Overview of Spider Species in the United States
Peucetia viridans, commonly known as the green lynx spider, is a large bright green spider found on many kinds of shrub-like plants throughout the southern United States. Outside the United States, they are also found in Mexico, Central America, and the West Indies. Quick Overview: Peucetia viridans – Green Lynx SpiderMedically significant: NoBody size: 0.63”-0.47” […]
Commonly known as Red-femured spotted orb weaver or spotted orb weaver, these spiders are in the family of Araneidae which has a Latin name of Neoscana domiciliorum. These spiders are known to be beneficial in consuming a variety of insects. They are also nocturnal. Quick Overview: Neoscona domiciliorum – Red-femured Spotted Orbweaver Medically significant: NoBody […]
Candy-striped spider is not only one of the coolest names for a spider – it also looks great. This spider, which goes by the scientific name of Enoplognatha ovata, is part of the cobweb spider family and has been introduced to the United States and Canada from Europe. Over the last years, its populations have […]
The arrow-shaped orb weaver, Micrathena sagittata, is a strange-looking, arrow-shaped spider that is commonly found in gardens of the Eastern United States. The spider’s abdomen is large and yellow with two large red and black spines on its back. Its specific name “sagittata” is Latin for “arrowed” and it refers to the shape of the abdomen. Arrow-Shaped […]
The red-backed jumping spider, Phidippus johnsoni, is found throughout the Western United States and Canada. The spider has a black body and the back of its abdomen is bright red. Description of the Red-Backed Jumping Spider The redbacked jumping spider is generally quite easy to identify. It’s body is predominantly black with a brightly red […]
The spinybacked orbweaver is a small harmless spider with six characteristic spines along the back of its abdomen. It can come in a variety of colors. The native range of this species is throughout the Southern United States, Central America and the Caribbean. The spiny backed orb weaver has also been introduced to Hawaii and […]
Latrodectus mactans, the Southern black widow is a close relative of the Northern black widow and the Western black widow. The female of all three species is mostly black with a distinctive red hourglass pattern on the underside of its abdomen. They can inject a potent venom with their bite with potential severe medical effects. […]
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 […]
Latrodectus hesperus, the Western black widow spider is one of the few medically significant venomous spiders in the United States. As its common name suggests, it can be found in the Western States of the US as well as in Canada. Description of the Western Black Widow The larger female Western black widow looks very […]
Latrodectus geometricus, commonly called the brown widow spider, is one of the most common widow spiders that can be found in the United States. Its range is restricted to the warm Southern States ranging from California to Florida and South Carolina as well as Hawaii. It is not a native US species and has been […]
