Spider ID Please

[TTQ B4U]

Found one of these on the deck of our Cabin in TN. Being down there, we saw some gianormous bugs and this was no little fellow. FAST as hell too! I couldn't smash him. He got away and I'm glad he stayed outside.

 

Any Idea what kind he is?

 

http://www.pbase.com/timothylauro/image/145209079/original.jpg

[Sledhead36]

Wolf Spider, pretty common.

[jeffro]

That nail needs pounded in.

 

 

inb4christian.

[Furloaf]

I was going to say Wolf. Wolf spiders are harmless.

[Orion]

Wolf, no doubt about it.

[TTQ B4U]

Cool. There was another HUGE one inside, moved really slow. Looked more like the typical garden spiders here in Ohio though. He met the bottom of my shoe.

 

Lastly.....these hornets or ?? were around the cabin too. Would fly solitary hunting ants during the day. In the morning there would be 2-3 of them camped individually on the outside of the cabin on the walls like they were very groggy / sleepy. I caught this one and killed him for the photo.

 

He's big. 2x the size of a large honey bee. Wicked sounding when they come near yoiu.

 

http://www.pbase.com/timothylauro/image/145218633/original.jpg

[2pointslow]

I was going to say Wolf. Wolf spiders are harmless.

 

Actually, wolf spiders are poisonous and can produce a nasty bite. However, just like in this instance they are quick and will run away before biting you. They are not easily provoked, a bite to a child or a sick elderly human can cause complications. Also a bite to a dog/cat can be pretty nasty.

[Furloaf]

Okay mostly harmless. Not likely to bite and if so the bite usually isn't that bad.

 

Lastly.....these hornets or ?? were around the cabin too. ... I caught this one and killed him for the photo.

 

You monster.

[Das Borgen]

http://media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m2j2z1NsUE1rnfmxm.jpg

[ImUrOBGYN]

That IS NOT a wolf spider. That is a species of fishing spider, Dolomedes. I cannot be 100% sure without some time to really study the pic, but that's my first almost 100% shot. Yes, they are generally near water, but some species don't have to be. There are a ton of different varieties. Be careful mis-diagnosing creatures as you could unintentionally cause harm to someone. The fishing spider in this case doesn't pose much harm unless you have allergic reaction as someone mentioned above (but about wolf spiders). If you don't know much about them, read up a bit on wiki or watch some vids. Fascinating spiders. Many of them have amazing hunting methods.

 

The "wasp/bee" thing is actually a common european hornet.

[TTQ B4U]

That IS NOT a wolf spider. That is a species of fishing spider, Dolomedes. Yes, they are generally near water, but some species don't have to be. There are a ton of different varieties. Be careful mis-diagnosing creatures as you could unintentionally cause harm to someone. The fishing spider in this case doesn't pose much harm unless you have allergic reaction as someone mentioned above (but about wolf spiders). If you don't know much about them, read up a bit on wiki or watch some vids. Fascinating spiders. Many of them have amazing hunting methods.

 

The "wasp/bee" thing is actually a common european hornet.

 

Thanks man! It was one of the fastest spiders I've seen. Especially givn it's size. The European Hornet was cool too. Do we have those up here? I've never seen one. Big sucker he was.

[2pointslow]

That IS NOT a wolf spider. That is a species of fishing spider, Dolomedes. Yes, they are generally near water, but some species don't have to be. There are a ton of different varieties. Be careful mis-diagnosing creatures as you could unintentionally cause harm to someone. The fishing spider in this case doesn't pose much harm unless you have allergic reaction as someone mentioned above (but about wolf spiders). If you don't know much about them, read up a bit on wiki or watch some vids. Fascinating spiders. Many of them have amazing hunting methods.

 

The "wasp/bee" thing is actually a common european hornet.

 

Thank you, i couldn't figure out what it was. Its legs are far to long to be a wolf spider and now makes sense that it would be a water spider.

[Orion]

That IS NOT a wolf spider. That is a species of fishing spider, Dolomedes. I cannot be 100% sure without some time to really study the pic, but that's my first almost 100% shot. Yes, they are generally near water, but some species don't have to be. There are a ton of different varieties. Be careful mis-diagnosing creatures as you could unintentionally cause harm to someone. The fishing spider in this case doesn't pose much harm unless you have allergic reaction as someone mentioned above (but about wolf spiders). If you don't know much about them, read up a bit on wiki or watch some vids. Fascinating spiders. Many of them have amazing hunting methods.

 

The "wasp/bee" thing is actually a common european hornet.

 

I'm not trying to start a fight or anyhting, but where can we get the info to be sure? I was watching a nature show just the other night and it had a pic that was literally indistinguishable from that one and the label was "Wolf Spider". I agree that it looks a lot like the gigantic spiders I see under bridges when I go canoeing (which would make sense if it were a fishing spider) so I would like to know as well. Wolf spiders (if they are a bit thinner) also have really long legs.

 

I feel like I constantly have to tell people the the small funnel weaving spiders we seem to have so many of around here are NOT wolf spiders.

[ImUrOBGYN]

That nail needs pounded in.

 

 

inb4christian.

lol

 

Thanks man! It was one of the fastest spiders I've seen. Especially givn it's size. The European Hornet was cool too. Do we have those up here? I've never seen one. Big sucker he was.

