Dolomedes tenebrosus
(Dark Fishing Spider)

Picture ID 56742

Comments & ID Thoughts

I don’t know very much about spiders scientifically. I just know that this thing measured about 5 inches from his front legs to his back, if not a little more. He was black and you could actually see some sort of fangs On his face. He’s lost in our house now. Somebody told me that it looked like a wolf spider but I have no idea. We are in the county right outside of Richmond Virginia, kind of in the country. This thing was in my daughters bedroom on top of the curtain rod. It’s still running around.

Submitted by:
mnick
Submitted: Apr 12, 2019
Photographed: Apr 12, 2019
Spider: Dolomedes tenebrosus (Dark Fishing Spider)
Location: Chesterfield VA, Virginia, United States
Spotted Indoors: Other
Found in web?: No
Attributes: Dorsal

6 Comments

oldest

newest most voted

Inline Feedbacks

View all comments

ItsyBitsy

Moderator

April 12, 2019 5:40 pm

Tentative given the amount of detail but this is likely a Dark Fishing Spider, Dolomedes tenebrosus.

Mnick

Photo Owner

Reply to ItsyBitsy

April 12, 2019 6:06 pm

I saw a pic of one of those and wondered if it could be this! Is this dangerous/poisonous?

Mnick

Photo Owner

April 12, 2019 5:40 pm

Very very (to me) large black spider. He stayed in the same general area of the curtain for over an hour. 5 or so inches from front of front legs to backs of back legs…Very scared because he disappeared

BugmanDan

Reply to Mnick

April 12, 2019 7:10 pm

Hi,to elaborate,no known spiders are poisonous but nearly all produce venom like ants and bees. These are no exception. Called fishing spiders,this and another are not always found near water and sometime come indoors. These would be no more dangerous than a bee and then these are reluctant to bite. Trapping against the skin or under clothing where they can’t run may provoke a bite. Being nursery web spiders, they may also be defensive of eggs or young in their web, otherwise you have to work to provoke them to bite. Normal behavior, they like to chill on vertical surfaces… Read more »

TangledWeb

Moderator

Reply to BugmanDan

April 13, 2019 12:41 am

Also, fishing spiders’ eyes reflect light (eyeshine) as you can see in photos below. You might be able to find it by its eyeshine using a bright flashlight in each darkened room.