Help Identify a Spider

Two fanged spider shown up-close.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.

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  1. Sarah says:

    Hi, I live in Ontario, and over the past two or so years my family and friends have been spotting fuzzy little black spiders. They look like a black tarantula in miniature (max. I’ve seen is about the size of a dime or penny), but they are really feisty and have a white skull-and-crossbones pattern on their back. WHAT ARE THEY????? These things really freak my friend and me out, and I would really like to know what they are and whether they are poisonous. I’ve never thought to take a picture (just kill it!!!!) Although, I do have reactions to spider bites, so I guess I should photograph it… :) Anyway, if someone can help, that would be great!

  2. austin says:

    the web i more triangular and the marks are orange on its butt also there also this weird zebra looking spider that doesn’t have a web so if you know what they are, thanks!

  3. austin says:

    Hi i found a small probably 1/8 of an inch spider in the center of a round 5-6 inch web with little pieces of we under and around it and it has either a white belly with black back and red mark (definitely not black widow) or reverse what i just said. Its really fast on the web and wont come off no matter what anyways thanks if you know what it is.

  4. Julie says:

    Hi,
    I was in Costa Rica and was told this is the female “yo-yo” spider. However, I can not find any information on that name. Does it go by something else? It was about 4-6 cm body length and hiding inside a leaf.

    Thanks!
    Julie

  5. Vicky Phillips says:

    Bakersfield California I was in my garage doing laundry and found a spider on my dirty sheet at first I thought it was a tick. The bottom is a gray bubble and it looks like it might have a faint stripe down the back bottom.It has four legs on each side. Could not find one like it on the chart.

  6. Susan says:

    I found a spider in my bedroom and haven’t been able to identify it. When I uncovered it, it didn’t try to get a way! Then when I got closer it raised it’s front legs (crab like the front pincher type, larger that the other legs) and chest as tho confronting me. Bold little guy!! Can you tell me what kind it might be? I live in Nevada

  7. Mirriah, MD says:

    Hello,
    I found a spider in our kitchen window the other day. It is no bigger then a penny, it is jet black with 2-3 white dots on the top of its rear back, and blue fangs. I have never scene a spider like this before. I have not found a web by it because it is using our window as its nest I am guessing. I watched it chase down a fly yesterday and then when it was just far enough away the spider jumped to attack the spider. Needless to say it missed the fly, but it was so amazing to watch. I am so fascinated by this spider and I would really like to know what kind it is. Thank you!

  8. april says:

    I found an elongated black spider with what looked to be a single yellow bar across it’s back. it was on my bathroom ceiling by the vent. i live in n.j, and have never seen a spider like this before. i searched the web but found nothing……

  9. dalton says:

    i find it funny how so many people say “ooh its a camel spider” heres some tips on camel spiders. 1) they are sand colored. 2)naturally they only live in the middle east. 3) they have 10 legs not 8. 4) they’re HUGE not under the size of a dime (april #1606) 5) they are NOT spiders.

  10. Bre says:

    Hello, my name is Bre Wolfe, and I live on the eastern plains of Colorado, near the Kansas border, and lately I’ve killed two almost identical spiders in my bathtub. These spiders were about the size of a quarter, dark brown, not fuzzy, there weren’t any spots on it, but then again, I have arachnophobia so I didn’t really look or stay around to really look at the spiders closely.

  11. kathy says:

    i have found two of these in my house he is about two to three inches in length his body is mostly brown but does have some black his legs are striped they are brown and black stripes please help if u know i have two young children , he looks like a wolf or brown recluse i know the brown recluse are very dangerous , not sure about the wolf spider please help, if u have an answer or a pic that i can id him with that would be great , please email at hotmamagoodgirl [at] yahoo.com thanks

  12. ashlyn says:

    hi I’m Ashlyn from FW TX and I’m very interested in spiders anyway i found a little fuzzy black spider on my bedroom wall there was no spots. but the strange thing was it was there all day then it left that night. does it tavle at night it it poison. or is it just a house spider. Thanks!

  13. Jan says:

    No one got bit by this spider. At first we thought it was a recluse but, it’s not. Found it in our bathtub, in Southeast Alaska.

