Any entomologists in here?

**So Much Fire** · September 27, 2011, 11:19 PM

I need some help ID'ing this spider, I've come across so few they just aren't my forte. I couldn't hold a ruler against it since basic researching showed it was a brown recluse spider which apparently isn't something you want to get close to while it's alive. From what I could measure, it was 3/4 inch in length and 2 inches including legs. It was caught indoors at night and it's location is the US state of Maryland (hope some of that info helps).

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Sorry about the crappy quality, I don't have a proper macro lens

**The Juggernaut** · September 27, 2011, 11:38 PM

doesn't look like a brown recluse, the eyes are wrong, and the coloration looks off. I'm not an expert, just looking at wikipedia and a few other sites.

Now kill it, so there's one less spider in the world. Eh gad, I hate spiders (not the most masculine admission, I know)!

**Gordon Freynman** · September 28, 2011, 01:10 AM

Attempting to identify a spider is wrong. Here's what you do:

Spoiler Alert, click show to read:

Or you could just do what I do and

ing kill it as quickly as possible.

Anyways according to the almighty wiki brown recluses don't inhabit your area, and besides that the brown recluse is rather bald and only grow to half the size of the one you found.

**Phier** · September 28, 2011, 09:40 AM

Looks like a common funnel weaver. Not dangerous.

**StealthFox** · September 28, 2011, 10:32 AM

Looks like a wolf spider to me.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_spider

http://www.petbugs.com/caresheets/H-carolinensis.html

Edit:
It's probably a grass spider, or more commonly known as a funnel web spider as Phier suggested.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grass_spider

**~~Exarch~~** · September 28, 2011, 11:04 AM

yo, look what i found in my garden

**Copperknickers II** · September 28, 2011, 11:28 AM

Looks like a hogna carolinensis or hogna helluo, the largest species of the wolf spider genus. They are perfectly nice spiders: they prey on harmful insects and flies and are not harmful to humans, although they may give a small midge-like bite if angered.

**Phier** · September 28, 2011, 11:45 AM

Its a funnel weaver guys.

**LSJ** · September 28, 2011, 01:14 PM

I had a funnel weaver in front of my house this year, living in my euonymus. Their webs are pretty neat.

**Copperknickers II** · September 28, 2011, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by Phier

Its a funnel weaver guys.

Fair enough.

**Kjertesvein** · September 28, 2011, 03:09 PM

I think it's cute. Don't worry, you'll only get considerable local pain, venom effects include malaise and fatigue feelings. Make sure you have some iodine to treat it within the next 3 days.

~Wille

**So Much Fire** · September 28, 2011, 03:36 PM

Thanks guys! Really shows how much I know about spiders

The wiki article on the funnel weaver does describe it's behavior accurately so now I do feel bad about killing it. Even though it does still look like something I wouldn't want to PO, it doesn't look like it would willingly go after humans. It did look pretty though, would have been nice to keep.

**Elfdude** · October 02, 2011, 04:25 PM

These are about 4 commonly poisonous spiders in the US. Recluses (all), Widows (all), Aggressive house spiders (hobos), and Yellow Sac spiders. They can be found anywhere in the US thanks to shipping and freight which the spiders love to make their homes. They're most commonly and most easily found in undisturbed housing materials, sheads, barns, clothing or organic material. Learn those 4 and you're unlikely to need to worry about anything else in the US.