Another Brown Spider~ Please help ID?
I posted a picture a few weeks ago of a brown spider & asked if someone would ID it, (I have small children, so I'm a bit concerned about bites).
I got some great responses, (i.e., Hobo Spider, Wolf Spider, common brown house spider, Tegenaria house spider funnel weaver, Amaurobius hackled bandweaver & Brown Recluse).
I FINALLY found another one in the house (basement steps) & got a close up of him. I'd really like to rule out the brown recluse, as I've had spider bite dreams for the last few weeks.
Can anyone positively ID this?
Including out-stretched legs, I'd say you could place a quarter on top of it & it would be a perfect match for size.
Here's the link to my litle brown friend...
http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a97/cmlane1/march5733.jpg
Thanks,
Christy-Western PA
2007-03-24 02:44:33 · 5 answers · asked by jrwmortgage 1 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
It actually is one of the Amaurobiidae, hard to say which species exactly, but the typical carapace (head) shape and typical zig zag pattern on the abdomen give it away. It is difficult to go down to species with this specimen simply because the males (which this little guy is) are not very well documented especially in photographic keys. My best guess would be the genus Callobius spp. but I am not an expert on this group i just think they are rather cool. If it were a jumping spider or sac spider, i could most likely give you the species almost immediately, but these guys belong to a fairly large and complicated family of spiders, but all I can tell you is that they are not dangerous, and they are rather docile by nature, and typically will not bite even when handles, I have raised some larger Amaurobiids, like Wadotes in captivity, and they are really gentle.
I hope this puts your mind at ease, sorry i couldn't give you an exact species I.D.
2007-03-24 11:22:30 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Looks very like a nice male Amaurobius. These are members of a group called 'cribellate' spiders that spin fluffy masses of webbing under rocks, logs, or basement debris. Really, I'd not worry about spider bites so much, if I were you - there are lots of ways kids can get hurt, and lots of things that can bite or sting them, and spiders are waaaaaay down on the list of likely candidates. The only US spiders I would be seriously concerned about would be Widows - not that they're so life-threatening, but that widow bites have such excruciatingly painful effects.
2007-03-24 04:28:04 · answer #2 · answered by John R 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This doesn't look like a brown recluse to me - although I'm not sure just what classification it is; could possible be the window spider but size throws me. A brown recluse has a "violin" shape on it's body and is usually not that big. If this is all that scary to you and you cannot be sure; call in an exterminator. For the peace of mind you will get, the cost is worth it. And, unlike you "bug spraying" yourself, they will be sure to use an application that is not dangerous to your children.
2007-03-24 04:21:32 · answer #3 · answered by okemah39 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
definately one of the tegenaria species.
it is hard to say what one as there are many variants. it is just a common house spider.
it is definately not dangerous and not a brown recluse either. try the link below for a picture of the recluse. yours is not even close.
hope this helps.
2007-03-25 23:04:41 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
That is known as the Black House or Window Spider.
2007-03-24 02:52:16 · answer #5 · answered by Laura 1 · 0⤊ 1⤋