What Spider is this??

I have found this spider in my back yard and have never seen this type before. I have searched the web intensively and have found nothing...The only spider that matches the color is a Jumping Zebra spider but the size does not match....the zebra spider is up to 7mm in length(body) and does not make a web. The one I found was on a web and its body was aroung an inch long (body) 2-3 inches (incl. legs) with hairy body + legs.

I live in the Ottawa region and I have been searching since Monday. I even sent a picture to the insectorium in montreal for ID but that website says it could take over a month to get a reply (I dont want to wait that long if it turns out to be dangerous as she could have friends around).

So if anyone on ATS is a spider expert, it would be a great help.


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thanks in advance!!

Teye22

Looks like a european garden spider to me..
en.wikipedia.org...

the pic on the wikipedia is a little more yellow than yours but if you google it the images appear to be a close match.

Just my guess though

I'm from the Ottawa area too , and I think it's a wood spider or some people call it a wolf spider ? They can get pretty big !!!

reply to post by Teye22


From that picture he does not look like a poisonous type. Would help to have a ruler by him and show the top not bottom. Seems many insects are moving, a few years ago we got a huge change with a ton of spiders we never saw before, new bugs each year, some kinds have already move on, they seem to be gone anyway.

Originally posted by ryan2s
Looks like a european garden spider to me..
en.wikipedia.org...

the pic on the wikipedia is a little more yellow than yours but if you google it the images appear to be a close match.

Just my guess though

Just checked the diferent colors of the one you mentionned and it doesn't match. It was clearly black and white and really hairy. gross me out. Thanks for the reply though!

reply to post by Teye22

The coloration and unusual abdomen shape (hard to see in the picture) could be consistent with one of the 1000's of "orb weaver" spider varieties. If it made a web with circular symmetry preliminary identification as an orb weaver spider variety is even stronger. Orb weavers are both harmless and extremely beneficial to mankind.

Best regards,
Z

looks like a wolf spider to me, but the pic is not very good for identification. One can most often ID spiders by their eyes, i.e. their position and how many there are. Another indicator is the legs.

you can read more about wolf spiders here :
www.wolfspider.org...

Originally posted by Char-Lee
reply to post by Teye22

 

From that picture he does not look like a poisonous type. Would help to have a ruler by him and show the top not bottom. Seems many insects are moving, a few years ago we got a huge change with a ton of spiders we never saw before, new bugs each year, some kinds have already move on, they seem to be gone anyway.

That is the top view the bottom was completely black....Unfortunately its the only picture I have but after my wife killed it ... I got a closer look and other than the legs, there was no white under it.

For size, the body was the size of my thumb (from joint to tip) that is where I guessed the around an inch long part.

Originally posted by Hellhound604
looks like a wolf spider to me, but the pic is not very good for identification. One can most often ID spiders by their eyes, i.e. their position and how many there are. Another indicator is the legs.

you can read more about wolf spiders here :
www.wolfspider.org...

Yeah that's what it looks to my untrained spider eye. They do look pretty cool.

The wolf spider looks similar, and they are native to Canada.

Wolf spiders, or Rhabidosa rabida, are one type of spider found in Canada. Wolf spiders are typically active at night and capture prey by hunting instead of using a web like most spiders. Wolf spiders can grow up to 3 centimeters in length and have a dark brown color. These spiders are usually found in grass, wood floors of homes, gardens and beaches. Wolf spiders look for a warm place to stay during the wintertime. This increases the number of Wolf spiders found in homes in Canada during the winter.

Or it could be a fishing spider, often mistaken for a wolf spider.

Fishing spiders are another type of spider found in Canada. Fishing spiders are commonly confused with wolf spiders, but have a different eye pattern. These spiders can grow up to 7.5 centimeters in length. Fishing spiders are commonly found near cottages, waterfronts and especially in rocky shoreline areas off the coast of Canada. Fishing spiders commonly hunt minnows in the shallows of water.

reply to post by Hellhound604


It does resemble the wolf spider...I have to agree there but again its the color that steers me in another direction. the white"stripes are what make it hard to ID I guess. Wolf spiders in the area are commonly brown in color though according to what I found.

Will keep diggin'. I will search my backyard tonight to see if there could be another one that I can catch alive. If I do find one, I will post better pics of it....like Eyes / a ruler next to it/ top & Bottom. I hope I find one so I can get those pics but I also hope I dont (dont like spiders much).

One thing is for sure, If I see one, I will recognize it!!!!

reply to post by DrZrD


I was going to say the same thing. Orb weaver. I have one on my patio right now. It that time of year for them. Don't worry they will be gone in a month or two. But in that time they get HUGE! they are persistant on making the same web in the same place night after night. usually right where you need to be walking. They are harmless but will scare the crap out of you when you accidently walk into one.

Probably white spotted jumping spider. Native to Canada and Northern US. en.m.wikipedia.org...

Originally posted by leemachino
Probably white spotted jumping spider. Native to Canada and Northern US. en.m.wikipedia.org...

That is actually the closest I found to it was in the jumping spiders category but jumping spider dont do webs and dont get that big (at least not usualy)

I think it may be this guy! Found under search canadian garden spider

www.victoriacameraclub.org...
Scroll down and inch on this page...tell me what you think?





Sure he is here
www.google.com... =1066&bih=723

reply to post by Teye22


does it have a web, and if so, can you describe it?

reply to post by Teye22


they also have huge eyes

Originally posted by DrZrD
reply to post by Teye22

 

The coloration and unusual abdomen shape (hard to see in the picture) could be consistent with one of the 1000's of "orb weaver" spider varieties. If it made a web with circular symmetry preliminary identification as an orb weaver spider variety is even stronger. Orb weavers are both harmless and extremely beneficial to mankind.

Best regards,
Z

we have a winner, it's one of the orb weaver spiders which are prevalent in north america.

bugguide.net...

place you can request ID

Originally posted by Char-Lee
I think it may be this guy! Found under search canadian garden spider

www.victoriacameraclub.org...
Scroll down and inch on this page...tell me what you think?

edit on 16-8-2012 by Char-Lee because: (no reason given)

edit on 16-8-2012 by Char-Lee because: (no reason given)

Sure he is here
www.google.com... =1066&bih=723

edit on 16-8-2012 by Char-Lee because: (no reason given)

That definitely matches except for the color of course....but I think that this is it also. Thanks to all for the help!!!
much appreciated. Now I will research this specific one to know all the specs.

Regards