Common Spiders in Oklahoma

This page provides an overview of the most common spiders in Oklahoma. According to the Oklahoma State University, close to 450 spider species are described in the state. Many more are probably still to be discovered. The most common groups of spiders in Oklahoma are orb weavers who spin large webs in forests or our gardens, jumping spiders with the ability to jump, scary-looking but harmless wolf spiders and very few that can actually cause any harm to people.

This page should help you identify spiders common to Oklahoma with plenty of pictures. To rule out that you are dealing with a potentially harmful spider, let’s first have a look at Oklahoma’s venomous spiders.

Poisonous Spiders in Oklahoma

Generally speaking, almost all spiders are venomous (not poisonous). However, only very few species actually have the ability to cause any significant harm to people. Casualties from spider bites in the United States are extremely rare. In fact, around ten times as many people die from bee or wasp stings than from spider bites. In Oklahoma, there are two genera of medically significant spiders: Black widow spiders and the infamous brown recluse.

Black widows in Oklahoma

There are three different species of black widows in the United States. All three of them can be found in different areas of Oklahoma. The northern black widow (Latrodectus variolus) is found in the eastern parts of the state east of Oklahoma City and around the Tulsa area. The western black widow (Latrodectus hesperus) is only found in the Oklahoma panhandle west of Beaver. The southern black widow (Latrodectus mactans) is found throughout Southern Oklahoma.

Appearance: Black widows are predominantly black spiders with a red hourglass shape on the underside of their abdomen. Their abdomen is round and shiny and their legs are long and slender. You can see images in the overview below. Black widows are often confused with the false black widow spider (Steatoda grossa).

Symptoms of a bite: A bite of a black widow can cause immediate flu-like symptoms as well as localized pain. Symptoms can include fever, nausea, dizziness and local swelling. If you suspect that you have been bitten by a black widow, seek medical attention.

Latrodectus Mactans – Southern Black Widow

Latrodectus mactans, the Southern black widow is a close relative of the Northern black widow and the Western black widow ...
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Latrodectus Variolus – Northern Black Widow

Latrodectus, the black widow spider is one of the most famed and feared spider genera in the world. Hollywood tends ...
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Latrodectus Hersperus – Western Black Widow

Latrodectus hesperus, the Western black widow spider is one of the few medically significant venomous spiders in the United States ...
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Brown recluse spiders in Oklahoma

Brown recluse spiders occur throughout Oklahoma. Sightings west of Guymon in the panhandle are extremely rare, however. As the name suggests, brown recluse spiders are predominantly brown spiders. They can be identified by a darker brown violin-shape on their back and the fact that they have six eyes (most other spiders have eight eyes). Brown recluses are not large spiders and their bodies grow to a maximum of 3/4 in (20 mm). Their legs are long and slender.

The majority of alleged brown recluse sightings are actually other brown spiders in Oklahoma that are misidentified, like wolf spiders, nursery web spiders or others.

Symptoms of a bite: A bite of a brown recluse can cause severe skin damage. Symptoms usually show only a few days after a bite and can include redness or infections around the bite wound that can get worse over time. If you have been bitten by a brown recluse, seek medical attention immediately. If you have spider bite wound that gets infected or develops are red area around it, you should consult a medical professional as well.

Loxosceles reclusa – Brown Recluse

The brown recluse, loxosceles reclusa, is one of the more dangerous spiders indigenous in the United States. While usually not life-threatening, a brown recluse bite might lead to severe skin damage. This page gives an overview of how to identify a brown recluse and in which states in the US it appears. The brown recluse compared to the size of a penny. Brown Recluse Description The brown recluse spider is ...
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What about hobo spiders or other venomous spiders in Oklahoma?

In the late 20th century, myths about the deadly and aggressive hobo spider made their rounds through newspapers and emails. The fact that hobo spiders (Eratigena agrestis) are potentially dangerous or especially aggressive has been rejected by scientists as there isn’t one single proven case of a hobo spider bite that caused any serious effects on a human. Furthermore, hobo spiders are exclusively found in the Pacific Northwest and do not occur in Oklahoma.

Other spiders that bite in Oklahoma and that can cause effects such as headaches and severe pain are yellow sac spiders (Cheiracanthium sp.). However, these spiders are not considered medically significant.

Large Spiders in Oklahoma

Now we have hopefully ruled out that you are dealing with a potentially harmful spider. Let’s next look at some common large spiders that you may find in your Oklahoma home or outside. The largest spiders in Oklahoma are wolf spiders and tarantulas. Wolf spiders can reach a leg span of over 4 in (10 cm). Tarantulas can reach an even bigger body size than wolf spiders but have shorter legs – the largest tarantula found in Oklahoma is the Texas brown tarantula (Aphonopelma hentzi), aalso called Oklahoma tarantula, that can reach a legspan of up to four inches.