  14. Morgan says:

    I figured out the identity of the spider I mentioned in comment #1619! It is a Phidippus Audax, Bold Jumping Spider! It is not poisonous, you can even hold it. It does not harm humans!

  15. Tarah says:

    I woke up three days ago itching like mad. At lease thirty bites, that start out looking like ant bites, burning and itchy. However they swell to the size of a quarter or half dollar in some instances. Now yesterday I noticed four of the bites (two on left arm, one on right, one on left calf) have gotten to be swollen all the time with a bull’s eye pattern that is VERY distinct. the center red being about the size of a quarter the outer ring about the size of a sand dollar. I have not been hiking, camping, gardening or anything really outdoors in the last few days. Its been rainy and snowing.

    What could it be?

  16. Brienne says:

    #1 Looks like a wolf spider or common house spider. they do not build webs and hunt on the ground, usually at night. they are harmless but look pretty scary.

  17. Morgan says:

    I would like to mention if any has seen or have been bitten by a black spider or a black spider with a red head it is probable either a mouse spider or a funnel web spider! Both are VERY poisonous! The mouse spider ranks 4th in the top 10 most deadliest/poisonous spiders in the WORLD! The funnel web spider ranks 2nd!!! If bitten by one of these spiders or ant other spider seek medical attention immediately!!!

    By the way, if you saw, or were bitten by a black spider with a red head it is most likely a male mouse spider!!!

  18. Morgan says:

    To Tami #1514:

    Now that’s a tricky one! I did some research, and the best answer I can come up with is araneus orbweavers. Remember I am not sure if that is the correct spider! It looks similar but I couldn’t find any pictures of their bites so I’m only going by how they look and how yours looks! Hope I helped!!!

  19. Morgan says:

    To Jenna #1509:

    Now I’m not positive but what you are describing sounds like the toilet/red back spider. But the only problem with that answer, although very similar to the spider you are describing toilet spiders are native to Australia! Now Another answer could be the brown widow BUT it’s red hour glass is on its stomach!!! Well I hope I helped!!!

  20. Morgan says:

    To Theresa #1604 and anyone else who has a similar bite:

    The bite you are describing comes from a brown recluse spider. Very poisonous. STAY AWAY from them! They rank 5th in the 10 most deadliest/poisonous spiders in the world! All who get a brown recluse bite or any other spider bite seek medical attention immediately!!!

  21. Morgan says:

    To Tyler and all who mentioned big brown spiders:

    It was probable a brown recluse or a hobo/ giant house spider. These spiders are very poisonous! So stay away from these spiders! They are in the top 10 poisonous spiders in the WORLD!!! Hobo spider ranks 7th most deadliest spider in the world and the brown recluse ranks 5th!

    By the way I think they like pretty damp areas because I’ve found 2 brown recluses in my bathroom! But That is just what I THINK!!! Not KNOW!!!

    Oh, and Tyler I would seek medical attention immediately!!!!

  22. Morgan says:

    I found this small spider on my window and can’t figure out what it is!!! It is about a half inch big and is black with red/orange spots on its back! It has hair so its NOT a black widow! Please help! Thanks!!!

  23. Kathryn says:

    I’m trying to identify a spider that I just killed it’s maybe the size of a quarter maybe a nickle, it is solid black in color and it has long legs. I live in Michigan about a half hour south of Lansing. Any help would be appreciated especially if it’s deadly to cats we’ve possibly already lost one cat to a spider bite. Please E-Mail me at Kathryn_Hawk [at] yahoo.com; I don’t know if I’ll find this site again.

  24. Mike Gignac says:

    hi, i am from Ottawa, Ontario Canada..and i was on my walk at Mud Lake Conservation area,and it was may 3,2010 in early afternoon, before 1pm, and i was looking at the end of the dock and this big spider was hanging there, its on a 4x4inch piece of lumber, i got about 5ft to the spider, i didn’t want this to jump on me..

  25. Jen says:

    Sorry, re: the black widow looking spider, I forgot to say that I am in Upstate, South Carolina.

  26. Jen says:

    I saw a spider in my yard today that looked like a black widow as far as shape, color, and size, but it had 2-3 orange/red spots on its back. Does anyone know what this is?

