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Comments & ID Thoughts
This spider is large and the one distinct feature I can point out is while it appeared to be resting it curled its legs up under its body, almost like it was dead.
- Submitted by:
- Submitted: May 18, 2020
- Photographed: May 18, 2020
- Spider: Unidentified
- Location: Scott Depot, West Virginia, United States
- Spotted Outdoors: Man-made structure (building wall, fences, etc.)
- Found in web?: No
- Attributes:
Anyone able to identify this guy? I did some research myself, but nothing on the web that I was able to find matched the coloring.
Orbweavers often do the curled-up legs thing, but this doesn’t look like any orbweaver I’ve ever seen.
Same here, and this guy was fairly large, approximately the same size as an adult wolf spider, just not as plump.
The markings on its legs, carapace and abdomen seem to say that it might be Pisaurina mira. The eyes also have the correct look to be a Nursery Web Spider. Here’s the closest picture I could find of your spider you have. https://bugguide.net/node/view/1445892/bgimage
Thank you for the info! I kind of had it narrowed down to a nursery web, fishing, or sac spider, but the coloration and shape of its body was throwing me off. I know spiders can come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, but this one was pretty unique. (Btw, after ruling out the super deadly spiders I released it back into the wild…… away from my house lol.)
You moved it away from your house AFTER you determined it was not super deadly? It is a Pisaurina mira, as LittleSling said. They have at least 5 different markings variations. This one is male, so it is much smaller with proportionally longer legs. The long legs are for self-defense from the female during mating – it’s not easy or safe for many male spiders to mate. This is the time of year when the males are on missions to find females. It is in family Pisauridae with the Fishing Spiders. They have the same basic shape – long, flat,… Read more »
Thank you!! I really appreciate the info! I’m usually pretty good at identifying critters and such, but this one had me stumped. As for moving it away from the house…. Lol yes, it was AFTER I determined it wasn’t deadly. I had it contained while I was taking pictures and doing a little quick research. Once I made the determination I set it free in the wood line so it could continue hunting (hopefully for other pesky insects I don’t care for). I’m the only one in the house that isn’t terrified of spiders so I’m the one who is… Read more »
It’s fun to be the only one around who isn’t afraid of something harmless and be the hero to the spiders and the cowering humans. I like science fiction, the words “cowering” and “humans” are used together often. I like this site because I’m not the only one here who says “humans” instead of “people.”
Lol I agree it is fun! I too enjoy science fiction and appreciate your sense of humor. There is one creepy crawly I refuse to touch or kill (unless I can kill it with bug spray)… cockroaches. They are just gross and icky. Lol I would save a million spiders before I would have anything to do with a cockroach!