Spiders in Wisconsin

According to a 2005 study, there are 479 species of spiders in Wisconsin. Other sources claim that there are over 1,000 species to be found in the state. Regardless of the exact number of species, this page provides an overview of the most common spiders in Wisconsin. The information and pictures below will help you identify Wisconsin spiders. Just click on any of the images or links to learn more about each spider.

The largest family of spiders found in Wisconsin with over 20% of all species are Linyphiidae. These are small and timid spiders, often called money spiders. None of these spiders is dangerous and they are rarely seen or noticed given their small size. Other large groups of spiders in Wisconsin with around 10% of all species each are jumping spiders (Salticidae), cobweb spiders (Theriidiae), wolf spiders (Lycosidae), orb weavers (Aranidae) and ground spiders (Gnaphosidae).

If you are looking to identify a spider you found in Wisconsin, scroll through the images and articles linked in this post or check out our spider identification tool here.

Poisonous Spiders in Wisconsin

While almost all spiders are venomous (not poisonous), there is only one venomous spider species in Wisconsin that is considered medically significant, meaning that it could seriously harm people: the northern black widow, Latrodectus variolus:

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 to use only one kind of Black Widow in its films. It is always shown as a shiny black spider with a red hourglass on the dorsal side of its abdomen. However, this is not exactly the only species of the Black Widow that is out there. In the United States, five species of Black Widows can be found: the Southern Black Widow, the Northern Black Widow, the Western Black Widow, the Brown Widow and the Red Widow. While the ...
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The black widow is often confused with other species of the cob-web spider family, especially the false black widow, Steatoda grossa. If you see a red hourglass marking on the bottom of the spider, you are almost certainly looking at a real black widow.

Are there brown recluse spiders in Wisconsin?

We are often asked if there are brown recluse spiders in Wisconsin. The answer is not really simple. Generally, the entire state of Wisconsin is out of the range of the brown recluse. So the answer is: there are no native brown recluse spiders in Wisconsin. However, occasional sightings of brown recluse spiders in Wisconsin occur as they might be carried into the state on cargo. However, the climate in Wisconsin is too cold for the brown recluse to develop a stable population.

Common spiders in Wisconsin

Some of the most common spiders found in Wisconsin are orb weaving spiders and jumping spiders. Orb weavers are often colorful spiders that spin large orb-shaped webs to catch flying insects. They are very common in our gardens in autumn. Jumping spiders are relatively small spiders that don’t spin webs with the ability to jump very far.

The biggest spiders in Wisconsin are wolf spiders and fishing spiders. Both can reach a maximum leg span of over 3 inches (8 cm).

We have separated the most common Wisconsin spiders into the categories orb weavers, jumping spiders and other common species. Just scroll through the images to identify your spider

Orb Weavers in Wisconsin

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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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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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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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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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 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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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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Jumping Spiders Wisconsin

Jumping spiders are small to medium-sized spiders with the ability to jump impressive distances. They don’t use muscles in their legs to propel forward but suddenly increase the “blood pressure” that kicks them into the desired direction. Jumping spiders, Salticidae, are one of the most common spider family in the United States and Wisconsin.

Spiders of the genus Phidippus are the most commonly found jumpers in Wisconsin.

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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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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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 house spiders and large spiders in Wisconsin

Sac spiders, crab spiders, wolf spiders and fishing spiders are some of the most common other large spiders found in Wisconsin. The most commonly found house spiders in Wisconsin are daddy long-legs (Pholcidae), common house spiders (Parasteatoda tepidariorum), cobweb spiders of the genus Steatoda and ground crab spiders (Xysticus). Here are images of the most common Wisconsin house spiders – learn more and see more images by clicking on the individual images or titles:

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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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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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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Enoplognatha Ovata – Candy-Striped Spider

Candy-striped spider is not only one of the coolest names for a spider - it also looks great. This spider, ...
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Eratigena Atrica – Giant House Spider

As its name suggests, the giant house spider, Eratigena atrica, is one of the largest spiders found in Europe and ...
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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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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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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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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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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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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 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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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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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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If you have found a spider in Wisconsin that is not on our list below, make sure to upload your picture, description and state where it was found here on our spider identification page. 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.