  27. Krystin says:

    I found a spider today in my living room crawling around the the baseboard. It was a brown spider with bright reddish-orange legs and was a little bigger than a nickel. I killed it before thinking of taking a picture, because I have a curious 2yr old and a 2month old baby and I didn’t want to take any chances. I live in Northern Virginia. Please help me identify this spider. I’m sorry I don’t have a picture!

  28. AutumnRose says:

    I live in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and me and my family were camping about 20 minuets away from our house. We were out there for a week and there were TONS of spiders, mostly Daddy Long-legs. We were packing up after the week was out and my mother had brought our bikes along. Well she was grabbing the bikes to put in the back of our truck and she screamed. “Holy, S***!” is what came out of her mouth. She yelled to my father and he went over to the bikes. Well, me being curious as I am I followed along to see what she found. it was a huge spider! In all my life I have NEVER seen a spider like this here in Michigan. I wish we had a camera then so I could have taken a picture.

    It had formed a web on the bike handlebars. The spider itself was orange, a really bright orange! We get some nasty looking spiders here but I have never seen an orange spider! I dont remember if it was hairy or not…but my father got some sort of spray out and sprayed it till it died. Then he stepped on it and squished it in the gravel. I remember that it had a huge butt, or abdomen. It didnt look like a garden or orb spider. It looked like the brown ones we get on our house. (our house is INFESTED with those ugly, huge, brown spiders. ) The orange spider was the size of a Nickel. My mother thought it was poisonous cause of the bright color that it was, so she made me stay away from it. Im deathly afraid of spiders…Does anyone have a clue as to what it could be?

    Thanks,
    Autumn Rose

  29. Lia says:

    What kind of spider is this?

    Brownish tan spider

    I found it in my room, I live in Georgia.
    I assume it’s a Brown Recluse, but it doesn’t have the Violin shape..

  30. Stormy Night says:

    OK i need help there was a small deep brown spider with a lighter brown strip on its back can anyone tell me what type it is? sorry i didn’t think to take a picture

  31. Tyler says:

    Hey its #1610 again. i forgot to notify that i live in Massachusetts and was in medfield when i was bit. it was a little wet and i was in a very grassy area. the grass was probably a little higher than my ankles and it was near a road.

  32. Tyler says:

    Hi everyone. i don’t have a picture of this spider, but from what i saw, it was brown and it had 2 black stripes on its upper body part. ive been doing some research and i think it was a hobo spider. not sure but i was bit yesterday and it started to swell around the area of the bite. if anyone could help me with finding out what type of spider it is, can u please tell me. Thank you for your help.

  33. Jamie in Southern Mississppi says:

    I’ve been living in Mississippi for about 10 years now, about 20-30minutes outside of Slidell, Louisiana, and I’m kind of used to seeing funny looking spiders outside or even inside. While normally spiders don’t bother me (as they eat all of the other icky things that like to venture into my house), recently my spiders have been getting alarmingly bigger and more frequent. The spiders that I have come to appreciate were normally very small, about 4 or 5 cm including legs, and black or brown with brown or white speckled backs. However, recently I have been finding very large, about an inch or two long, light brown with black markings and black with bulbous hind ends. Normally I don’t go spider squishing happy, but these spiders have made me very skittish. I know several people that have been bitten by brown recluse spiders and a couple of people by black widows. Thankfully everyone survived and recovered, but the stories were always terrifying. I haven’t had the courage yet to try to catch any of them as my recent compulsion to grab the nearest sneaker and smash it is pretty overwhelming.

    Today, however, I found what may have been the most terrifying thing I’ve found so far. I found a small, 2 or 3 cms long, including legs, with orange/reddish body and black tipped legs. I have searched quite a few websites now for a spider that looked even slightly similar to it, which, so far, I have been unable to do. All of the pictures that I have found of orange and black spiders have been orb spinner spiders and they look nothing like the one I found earlier. It was a very stereotypical looking house spider except for it’s odd coloring, it’s abdomen was very narrow and an orange/reddish color and the same orange/reddish color a little bit up it’s legs, with black tips. I’m sorry that I am being long winded and repetitive about this spider, but I’ve never seen anything like it before, so I am very disturbed by it.

