Help Identify a Spider
Need help identifying a spider? If so, then take a look at our collection of spider pictures to see if it looks like yours.
You can also look through the comments below to see if any of the images match your spider.
Don’t see your spider? feel free to upload your photo here and we’ll attempt to id it, and if we can’t, then perhaps one of the visitors can after we post it.
On an evergreen I bought 2 yrs. ago which has grown to about 6′ now I saw a LARGE about 3-4″ white headed and white faced spider. It’s body is black with yellow cross lines and yellow dots on each side near it’s lower back 3 dots on each side. Just hanging in it’s web. If it’s friendly I would like to leave it alone. If not I prefer to be the one who remains. I live in Woodstock, Ga a bit NW of Atlanta, Ga. Please let me know what you think.
Thanks very much.
Ann Smythe
I was bitten by this spider (photo being emailed). It only has 6 legs is no bigger than a penny, sorry the abdomen is a bit decomposed already.. it’s only been a week but it went through the wash. I was bitten in my sleep and was awakened by a tremendous burning in my arm (where the bite site was). I have never felt this much pain in my life. The burning was so intense it made me very nauseous. I almost passed out and was feverish for a few days.
The bite continued to burn (seemed to burn inside my bone) for 3 days. My arm swelled up and bruised in a matter of seconds after the bite. My hand was numb for two days and after all of this my arm continued to ache in the bones even still. The bruise is almost gone now, it was black but no skin broke open or oozed. It was extremely sensitive even to my shirt sleeve. I live in Montana and I don’t know exactly what sorts of spiders are here except the Hobo spider. This is not it. I see them everywhere. I have never seen this spider before and I don’t want to see it again.. It was put through the wash because I couldn’t find it so I washed everything on the bed and floor an it turned up.
Hi Hans,
You are right when you say this spider is beneficial to your garden – it is!
This is an orb weaver, they are the builders of spiral wheel-shaped webs often found in gardens, fields and forests. Their common name is taken from the round shape of this typical web.
Habitats can range from grass to corners of homes or under protected porches. Their webs are clearly their operating stage as the Orb Weaver sits in the middle, head facing downwards, waiting for prey to come upon their net. If the spider is not found in the middle of the web, it is usually nearby monitoring the web by way of a “signal” line still attached to the spider. The moment a prey gets entangled in the sticky web, the spider can come out to finish the job.
It is reported that Orb Weavers will re-spin a new web every night. Their proficiency at nighttime hunting and propensity to enjoy insects makes them the ultimate in the way of mosquito zappers. If you find an Orb Weaver near your front door or deck, and it is not in an intimidating area for you or your guests, keep it around and you’ll notice the mosquito population dwindle in the dusk-to-nighttime hours.
Hope this is helpful!
Jen
Hi Guys,
really like your web site. I went to look up this spider and not sure I could identify it properly.
Have enclosed a picture. I don’t want to kill it as I feel that they are beneficial to our garden. Any assistance is appreciated.
many thanks
Hans Dietrich
Quincy MA
Lou and Jesse,
You both sent me images of the same spider which happens to be a marbled orb weaver.
The unique ‘marbling’ pattern of colors on the abdomen, the orange head and black and white legs make this spider visually stunning. Like other orb weavers, this spider creates circular webs daily. This species prefers moist locations near water sources. These spiders shouldn’t harm you and actually are very beneficial to us because they take care of a lot of those pesky insects!
Hope this helps,
thanks for sending in photos!
Jen
I saw this in Raleigh NC, don’t have a clue as to what it is?
thanks.
We came across this spider while we were camping in Maryland. Just wondering what it is?
Marsha,
That is a running spider (or sac spiders), they do not form webs. Instead they hunt their prey with quickening speed.
I live in Rockwall, TX and found a spider that is brown with a little orange. It has a black bell shaped marking on the belly with a white square surrounding it. Can anyone please help me identify this spider?
