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.
Hi, my name is Mercedes. I live in Wildomar, California (close to Temecula, Ca). I have lived here for almost six years now and have never seen a spider like this.
Last Friday, we saw one in our living room, tried to kill it but it escaped. We thought it was a black widow because the colors are reversed, but it’s definitely not. Then on Tuesday my cousin found three more in the bathroom upstairs, he was only able to catch one.
Can you please tell me what kind of spider this is or whether its venomous or not because we have children and babies in the house.
Thank you
Hello,
I found this spider in my home and would love to know what it is?
Thanks!
Hello Nishchal,
That is a tailless whip scorpion (Amblypygids) and although it looks ominous, it is harmless and likes to hide under items during the day and love humid places. They walk a bit funny (sideways) and have some pretty scary looking pincher’s as in your picture. If she is carrying a sac under her belly, she has young on the way :)
The tailless whip scorpion is thought to be loving in that she will caress her young with those long feelers to provide comfort during their infant stage. This indicates that they are social creatures according to lead study author Linda Rayor, a Cornell University entomologist.
Best regards,
Jim.
To # 56 I to have seen a spider that you described when I lived there. And I couldn’t get close enough to see all the detail on it but I am also wanting to know what kind of spider it is if you get any answers would you let me know.
Today I went out to get the dogs back inside from having their fun playing in the backyard. Of course, one of the dogs tried to get out again so the rocks that covered up a hole were moved about so I went about with my route of replacing rocks.
I picked up one and on the other side of it was a small black spider, about the size of a dime or smaller, it had a red mark on its abdomen and I was terrified! I dropped the rock and killed it but it was too damaged to take a suitable picture to show
I’m unsure if it was poisonous or not, because it nearly got me. Please, can you help me figure out what it was? I live in Birmingham, Alabama
To help lessen the choices of the spider identification, I did a little more research and found out that I faced a black widow! I’m so happy I noticed it before it had the chance to bite!
I didn’t realize my camera battery was so low – it died immediately I pressed the shutter so I only got one shot and the image of the spider has had lots of manipulation just to make it visible as it was severely under-exposed. Hopefully there’s enough detail for identification.
This spider appears in our house in Bahrain (Middle East) every year, usually in early June but it appeared very early this year (today April 13th). We usher it out of the house with a long broom ! It has two pincers that it waves about in a very aggressive manner and is very frightening ! Unlike most spider pictures I’ve seen the pincers are much longer than the legs. We’d love to know what it is and whether we have any good reason to be worried about it !
Thanks,
David M.
Hello
I found a few small yellowish clumps on the back wall of my house today—which turned out to be hundreds of teeny spiders! They spread out on a web close to the wall when disturbed, then return to their clump.
Distinctly yellow roundish body, with black splotch on butt.
I live in the San Francisco Bay Area, East Bay.
Thanks!
Hi,
I don’t agree with Camilo on the answer for #22 and #72. I have the same spider in my basement…usually hanging around piles of clothes that I have yet to wash or under shelving bottoms.
I have attached a photo of a brown recluse below for others to see.
This spider mostly resembles a black house spider. I am still searching though to find out for sure. At any rate, I avoid all spiders to keep from being bitten as I am no expert.
I got a series of bites about 5 years ago that still haunt me today!
I didn’t get to see what the spider/insect looked like.
I was very poor and living in the basement of a dingy, dirty college house in Toledo, Ohio.
I received a series of three bites. I can only find one almost invisible remaining scar above my left hip.
The only reason I even noticed these bites is because they swelled into these huge pimple pockets of pus. It literally looked like I was carrying hard boiled eggs under my skin!
To my surprise they didn’t hurt at all. I didn’t go to the doctor because I was literally living on the streets and there was virtually no pain.They would get sore after I would squeeze them out in the shower. A stream of brown pus would squirt on the shower walls and curtains!( I know, gross!!!!)
As disturbing as this was I had other things to worry about in my poverty. Now that I’m doing better. I live great as a fashion model. I think about the insanity I went through during these dark days.
I don’t think this bite looks like any bite I have come across in your site. It wasn’t red or dis colored at all. There where singular nodguals of three bumps. I had no pain or weakness associated with this bite. I have healed completely with no visible scars or indentations.
All I have is a microscopic ” prick” mark from one of the larger bumps. The excessive pus leads me to believe this bite might of been infected with insect eggs. Is there any insect that lays its eggs underneath human skin?
Please write with any information that can lead me in the right direction.
Thank you!