Other large and brown spiders in Oklahoma are grass spiders, fishing spiders, southern house spiders, huntsman spiders and nursery web spiders.

Just click on any of the images or links to learn more about the spider.

Agelenopsis – American Grass Spider

Agelenopsis, American grass spiders, are a genus of spiders that can be found around the world and in every US ...
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Aphonopelma Hentzi – Texas Brown Tarantula

Aphonopelma hentzi, the Texas brown tarantula is one of the largest species of spiders native to the Southern United States ...
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Dolomedes – Fishing Spider

As the name suggests, the fishing spider is a semi-aquatic genus of spiders that are found all over the world ...
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Kukulcania Hibernalis – Southern House Spider

Kukulcania hibernalis, the Southern House Spider is a large brown spider that can be found throughout the Southern United States, ...
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Lycosidae – Wolf Spider

The Lycosidae, commonly called wolf spiders are a family of hunter spiders found throughout the United States and the rest ...
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Pisaurina Mira – American Nursery Web Spider

Piraurina Mira, commonly called nursery web spider, is a brown spider species with long legs. They are endemic to the ...
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Trichonephila Clavipes – Banana Spider

Trichonephila clavipes, commonly called banana spider or golden-silk orb weaver is a unique orb weaver species due to its shape ...
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Orb Weaver Spiders in Oklahoma

Orb weaver spiders come is a range of colors, shapes and sizes. They all build beautiful orb-shaped webs to catch flying insects. The garden spider Argiope aurantia is one of the most common black and yellow spiders in Oklahoma. Other common orb weavers are spotted orb weavers and spiny-backed orbweavers. Here is an overview of pictures and names of Oklahoma orb weavers:

Acanthepeira Stellata – Starbellied Orb Weaver

Acanthepeira stellata, commonly called the starbellied orb weaver, is one of the most remarkable and memorable orb weaver spiders. Its ...
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Araneus Bicentenarius – Giant Lichen Orb Weaver

While the giant lichen orb weaver may not be the largest orb weaver in terms of diameter, thanks to its ...
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Araneus Gemmoides – Cat-Faced Spider or Jewel Spider

The Araneus Gemmoides is an orb weaver species that occurs in the Western United States. It is also known under ...
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Araneus Marmoreus – Marbled Orb Weaver

Araneus marmoreus, The marbled orb weaver is a colorful orb weaver species. Due to its orange color, it is sometimes ...
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Araneus Trifolium – Shamrock Spider

Araneus trifolium, the shamrock spider, is a widely distributed orb weaver that can come in various colors, mostly beige or ...
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Argiope Aurantia – Black and Yellow Garden Spider

The Argiope Aurantia or black and yellow garden spider appears in every US state and in many other countries around ...
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Argiope Trifasciata – Banded Garden Spider

The Argiope trifasciata or Banded Garden Spider is one of the most common species of the Argiope orb weaving spider ...
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Gasteracantha Cancriformis – Spinybacked Orb Weaver

The spinybacked orbweaver is a small harmless spider with six characteristic spines along the back of its abdomen. It can ...
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Larinioides Cornutus – Furrow Spider

Larinioides Cornutus, commonly known as the furrow spider, is an orb weaver species that can be found throughout the Northern ...
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Leucauge venusta – Orchard Spider

Leucauge venusta, commonly called orchard spider is an orb weaver spider that can be found in the Eastern US states, ...
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Mangora gibberosa – Lined Orbweaver

Mangora gibberosa, the lined orbweaver, is a common spider found throughout the eastern part of North America. One of the ...
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Micrathena gracilis – Spined Micrathena

Micrathena gracilis, commonly known as spined micrathena, is one of the spiny orb weaver spiders. The spiny body serves to ...
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Micrathena mitrata – White Micrathena

The spider species Micrathena mitrata, commonly called white micrathena, is an orb weaving spider. They have a large bulbous white ...
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Neoscona Arabesca – Arabesque Orb Weaver

Neoscona arabesca, commonly known as the arabesque orbweaver, is one of the most common orbweaver species that can be found ...
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Neoscona crucifera – Spotted Orb Weaver

Neoscona crucifera, commonly known as the spotted orbweaver, is an orb weaver species indigenous to the Eastern part of North ...
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Pachygnatha

The Pachygnatha is technically part of the Orb Weaver family. However, it does not spin a web and is a ...
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Trichonephila Clavipes – Banana Spider

Trichonephila clavipes, commonly called banana spider or golden-silk orb weaver is a unique orb weaver species due to its shape ...
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Verrucosa Arenata – Arrowhead Spider

