/r/spiders
All things Arachnid: articles, photos, videos, art, and ID requests are welcome.
All things Arachnid: articles, photos, videos, and ID requests are welcome.
BEFORE YOU POST:
This is a "No Nope Zone." Hackneyed jokes referencing fire, "nopes," or gratuitously killing spiders will be removed or downvoted to oblivion.
x-posts from r/WTF are not allowed. Posts referencing that subreddit will be deleted.
Include geographic location (country, state, province, region) with ID requests. There are tens of thousands of species -- this helps narrow it down.
There is no need to crosspost to /r/whatsthisbug - the same people identify spiders on both subreddits.
Do not post pictures of "bites" unless you personally witnessed the spider biting the person. If you're asking "Is this a spider bite?" the answer is almost certainly no. Pictures of random red bumps or yucky patches will be removed.
Photo tips: The most helpful views for identifying a spider include:
a view from directly above
the eyes
a view from below
These are just tips -- if you didn't get a chance to get these, post what you've got! The spider sleuths will do their best.
Making IDs
Amateurs are encouraged to guess. An important exception is guesses about medically significant spiders (widows, recluses, etc). In those cases, leave it to people who know. Otherwise, an innocent person or spider could get hurt.
Is it dangerous?
The vast majority of spiders are harmless to humans. If you live in North America, there are only TWO types of spiders with the potential to cause serious harm:
Brown recluse (a.k.a. fiddleback) - Loxosceles reclusa
Note the limited range of the brown recluse.
Black widow - Latrodectus sp.
Severe reactions are rare. A lot of spiders may look similar. If you aren't sure about your spider, please post and ask! By the way, science does not support that hobo spiders pose any threat.
Outside N. America, the following spiders have the potential to be medically significant (list may not be comprehensive):
Wandering spiders of Central and South America (Phoneutria sp. and others)
Recluses (Loxosceles sp.) in the Americas, Africa and the Mediterranean.
Sicariids (found in southern Africa and South America)
Australian funnel-web spider (Atrax robustus)
Australian redback (Latrodectus hasselti)
Mouse spider (Missulena sp.)
External links to spider ID resources:
Bugguide: Spiders of U.S. & Canada
Field Guide to Spiders of Australia
Spiders of Europe and Greenland
Other subreddits you might like:
/r/spiders
I think I caught this guy off guard this morning as he was struggling to get out of the sink. This is the second spider like this that my girlfriend and I have seen in our apartment, she's worried it might be a brown recluse.
I didn't mind spiders in the house, they keep the bugs down, but I haven't seen one like this before. The distance between the front legs is about an inch.
Do I need to run away screaming?
Found it outside my room in Nepal.
South Texas location
Met this buddy in my room, I know the two poisonous spiders and brown recluse and black widow which I believe it is neither but any ideas what this is?
Antigua Guatemala.
Thanks for any help!
Sydney NSW
What are they and do they bite?
Location: southern California. San bernardino
North TX
Found in our house while unpacking.
Help please? South Carolina. Found in bathroom. I put a glass over it and had it trapped but it got out and its gone now. Is this thing going to kill me in my sleep? Should my cat be chasing it around if its found?
East Coast US
Virginia, USA
Mine is the marbled orbweaver (araneus marmoreus) aka the pumpkin spider
This is my newly acquired pink toe tarantula. It is laying on its back and in its web it’s made. I’m afraid it might be dead because it hasn’t moved for a while. Also because it’s legs are kind of curling inward. What should I do? And how do I know if it’s dying? And what do I do if it is?
Hanging out in a large web, found in bay area Victoria, Australia. Almost wore the web. What is he?