Hello. My younger brother nearly walked into a spider web. the web was hanging between my porch and a tree. The spider was red with black spots along its abdomen. It was not hairy, but it was not a shiny color, either. Sort of dull. The web was about 3 feet across and the spider itself was about 1.5 inches long. I ended up killing it with a can of raid and a shovel. I have 2 dogs and my brother living here. Can you help me identify it or at least find out if it’s poisonous?
Hi, #62 on your website: https://www.badspiderbites.com/spider-identification/#comment-18074
Do you know what kind of spider that is? I found one in my house.
Thank you.
i want to know what this is really bad….
sorry i don’t have a picture but i was cleaning up downstairs and this spider dropped down onto me like a red back/black widow i was like ahh a red back then i looked at it and it had black and white stripes on its abdomen so i caught it i’m trying to get it to make a web so far its going good the web is the same as a red backs web it stoked me now i’m feeding it to see how it kills its prey let me know if anyone else has seen 1 like this before
Hi i found a spider in my back yard tonight an it had hundreds of babies on its back an i took pics an looked up on the internet an found out that it was a grass spider or a funnel weaver spider, but nothin i have found has said that they do carry their young on their backs so if u could please let me know if this spider does do that. Thanks alot an we live in central alabama. Tara
Hey kB I found one of those spiders today while releasing a lizard into a hollow tree stump
I live in Texas and found a hairy black spider with a bright blue spot on its back approximately the size of a silver dollar, while gardening. What kind of spider is it? Is it poisonous? I am terrified of spiders and wont go back out there until I know its not dangerous….please help!
Melody
Okay I would appreciate help with this one I took a picture and I can not find my cord. So as soon as I find it I promise I will post it.
I found this spider in my bathroom on the floor next to my sink. It is brown I would say just shy of an inch maybe a full inch. it has a long narrow body and with a white stripe on its abdomen with faint white stripes on it’s torso. long thin legs.
Thanks for any help you could give me.
Ambar-
The spider pictures you sent are of cob web spiders, including the black widow.
Cobweb spiders are common in North America, and can be found almost anywhere that they can find weeds, fences, trees, walls, or other upright structures to build their webs.
Cobweb spiders are predators, and they will eat almost anything that is small enough to get trapped in their webs. Like most web-building spiders, cobweb spiders tend to have poor vision – they don’t need to see very well because they can “feel” prey when it gets caught in their webs. Most cobweb spiders are considered beneficial to humans.
They eat flies, mosquitoes, and other creatures. However, The black widow spider is a cobweb spider, and its bite can be dangerous.
She was quite aggressive..
If I blew on her, she would turn around and show me her hour glass..
The male was only a few feet away in his own web.. for some reason cause I’m so used to black widows.. that I felt a sense of awe at seeing this one..
but what is weird, is that we have found now 4 since this one, just like it.. all aggressive, and very mobile.. and just as big as a regular widow..
I live in Ventura county, California..
Ambar
Amy –
The spider you found isn’t a garden spider but actually an orb weaver.
They really shouldn’t be any bother to you and actually are beneficial to us because they help keep the mosquito count low, which is always nice!
Hope this helps!
-Jen
Kyrstin –
That looks like a garden spider, which also makes sense because you found it in the garden.
Check out the “garden spider” section for more info: https://www.badspiderbites.com/garden-spider/
been living at my house for 10 years now and have never seen a spider like #62. please help me id. ps he was in the shower with me on the ceiling. thanks
can you please help identify this spider thank you
hi i don’t know how this happened but i got bit by something a few days ago, at first i had a red bump like a mosquito bite with a yellow center like a headed pimple but now it just getting bigger and the red area is raise and a different texture of my skin. now it doesn’thurt and i don’t feel ill but the area does itch. help me please i sent a photo.
My friend found this spider outside her house in Illinois just chilling in her rose garden. We’ve both never seen a spider like this and the tri colored bands on it’s legs has us confused to no end. Please Help!
Thanks,
Kyrstin
I found this spider hanging out in my garden amongst the plum tree. No web was found. Can you please help identify it?
