣🤣 got a couple good pics of it any help identifying would be great!
this spider was found around Tom’s River, New Jersey. it was reddish brown, hairy and had (we think) little fangs.
this spider was found near Toms River, NJ. it was reddish brown and hairy. it looked like it had fangs as well.
Every one of my evergreens are covered in web in sections. On closer look there are spiders at each web of various sizes, appearing younger or older. They have a little hole they sit at in some webs. Are aggressive and will charge out when I looked or vibrated web. Brown in color with lighter colored markings.
My husband and I believe this is an orb weaver but are unsure. We live in Odenville, Alabama (30 miles east of Birmingham). He/she has a web just off our deck under one of our flood lights. We live in a very wooded area and have lots of insects and animals around. There is another one on the opposite end of our house that has been there for about a week now with a very large web also. We found another one today starting a web just off the side of our shop. He/she is a dark red/brown color. The legs and body both have hair on it. The body looks brown sometimes but red at other times. I have seen that he/she has rebuilt the web today and yesterday. Just curious if it is an orb weaver and if not what it is. Thanks!! I have a video also that I will try to send.
What is this spider? Located in central Alabama, west of Birmingham.
September 18,2021
Houston, Texas
Brown spider with a very detailed web.