    If I happen to find him again, I’ll try to take a picture of him. I’ll have to find my box of mason jars for the bigger ones.

  34. Kyle says:

    #69 I saw that spider on my leg while I was in school yesterday… If anyone can find out what it was that would be great!

  35. Tika says:

    I live in Pulaski county in KY and have seen a spider that’s about half an inch long, dark brown on top w/ yellow and white markings, and a light tan on the bottom. I’m worried cause I’ve seen a couple in the house. The legs are thick (when compared to the rest of the body) and its very hairy. I’ll try to post a picture later. anyone got any idea?

  36. shaynen says:

    for number 87. It looks like a new breed of widow…you should have a science teacher at a university look at it.

  37. Chris Craig says:

    I’m trying to find the ID of #22 on your list. I live in Michigan and work over night clean up at a child care center. Since it’s gotten warm I’ve been killing 2-5 of these per night (about a month now). I don’t think they are harmful to adults but I’ve been concerned for the children, especially the infants. I’ve been working there for 2 years now and I didn’t see any of these last spring.

  38. Melissa A says:

    I live in Long Island, New York. This spider was in my room. He looks dark and squat, but in the pictures (sent to the address) he looks finer and lighter. I had two nasty bites four days ago on my face, maybe he was the culprit? They’re nearly gone now, though I’ve had a horrible rash all over since and I don’t know if it’s from this or a new lotion or food. Either way, I’m just curious what kind of spider it is.

    Thanks all!

  39. Sumner says:

    There was this spider hanging on the outside of my house at night time. This was the best picture i could get because i didn’t want to get any closer to it. I don’t know if it is poisonous. I want to find out what kind it is. I couldn’t find what kind it was anywhere else so I wanted to know if you could help me identify it.

    Thank you,
    Sumner

  40. Maryann Goldman says:

    I flipped over a lawn chair in a backyard in Raleigh, NC and saw a spider that was mostly black with red on it’s abdomen. My first thought was black widow, but after trying to ID the spider, not I’m not so sure. Any help would be appreciated. Sending picture now. Besides the red which is not really in an hourglass shape but nore a line of dots, there is a bit of red in the legs and some white too.

    Regards,
    Maryann

  41. April says:

    @ # 246

    Sure looks like a camel spider. I believe they are poisonous and it is typical to see them in the middle east! look them up via search engine, as camel spiders have a weird relation in the “spider family”.

  42. Falan says:

    Hello;
    I live in North Florida, and I found this spider in my bedroom crawling around and minding its own business… It moves extremely quickly, and is a little under the size of a dime. It is a brown color with a slightly lighter, almost beige stripe down its back. The bottom of its belly is the same color as the stripe.

    I caught it, because my boyfriend is highly allergic to spiders, and I don’t want it to bite him.
    However, I am curious about what kind of spider it is, and whether or not its poisonous… I am going to take it and release it out in my yard later, somewhere far from my house, because I don’t want to kill it.

  43. Theresa says:

    Umm hi I just recently found a spider bite on my chest, and I don’t know how long it’s been there, but I might have gotten it yesterday or today. At first I thought it was a pimple, a whitehead to be exact. but when I popped it it started oozing out this greenish yellowish kind of pus along with blood. I’m freaking out because I know it’s a spider bite because now I can see the two fang marks. The flesh around it is torn into a circle, and the bite is red inside the torn flesh. I need to know what kind of bite it is, but I think I should go to the doctor right now. I just need to know what kind of spider bite it is. Thank You

  44. Robert Wilshire says:

    For Rachel, #22
    and Carolyn #74.

    Carolyn was right on saying this was a Wolf Spider, not a brown recluse. I live in Texas and see these all the time. Some wolf spiders bite, some do not; but the ones that do are not anywhere near the venom of a brown recluse. A careful look at the pattern of 8 eyes can help identify the relatively harmless and common wolf spider.

    Thanks for this great website!
    Robert

  45. Krek says:

    Hi i live in Serbia-Europe, i find this spider in my hood but i never seen spider like this, also this spider is pretty big, his size is like zippo lighter. Can you please tell me what species is this, cause i cant find anything about this spider on web.
    Thanx.

    Brown/black spider

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