Thanks,
Kevin Leon
Kristy,
This is an orb weaver – they do have small markings but they are not in an hour glass shape.
They aren’t harmful spiders and they help get rid of a lot of insects in the summer, especially mosquitoes.
A lot of people have been finding orb weavers lately – I recently posted some info in the spider identification comments section.
Jen
Hi..this is a picture of a spider in our back yard and we are not sure what it is. It looks like it has a marking on the backside but can’t tell if it the hourglass shape. I didn’t know if you could tell by this picture.
Thanks,
Kristy Bowen
Hi Kristen,
This spider is clearly a marbled orb weaver.
The unique ‘marbling’ pattern of colors on the abdomen, the orange head and black and white legs make this spider visually stunning.
Like other orb weavers, this spider creates circular webs daily. This species prefers moist locations near water sources.
Females are twice the size of males and generally stay hidden at the web’s perimeter in a mess of leaves.
Adults are very active during the summer and autumn months.
It is reported that Orb Weavers will re-spin a new web every night. Their proficiency at nighttime hunting and propensity to enjoy insects makes them the ultimate in the way of mosquito zappers. If you find an Orb Weaver near your front door or deck, and it is not in an intimidating area for you or your guests, keep it around and you’ll notice the mosquito population dwindle in the dusk-to-nighttime hours.
Hope this helps!
I know this picture is hard to see, but having this spider close to my house really scared me. It was pretty large…just wanted to know what kind of spider it is and if it is harmful. I live in RI if that is helpful.
Hi Arch,
That is definitely an orb weaver.
-Jen
I found your web site through Google and am hoping you can identify this beauty. Fortunately I have not been bitten (yet) as I gather pictures.
I’ll bookmark the web site and check back. Good luck, and thanks.
Arch Baker
I found a spider around my house. The other day someone said it was a Brown Recluse, but having looked it up, it’s not a Recluse, but I dont know what it is. The best image i can find is actually on this site, but there’s not response about what it is or if it’s dangerous. The spider is the same as the picture in post 7 on page 1.
i recently found a spider in my Garage. it was maybe about the size of 1/4 of a quarter. it had a clear upper body and legs. the bottom half was a yellow-ish color. the tips of its feet was black and so were its fangs. could you please help me identify this spider. thanks!
No. 57, Barb from Parker, CO: what kind of spider? the one I found is maybe 2 inches long. Predominantly brown. Found in the house in a corner while kids were playing. Thanks!
I didn’t take a picture but it looks just like the picture that #615 submitted. Thanks
I found a spider just like #615 in my car yesterday. It was on my driver’s seat and I almost sat on it, but a friend pointed it out to me. It has a two part red body and black legs. I have no idea what kind it is or if it is dangerous or not.
I do not have a picture but it looks almost exactly to #7 spider and it was hanging from my house’s door frame. If needed I can get a picture though it’s 3cm. in length (based on simple estimation) a brownish red back, orange abdomen, two vivid white stripes on each leg, and hang in pairs
a spider that appears in October weaving a web it lives underground and surfaces during the Halloween season I have seen this spider every year in San Diego CA
Hey Linda,
That looks like a hobo spider.
although the bite of the hobo spider is initially painless, the bite can be serious. After 24 hours, the bite develops into a blister and after 24-36 hours, the blister breaks open, leaving an open, oozing ulceration. Typically when the venom is injected, the victim will experience an immediate redness, which develops around the bite. The most common reported symptom is severe headache. Other symptoms can include nausea, weakness, fatigue, temporary memory loss and vision impairment. In any case, first aid and medical attention should be sought, if bitten, as and when any adverse health effects are observed.
can you please identify this spider for me?
I live in St. Louis MO and found it in my basement which is partially finished (it was on the steps leading to the living area) and then I set it free.
Thanks
Hey Carrie,
That is most definitely an orb weaver.
