Spiders in Virginia

While there are hundreds of different spider species native to Virginia, most are very rare or spend most of their life in hiding. On this page, you can find an overview of the most common spiders in Virginia. Just click on any of the images or links to learn more about the spider.

Venomous spiders in Virginia

If you are trying to identify a spider you found in Virginia, you might be worried if it can harm you. So we will first take a quick look at the venomous spiders in Virginia. While all spider species are venomous to some degree, only a few are actually of medical importance for humans. The most common venomous spider is the black widow.

Black widows in Virginia

In Virginia, both the northern black widow (Latrodectus variolus) and the southern black widow (Latrodectus mactans) can be found. The southern black widow is the more common species. You can see pictures of the two almost identical looking species below. The only visual difference between the two is that the red hourglass-shape on the bottom of the northern black widow’s abdomen is broken into two parts while the southern black widow has a connected red hourglass.

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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While the black widow is the most venomous spider in Virginia, the similar looking and related false widow (Steatoda grossa) can also deliver a painful bite. Another spider that bites in Virginia is the yellow sac spider. While not considered medically significant, it can cause some uncomfortable pain and even nausea.

Are there brown recluse spiders in Virginia?

While there are occasional reports of brown recluse sightings in Virginia, the spider is not native here and has not established a population. These sightings are always isolated cases where a venomous brown recluse spider has hitchhiked to Virginia in cars or cargo goods from its natural range further down south. The brown recluse spider is therefore not on our list of venomous spiders in Virginia.

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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Common spiders in Virginia

All other spiders aside from the black widow found in Virginia are not medically significant. The largest spider families are jumping spiders, orb weaver spiders, cobweb spiders, wolf spiders, funnel-web spiders and grass spiders. We will have a closer look at some of the most common species for all these. Let’s first take a closer look at the big spiders in Virginia.

Large Spiders in Virginia – Wolf Spiders, Grass Spiders and more

The largest spider found in Virginia is the Carolina wolf spider. It is a brown spider and can reach a leg span of over 4 in (10 cm). Other large spiders are the similar-looking grass spiders (Agelenopsis sp.), fishing spiders and nursery web spiders.

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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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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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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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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Virginia Orb Weavers

Orb weaver spiders are colorful creatures that spin large orb-shaped webs in our gardens or in the forests. They are harmless and act as a great natural bug control as they catch small flying and crawling insects that get stuck in their webs. The most common orb weavers in Virginia are Argiope spiders, spotted orb weavers or long-jawed 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 diadematus – The European Garden Spider

Araneus diadematus, also called the European garden spider or the cross spider is an orb weaver spider with an iconic ...
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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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Missing Sector Orb Weaver – Zygiella X-Notata

The missing sector orb weaver, Zygiella x-notata, is a common spider species found throughout Europe and the United States. The ...
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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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Neoscona domiciliorum – Red-femured Spotted Orbweaver

Commonly known as Red-femured spotted orb weaver or spotted orb weaver, these spiders are in the family of Araneidae which ...
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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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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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Common House Spiders in Virginia

Spiders commonly found inside of houses are small jumping spiders, the common house spider, crab spiders, cobweb spiders, cellar spiders or daddy long-legs. You can find pictures and more information here:

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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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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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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Lyssomanes Viridis – Magnolia Green Jumper

Lyssomanes viridis, commonly called magnolia green jumper, is a small bright green jumping spider that can be found in the ...
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Maevia Inclemens – Dimorphic Jumper

Maevia inclemens, commonly called dimorphic jumper is a species of jumping spiders mainly found in the Eastern U.S. States and ...
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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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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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Phidippus Regius – Regal Jumping Spider

Phidippus regius, the regal jumping spider, is one of the largest species of the jumping spiders of the Phidippus genera ...
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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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Platycryptus Undatus – Tan Jumping Spider

The tan jumping spider is a mostly black and gray jumping spider found in the Eastern United States. The can ...
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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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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 borealis

Steatoda borealis, a spider species that belongs to the genus Steatoda is one of the members family of Theridiidae. In ...
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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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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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Other common Virginia spiders

Below you can find a full list of all other common spiders in Virginia.

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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Dysdera Crocata – Woodlouse Spider

As the name suggests, the Dysdera crocata, or commonly called woodlouse spider, primarily preys on woodlice. The spider can be ...
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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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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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Trachelas Tranquillus – Broad-Faced Sac Spider

The Trachelas Transquillus, or broad-faced sac spider is a spider that is native to the Eastern part of the United ...
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Virginia spider identification

If you have found a spider in Virginia that is not on our list, make sure to upload your picture, description and state where it was found here on our spider identification page. On that site, you can also try our new spider identification tool. We will try our best and find out what spider species you’ve got and get back to you. Follow the tips found on our spider identification page to take an ideal photo and describe the spider, so the identification is easier for us.