My mom got bit by a spider a few times she doesnt know what it is the skin is peeling away is that a bad thing
When I was younger my family and I lived in Elko, NV and the outside of our house was infested by big siders that would sit on their webs all day. They had black legs that were always spread out and they had a huge yellow butt with red spots and they were not hairy at all. I asked my mom about them the other day and she was told they were called cat spiders. So I decided to look them up but none of the spiders looked like the ones that I saw and I cant find any info on any spider that looks like that and all that comes up are cat faced spiders which I know was not it. So I am kinda at a loss. Has any one seen a spider like that or know anything about them?
Hi. I need help. I was outside in Virgina playing with my son in his sandbox when I found a spider. It was buried in the sand, but quite alive! The first thing I though was to toss it after watching it for a minute, so I don’t have a picture. It was the size of a quarter, hairy, and had a white hour glass shape on it’s abdomen. I haven’t been able to find anything like that online. Please help.
Okay, today I was cleaning and I found two of the same spider. I didn’t get bit, but there are more around and I would like to know what I am dealing with. I understand it will be hard to identify with no picture, but it has been mentioned quite a few times before on this site. The very first report of it was #19. Normally I wouldn’t be afraid of a spider of this size, but this one is different. I went to go pick it up with a paper towel and it followed me with its eyes. I tried to come behind it because if I didn’t kill it right away I didn’t want it to squirm up to the top and bite my hand. As I tried to get behind it, it continually rotated so it was facing my hand at all times. I can deal with that, it just doesn’t want to be attacked, but here is when the creepy stuff happened. I moved in for the kill, and it reared up it’s front legs to ward me off, and moved a little towards me.
Basically, I am very afraid of spiders, however, I have learned to cope and can manage the occasional 8 legged bastard. I deal with spiders a lot, but this is by far the most aggressive one I have ever seen. I know not everyone on here is an expert on the field of arachnids, but any help would be appreciated. Even if all you have is a one sentenced response, or maybe even a photo. I have searched all over the internet and cannot find any good sources other than this one.
The most thorough description I can give you would be as follows: It is a relatively small black spider. It is quite furry, and is aggressive. The most distinguishing mark on it would have to be the three red/orange dots it has on it’s back. Upon somewhat careful inspection, the dots resemble a face. To describe these dots, I would say there is one dot on it’s upper abdomen, and two more below that, and it resembles a triangle. Also, the abdomen becomes more narrow as it reaches the rear of the spider, so the “butt” of the spider looks much like a cone, coming to a point. I know most of you won’t even read this, some will, and an even fewer number of you will put any consideration in this entry, but I really need to know what these things are.
Oh my God, a previously mentioned spider just “spun” down in front of my face as I was typing the last word in the last paragraph. Please I would really like to know what these things are, and you wouldn’t just be helping me, there are at least 4 more entries before mine that describe the spider I am trying to identify. All help is thoroughly appreciated.
-Tyler
We would like to know what kind of spider is shown in the picture below?
Any help would be appreciated.
Thanks!
#157 and #161 have the same species, I think. They look like Spiny Backed Orb Weavers. Nothing I’ve read so far has indicated that they are venomous. But hey, I’m not an expert.
I didn’t see a response to Kathy #73’s photo, and I know it’s been some time, but I am almost positive that that is a St. Andrew’s Cross spider.
When I was about 8 I saw this spider that was crawling on the ground It had 6 yellow dots on its abdomon and it was all black I don’t have pics because I don’t know how to find pics for this spider so maybe you guys can help me.
I have these little spiders all over my house. They seem to appear all at once and then I won’t see them for awhile.
They are about 1/4″ spread out like this one. I saw this one on my ceiling yesterday. It hasn’t moved much. Today, there were 3 of them on the ceiling. Weird.
Thanks,
Char
Do you know what kind of a spider this is?
I live in SW Georgia and found it in my home on my pc desk! I always put them in jars whenever one crosses my path. I have grandchildren and I don’t want them to get bitten.
Hi, I found your page on yahoo while trying to identify a spider that I have found multiple times around the house.
One of my cats died from a necrotic wound that the vet said might have been from a spider bite, now my dog is showing the same sort of symptoms and I am getting kind of worried. The wound starts out as a tiny hole in the skin but in the dogs case it disappeared and now there is an oval of irritated looking thin skin with very irritated distinguishable borders. The irritation is about an inch and a half by an inch wide.
I have found these spiders in multiple occasion around the house and have killed them not knowing if they are a threat or not.
I would really really appreciate any help you might be able to provide.
Thank you in advance
-Jorge
I live in Rockville, Maryland and found this spider on my wooden trailer, hope someone can help me identify it.
Thank you!