Orb Weavers come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Common traits among some include the rounded abdomen and orange-to-brown and brown or black coloring – those this colors may vary per species. Legs of an Orb Weaver are generally very long, giving it a most menacing look, and their overall body size can range from 6mm for males and up to 10mm to 20mm for the females.
Habitats can range from grass to corners of homes or under protected porches. Their webs are clearly their operating stage as the Orb Weaver sits in the middle, head facing downwards, waiting for prey to come upon their net. If the spider is not found in the middle of the web, it is usually nearby monitoring the web by way of a “signal” line still attached to the spider. The moment a prey gets entangled in the sticky web, the spider can come out to finish the job.
Hi Sidin,
That spider looks like some of kind of orb weaver to me.
Hope this helps!
oh btw i live in allentown, pa. about an hour and 30 minutes north of philadelphia. its basically a perfect example of suburbia, and it used to be wooded but now it just contains houses.
i saw a spider in my bathroom today after taking a shower. it was brownish/black with a milky white “tail.” i dont know the anatomy of a spider (i forgot elementary school teachings haha), but its the very last part like where they spin their webs. it wasnt just the tip, it was the whole end body section, the whole third. that part was the biggest with the middle body section slightly smaller and the head the smallest. it was about the size of a nickel with its legs at a normal standing position. thats about all i can give u. thanks for ur help i’ll check back soon
Hi!
I just found your site and was hoping that someone could identify this really unusual spider I found. It was a very shiny black with no fur/hair on it and it had a bright shiny yellow dot on the bottom part of its body. It was small, probably this size of a penny. The way it acted when I caught it was very strange. It was on the corner of my dresser and kept running around in a large circle, never even tried to run away from me. I live in eastern Washington and have never seen this spider before or since. I was always told that bright yellow or red on a spider, insect or snake means poisonous. Thanks for any info on it as I can’t identify it or find any pictures of it.
Annetta
hi
I got this spider from my courtyard its seen with its web between the small plants. It is found about 4 to 5 feet above ground
its small around 1- 1.5 cm its upper part is like a zebra that is its having white lines in black across and bottom has yellow spots in black also noticed it has two spine (like) portions to the back of body and one each to lateral
can you identify it?
i have spiders all around my house the resemble the spider is picture #1 im not sure exactly what they look like because im so scared to get close enough to look at it but im pretty sure it looks like #1 i also a different kind of spider in my bathroom but cant make it out because the web is formed around it i have 2 kids and been trying to do a little research to make sure that my kids will be okay
Hi Carole,
that spider is a Spiny Backed Orb Weaver
The spines on the side of this spider make it unique and easy to recognize. Males are considerably smaller than females. Like other orb weavers, it creates a web that is circular in shape, only it has few or no spirals at the center of its web. Each night, a new web is spun. Late in the year, the female will lay eggs that will grow throughout winter, hatching spiderlings in spring.
Hi Cathy,
It looks like that is an Orb Weaver.
Orb Weavers come in a variety of shapes and sizes. Common traits among some include the rounded abdomen and orange-to-brown and brown or black coloring – those this colors may vary per species. Legs of an Orb Weaver are generally very long, giving it a most menacing look, and their overall body size can range from 6mm for males and up to 10mm to 20mm for the females.
Habitats can range from grass to corners of homes or under protected porches. Their webs are clearly their operating stage as the Orb Weaver sits in the middle, head facing downwards, waiting for prey to come upon their net. If the spider is not found in the middle of the web, it is usually nearby monitoring the web by way of a “signal” line still attached to the spider. The moment a prey gets entangled in the sticky web, the spider can come out to finish the job.
It is reported that Orb Weavers will re-spin a new web every night. Their proficiency at nighttime hunting and propensity to enjoy insects makes them the ultimate in the way of mosquito zappers. If you find an Orb Weaver near your front door or deck, and it is not in an intimidating area for you or your guests, keep it around and you’ll notice the mosquito population dwindle in the dusk-to-nighttime hours.
Rich,
It looks like a hunting/fishing spider to me.