I believe the European is the only hornet we have in North America. But if you think he's a biggy, you should check out the Cicada Killer wasp. If you know what a Cicada is, (that loud ass buzzing in the trees during the summer - some call them locust but a locust is basically a grasshopper), then you know they have to be quite large themselves. I'll never forget my first encounter with one.

 

I'm not trying to start a fight or anyhting, but where can we get the info to be sure? I was watching a nature show just the other night and it had a pic that was literally indistinguishable from that one and the label was "Wolf Spider". I agree that it looks a lot like the gigantic spiders I see under bridges when I go canoeing (which would make sense if it were a fishing spider) so I would like to know as well. Wolf spiders (if they are a bit thinner) also have really long legs.

 

I feel like I constantly have to tell people the the small funnel weaving spiders we seem to have so many of around here are NOT wolf spiders.

No problem. I only meant that if I hadn't known any better, ie; the OP, due to how sure a couple of you sounded on your identification, I would've been led to believe you knew 100% what it was. In this case, being wrong really doesn't matter, however in another case it may've. Even when I feel 100% sure, I'm still hesitant to tell people in cases like this.

 

Other than that, it's just loads of practice, studying and experience. I wouldn't begin to try and distinguish all the various types of mushrooms/fungus and many of them look all too similar to me, yet I know there are many very subtle differences to the trained eye. I'll list a couple cool bug sites to check out if you'd like. I don't know if they're the best but it's a couple cool ones I've come across.

 

http://www.whatsthatbug.com/

http://bugguide.net/node/view/15740

 

lol @ the grass spider and funnel web spider comment. You're absolutely right. Many people mis-id those as wolf spiders and it's even easy for many to mis-id the various funnel and grass spiders, too.

[Alex L.]

http://www.plantanswers.com/cicadanew2.jpg

 

Fuck that so much.

[ImUrOBGYN]

http://www.plantanswers.com/cicadanew2.jpg

 

Fuck that so much.

 

That appears to be a cicada killer. They can reach a length of a full 2inches. They aren't generally agressive and their stings really aren't all that bad. But they looks scary.

 

Ever seen a velvet or cow-killer ant? Fuck all, those stings like a son of a bitch and will do it more time than you can count if you let it. Assholes. At least they can't fly.

[KennyFKINPowerz]

That appears to be a cicada killer. They can reach a length of a full 2inches. They aren't generally agressive and their stings really aren't all that bad. But they looks scary.

 

Ever seen a velvet or cow-killer ant? Fuck all, those stings like a son of a bitch and will do it more time than you can count if you let it. Assholes. At least they can't fly.

 

Is this one?

 

[iwashmycar]

That appears to be a cicada killer. They can reach a length of a full 2inches. They aren't generally agressive and their stings really aren't all that bad. But they looks scary.

 

Got a couple that hang around outside my house... Good to know they dont have to be a terrifying as they look (killed one the other day).

 

So they kill cicadas... I guess that is good. Plenty of them around here as well at the moment.

[rb26deet32]

I'm 90% sure that the spiderman spider. :fa:

[ImUrOBGYN]

Is this one?

 

Yes, that is one type. They make some crazy noises, too, if you pin one down with a stick, etc. Just watch out for their stinger as it's quite long and agile (one of the longest I've seen) and they shoot that thing out in all directions. Very painful, too. My memory of it anyway and I don't want a refresher.

 

Got a couple that hang around outside my house... Good to know they dont have to be a terrifying as they look (killed one the other day).

 

So they kill cicadas... I guess that is good. Plenty of them around here as well at the moment.

The females have a relatively weak stinger. They use it to paralyze the cicada and place it in a pre-dug burrow where they lay an egg(s) with it. The larvae hatch and they have fresh prey that can't fight back to eat. The males have something to stick you with but it's not technically a stinger and not really much to it. They seem to rely mostly on their great size, strength, and jaws. Like heavily built scorpion with heavy claws, they generally aren't as poisonous as they're more svelte scorpion cousins; relying more on size and strength.

[Wease]

Is this one?

 

 

Wikipedia says two interesting, yet important things:

 

1. It's actually a wasp, just can't fly. Or at least the females can't.

2. Mostly in the dry tropics and sandy areas. So I'm assuming not in Ohio.

[ImUrOBGYN]

Wikipedia says two interesting, yet important things:

 

1. It's actually a wasp, just can't fly. Or at least the females can't.

2. Mostly in the dry tropics and sandy areas. So I'm assuming not in Ohio.

 

1. Yes. The Velvet, Cow ant, Cow Killer names are misleading but you can see why they have the name. The Cow name was given due to the belief they could kill a cow with their sting. Not true, btw.

 

2. They're pretty plentiful in the south and southwest. I do not recall seeing any here in Ohio but I wouldn't be suprised if you found them in southern ohio even if it's in limited quantities.

 

Edit: I really feel like I've seen one of the smaller species here locally since I've lived here. Almost 100% positive. Anyway...

[Not Brian]

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-c22BzaGMkBY/T3TWs1ZrzuI/AAAAAAAAATw/DQZDDbRpVqg/s1600/1323403427659.jpg

[ImUrOBGYN]

lol I do geek out on some insects.