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Hel
Goddess Of My Own Little Universe
Premium Member
join:2002-04-11
Washington, DC

1 edit

Hel

Premium Member

What kind of spider has triangles on its back?

Click for full size
Click for full size
I live in DC. There was a spider climbing the wall next to my bed. It's got white dots or triangles all over it's back. Any guesses what kind of spider it is? Harmless or dangerous to humans? I trapped it under a glass, and need to know whether to set it free to kill bugs in my room or kill it.
Edited to add pics

dandelion
MVM
join:2003-04-29
Germantown, TN

dandelion

MVM

Somebody may be by that knows, in the meantime, this link has some pictures
»whatsthatbug.com/index.html

2kmaro
Think

join:2000-07-11
Oklahoma City, OK

2kmaro to Hel

to Hel
The good news is that it doesn't look like this guy!

Hel
Goddess Of My Own Little Universe
Premium Member
join:2002-04-11
Washington, DC

Hel

Premium Member

Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's not a brown recluse.

Jon5
Premium Member
join:2001-01-20
Lisle, IL

2 edits

Jon5 to Hel

Premium Member

to Hel
Female Domestic Spider?



hard to tell from those pictures but if it is, it's harmless.
edit: More info
[mod note: please don't hotlink images.]
BlitzenZeus
Burnt Out Cynic
Premium Member
join:2000-01-13

BlitzenZeus to 2kmaro

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to 2kmaro
said by 2kmaro:

The good news is that it doesn't look like this guy!
We have those in certain places around here, and those buggers are why I loathe spiders. I don't like them even if I can tell they are not dangerous... I really don't want to be bit by one of those mistaking it for a common brown spider.

Hel
Goddess Of My Own Little Universe
Premium Member
join:2002-04-11
Washington, DC

Hel

Premium Member

said by BlitzenZeus:

We have those in certain places around here, and those buggers are why I loathe spiders. I don't like them even if I can tell they are not dangerous... I really don't want to be bit by one of those mistaking it for a common brown spider.
Yeah, my dad got bit by a brown recluse a couple years ago, ended up having to have his leg debrided like twice.
Hel

1 edit

Hel to Jon5

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to Jon5
said by Jon5:

Female Domestic Spider?

hard to tell from those pictures but if it is, it's harmless.
edit: More info
That looks about right, I think that may well be it!

AnonName
@12.160.x.x

AnonName to Hel

Anon

to Hel


That spider is common in most of the US. It is not only harmless but desirable.

I've always been interested in Black Widows and I have observed that I never see Black Widow spiders where this spider has built a colony. They seem to like the same sorts of places, in dark corners, piles of wood, and old brick piles. When you see Black Widows you won't see these little fellows and when you see these little fellows you won't see Black Widows.

The Recluse is a very different beastie. They like to hide in old furniture, deep in cracks and crevices.

I have been bitten by both spiders, the Black Widow, and the Recluse. In particular I've been bitten by the Recluse more than once. If you are a healthy adult and treat the bites properly there is very little danger. The Black Widow bite is instantly painful, similar to a bee sting. When bitten you know immediately. The Recluse bite is not instantly painfull and you can be bitten and not realize it for a long time. Both bites should be treated with ice compresses and a trip to the emergency room. The ice imobilizes the poison.

The little spider in your picture is a friend.

MeeToo7
You Too?
Premium Member
join:2000-10-18
Ardmore, PA

MeeToo7 to Hel

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to Hel
"and need to know whether to set it free to kill bugs in my room or kill it."

brrrr.....kill dat thang! why take chances whether it bites or not? And what's more, why counting on spiders to kill other bugs in your room? geez...vacuum it more often or spray it once a month

Hel
Goddess Of My Own Little Universe
Premium Member
join:2002-04-11
Washington, DC

Hel

Premium Member

said by MeeToo7:

"and need to know whether to set it free to kill bugs in my room or kill it."

brrrr.....kill dat thang! why take chances whether it bites or not? And what's more, why counting on spiders to kill other bugs in your room? geez...vacuum it more often or spray it once a month
Don't wanna piss off anansi!

John Hopkinns
@covad.net

John Hopkinns to Hel

Anon

to Hel
That is a WIFE spider.
It has an hour glass shape on it's back.
The myth is when women would get tired of their husbands, they would put that spider in his living quarters, that spider only bites married men, kills them dead.
The wife would stand there and say, "Looks like your time is up."

koma3504
Advocate
Premium Member
join:2004-06-22
Granbury, TX

koma3504 to Hel

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Click for full size
does this guy look like a brown recluse
when compared to the pic in the link that 2kmaro See Profile posted. »www.ento.okstate.edu/ddd ··· luse.htm

frankenfeet
934 is 10-8
Premium Member
join:2001-10-14
Smiths Grove, KY

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Steatoda Triangulosa
The picture looks similar to this one. It's called a Cobweb Weaver if it's the same one.

Hel
Goddess Of My Own Little Universe
Premium Member
join:2002-04-11
Washington, DC

Hel

Premium Member

Oh, wow, that looks exactly like it. The female domestic spider looked kind of like it, but this cobweb weaver is identical. And google says there are no known cases of humans being poisoned by its bite, so I'm glad I set it free! Thanks bunches for the research!
Hel

Hel to koma3504

Premium Member

to koma3504
what I read about brown recluses says their abdomens tend to not have markings, and neither do their legs. that pic is too out of focus to tell for sure, but it looks to me like it has some sort of marking on its abdomen. And the legs make me think wolf spider.

kw0
Premium Member
join:2004-06-12
New Albany, OH

kw0 to frankenfeet

Premium Member

to frankenfeet
said by frankenfeet:

The picture looks similar to this one. It's called a Cobweb Weaver if it's the same one.
That thing is ugly as hell.