I have an over sized orange tree and an over sized grapefruit tree in my back yard. I went out there recently to get some of the fruit for a snack and came across a spider I never saw before. It was small maybe a half inch at most in length. It’s legs were black and its butt was as hard as a rock. The butt appeared to be shell like It was yellow with three points on either side that were reddish/black in color. and there were six spots on the back. I tried to take a picture, but every picture I took cam out fuzzy and you could barely tell what it was. They are web builders. The webs are almost perfect circles(at least the ones I saw). And the egg sacs are off white in color and are round with many points/spikes all over. I now have quite a few even though I am trying to get rid of them.
At first I thought they were six-spotted spider mite adults. But I couldn’t find any pictures to say yes or no. So I am clueless on the matter. I would like to know what they are and whether or not they pose a threat to myself and my family.
These are the pictures I took. I didn’t know how to put them up so I uploaded them the only way I know how. They aren’t very good.
#157
#161
#176
and myself #229
I found and identified the spider as Gasteracantha cancriformis. It is very common in Florida. It is an orb weaver and is in the Jewel Spider family. There are many different variations of this spider, but the one pictured is Gasteracantha cancriformis. I haven?t found out how venomous they are yet. But the name should help you in finding out that information good luck.
i didnt get a photo but it is about as big as a quarter or so and it is a really light yellow almost white spider. It has a fairly big body with short legs compared to most spiders. I live in East lansing, Michigan. I tried looking for pics that look like it but to no avail.
My wife refused to park in the garage today. She said this spider turned toward the car, as if to challenge it. It would not move out of her path, only closer. I found the spider later today underneath the seal of the garage door, as if waiting for insects that might enter. I captured it in a large tumbler for the photos. It’s about 1.75 inches long, quite large for what I’ve seen in this area (central Virginia). Looks something like the spider in #22.
I think it’s a large house spider. Definitely not a brown recluse – the eyes are not right for that. Also no fiddle on the back. However, I was bitten by a spider a few years back and the sore became ulcerated to about the size of a pencil eraser. It healed to where I can’t find it any longer. But it was very painful. I did not find the culprit.
My friend found a spider in her shoe and I would like to know what kind it is. It could easily cover the palm of a hand. It is brown with orangish stripes on the legs. Does anyone know what species this might be?
Hello,
I wonder if you might tell me what kind of spider this is? I am considering relocation to Oklahoma. It was on the ranch where I may choose to live and is just about 1/2″ , a bit “furry” and went into the ground upon spotting me.
I would appreciate your help. The photo above is actually one that a friend sent to me, but it is very similar to the one that I saw.
I would appreciate any help.
Thank You,
Julie Evans
Milwaukee,
WI
I saw a spider fall down from the wood ceiling. It is not a black widow, but it’s adomen was deep red, almost velvet like. Is this dangerous?
I found this spider running accross the floor of my bathroom. It is about 1 cm long, shiny black, with a large red mark on the the dorsal side of the abdomen, and two small red marks on the underside of the abdomen where it meets the thorax. I am sending pictures, but the resolution isn’t very good, I’m afraid. I’m worried it might be an immature black widow. Please tell me it isn’t! Thanks for your help with this.
Can you please help me identify this spider shown in the picture below?
Thanks,
Caisii
I live in Central Virginia and the spider in the picture below in my basement, which is cold, dry and dark.
It is March right now. I’d appreciate any identification you could provide, as well as whether or not I need to get an exterminator if it is dangerous!
Thank you.
4/4/08: PLEASE if you can identify it, do so soon! i found 2 more in the same area (one of which was on my mother?s face), but i can?t seem to find any webs or nests anywhere. I’m scared since i am pregnant, i don?t know what to do since i can?t be around pesticides.
I wasn’t bit by this, but was very intrigued, Just outside of Blythe CA, about 850 ft Alt. I ran into a black spider, with white spots at each of the leg joints, a white spot on the upper abdomen, and a yellow fringe around the abdomen as well. The entire spider(legs and all) was about 1.5in in Diameter, with a body of about 1/2in length.
I found the spider below in my backyard in Charlotte, NC.
I actually found several of them. It’s about the size of a quarter from tip of front legs to tip of back legs. It is shiny brown, and seems to have no markings on it. Thanks for any help!
Jeff
Vinagar vinagar vinagar: home squeezed lemon juice soaked in large cotton balls or several. Wrap to absorb fresh spider bite venum or toxic sting.
Good luck
Hugs from a Mom with lots of experience.
can u tell me wich spider am i describing??? it is large ….abt the size of ur hand….has black and lite brown colours…..in alternate…..has black fangs…..with red markings on the outer side of his fangs….
Pleople please be aware. The first thing you do when bitten at first sight don’t just wash it with water and soap then ignore it for days or weeks. Do this right away. Soak a huge ball in vinagar. Any kind is fine but organic apple cider vinagar is best. Lemon will do too. Saturate the area or better yet deep the area in vinagar leave a cotton soaked in it for a few hours on top of it after you wiggled the vinagar inside the core of the bite. It will neutralize the poison infection and heal inst antly. Do not wait until it is with pus it will still be good to put vinagar after lots of peroxide. If at worst seas salt /a lot of it/ a paste with water. top it with cotton ball and vinagar and a half a lemon half way squized attached it all together bandage it you will see the difference.