The arrow-head spider, Verrucosa arenata, is an orb-weaver spider found throughout the United States. Its common name arrowhead spider or ...
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Western Spotted Orb Weaver – Neoscona Oaxacensis

The western spotted orb weaver, Neoscona oaxacensis, is a large orb weaving spider found in the Southwestern United States and ...
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Jumping Spiders in Oklahoma

Jumping spiders are small to medium-sized spiders with thick front legs and eight large eyes. They have the ability to jump up to 45 times their own body size. The most common jumping spiders in Oklahoma are:

Salticus Scenicus – Zebra Spider

Salticus scenicus, the zebra spider, is a jumping spider that can be found in the entire Northern Hemisphere. As its ...
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Phidippus audax – Daring Jumping Spider

Phidippus audax, commonly known as the daring jumping spider is a jumping spider found throughout the USA. As their name ...
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Other common Oklahoma spiders

Other spiders that are often seen in Oklahoma are cobweb spiders (Steatoda sp.), crab spiders, ground spiders, common house spiders and cellar spiders. Just click on the images below to learn more about each species:

Castianeira Descripta – Red-Spotted Ant Mimic Spider

Castianeira descripta, more commonly know as the red-spotted ant mimic spider gets its common name from the similar look and ...
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Castianeira Longipalpa – Long-Palped Ant Mimic Sac Spider

Castianeira longipalpa, sometimeys referred to as the long-palped ant mimic sac spider is found along the Eastern United States as ...
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Cheiracanthium Mildei – Northern Yellow Sac Spider

Cheiracanthium mildei, the northern yellow sac spider is one of the most common spiders in Northeastern America. However, it can ...
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Clubiona – Leaf-Curling Sac Spider

Spiders of the genus Clubiona, commonly called leaf-curling sac spiders, can be found throughout the world and in every US ...
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Frontinella Pyramitela – Bowl and Doily Spider

The bowl and doily spiders, known as Frontinella pyramitela, are a small species of spiders that belong to the family ...
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Herpyllus Ecclesiasticus – Eastern Parson Spider

Herpyllus ecclesiasticus, The Eastern parson spider is one of the most commonly encountered hunter spiders in the United States. The ...
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Hibana – Ghost Spider

Hibana are a genus of spiders commonly referred to as ghost spiders. They are common throughout South and Central America, ...
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Misumena – Flower Crab Spider

The misumena, commonly called flower crab spider, is a genus of spiders that hunt their prey in or around flowers ...
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Parasteatoda tepidariorum – The Common House Spider

Parasteatoda tepidariorum, or the common house spider can be found in every US state. The spider is also distributed throughout ...
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Peucetia viridans – Green Lynx Spider

Peucetia viridans, commonly known as the green lynx spider, is a large bright green spider found on many kinds of ...
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Philodromus – Running Crab Spider

Philodromus, commonly called running crab spider, is a genus of crab spiders. Various species can be found throughout the entire ...
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Pholcidae – Daddy Long-Legs or Cellar Spider

As strange as it sounds, the Pholcidae, or Cellar Spider is one of the most misunderstood spiders in the world ...
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Scytodes Thoracica – Spitting Spider

The spitting spider, scientifically called Scytodaes thoracica, is a fascinating type of hunting spider that captures and paralyzes its prey ...
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Steatoda Bipunctata – Rabbit Hutch Spider

The Steatoda bipunctata, commonly called rabbit hutch spider is a black spider found throughout the United States. It comes from ...
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Steatoda Grossa – False Black Widow Spider

The Steatoda grossa, commonly called the false black widow spider or cupboard spider can be found throughout the United States ...
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Steatoda Triangulosa – Triangulate Cobweb Spider

The Steatoda triangulosa, commonly called the triangulate cobweb spider is a brown-black spider found throughout the US. It has an ...
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Ummidia – Trap-Door Spider

Ummidia is a genus of spiders that can be found around the world. Among other genus, they are commonly called ...
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Xysticus – Ground Crab Spider

Spiders of the Xysticus genus, also called ground crab spiders are a rather indistinct species. As all crab spiders, they ...
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Xysticus Funestus – Deadly Ground Crab Spider

Even though Xysticus funestus has a dangerously-sounding common name, the deadly ground crab spider, it is of absolutely no concern ...
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Oklahoma Spider Identification

If you have found a spider in Oklahoma that is not on our list, head to our spider identification page. We have built a handy tool that helps you identify your spider by answering a few questions. If that still doesn’t identify the spider for you, simply take a picture of your spider and upload it to the identification page. Our team will do the best to find an ID for you as quickly as possible.