Good luck every one. I learned this in Greece thirty years ago and it has neutralized even bee bites on my daughter’s lip after I pulled the bee’s guts from her lips where she got bitten. After I did all this above she had absolutely no signs of ever been bitten and you know that bee bites can be painful nasty and swell immediatly but not in the presence of acid such as vinagar and lemon !!!
With care and love to all
A Mom in Hollywood.
These very small H-shaped spiders keep appearing inside our home, and they tend to hang out in the place where the walls meet the ceiling. See picture below:
They haven’t seemed aggressive so far, but I’m scared to death of spiders and want to know what these are. They usually sit still in the same place for days on end, but they are very quick when they do move. They’re all a dark brown color with odd markings on their backs that tend to be a tad bit darker than their bodies. Knock on wood – I’ve yet to see one of these guys get to be any longer than the diameter of a nickel, and I’d guess that they’re about 1 cm wide on average.
Any help you can give will be greatly appreciated!
Well I found a dead spider in my home that looks like the one “Duane” sent in September of last year. It was in my 2 year old sister’s playroom and I am wondering what it is and if it is dangerous. If I see another one I don’t know whether to kill it or to let it go outside. I need help identifying it for my sister and the other children I babysits safety. And my parents of course because the whole thing freaks them out!
I live in the middle of North Carolina, right outside of Charlotte and went on a camping trip. I came upon a large (body the size of a nickel?) red spider. It was dark so the color may have been an orangish color. But it was mostly if not all a solid color. I have no picture to show, but i’m hoping you can help.
Hi,
I live in Pensacola Florida and found the spider in the picture below this morning.
Do you have any idea as to what it may be?
Thanks in advance,
Vince
To Krystal #147:
I’ve seen this same type of spider yesterday afternoon at my grandparents fence by the mailbox. Although this one I saw was black with red spikes, it startled me because I’m terrified of all insects!
Minyon
Jacksonville, Florida
Hi,
#22 Rachel, 33 Kristin and #183..
I too live in the Rochester NY area, near the lake. Since last spring I’ve killed lots of these nasty spiders in our basement and a couple in the bathtub but I’ve yet to identify them. They look like a brown recluse, but are darker brown and hairier that the ones I’ve seen in the pics. Below is a picture of the spider:
Anyone have any ideas on what they might be?
Thanks,
Dianne
We found this spider in a corner by our front door he is brown and has markings. we live in southern Florida around Bradenton. I thought I might be a brown recluse or a hobo spider but we are not sure and that’s when I found this. please helps us find out what kind it is.
this spider has a white dot on each male organ,dark stripes on legs w/ visable fine hairs on them as well as the abdomen and also a flower like pattern on back of abdomen, any idea?
found a spider in the house second time just would like to know what kind and if its anything to worry about with two kids in the house.
Hello
I have found small white spiders in our home. Nothing on google can tell me what they are. (Sydney-AUS)
Found spider outside, white body ,brown legs with orange strips down each leg. Area NSW
I found the same exact spider as Sonda #62 and I want to know what that is as well. It was on a rug in the kitchen in San Bernardino Ca. March 7,2008
I had a spider run out of the sleeve of my robe. It was light tan with dark brown legs. It didn’t have any hair on the abdomen or any where else that i could see but i didn’t see it for that long maybe for like 10 sec. I’m glad i didn’t get bit but i don’t like the idea of an unknown spider running around my bedroom
Good Afternoon
I have just noticed that a huge spider has moved in with us. It has a big web and it spans from the ground up to the gutter.
Can someone help me identify the spider in the pictures below?
Regards,
Jacques Kotze
Lichtenburg South Africa
Hi,
My name is Andy and we found this in Eugene Oregon in the late August evening around 9pm. The spider was just walking on the carpet in the dinning room when one of our cats spied it.
We have found more of these since then.
I haven’t been able to find anything that looked like it on the
internet or in my spider identification books.
Can anyone help me identify this spider?
Thanks for your time and take it easy!
Andy
Hey, I found some water damage on some drywall just under a cabinet that has pipes in it in our basement tonight and when I opened the cabinet to inspect the pipes I found I had the unexpected guest pictured below:
I avoided a bite but the markings on the spider’s body gave me a little cause for concern, as my wife is pregnant and we have 8 weeks left before baby arrival, and I have never encountered a spider with such peculiar markings. I would appreciate any help you can give on identifying this little guy, thanks.