# Giant Spider ID



## Azzuri (May 14, 2010)

I was recently on a camping/fishing trip with a few friends in some old woods in Springfield Township, near the Akron border. After our night fishing, we came back to camp and found this guy walking around our food. It was easily the biggest spider I have ever seen in the wild, and I could even hear it walking. The eyes glowed in the light just as a cat's would. It wasn't intimidated by us at all and didn't try to flee. It is sitting on a bag of Quaker rice cakes. It would be great if someone could help me identify this spider (or tell me where I should submit the photo), because 1. I didn't know spiders this big and hairy lived in Ohio and 2. We enjoy camping/fishing here and all of us were pretty freaked out. I'm sorry the photo quality isn't best as far as identifying marks/colors, but it was taken from a cell phone. From the research I have done, I think it might be a Giant Fishing Spider, though extremely rare in NE Ohio. Thanks guys.


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## Katanafreak (Aug 25, 2010)

maybe a wolf spider? they get HUGE! and they are all over Texas when i was down in Fort Hood. Dunno if they are in Ohio at all but look just about the same.


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## salmon king (Aug 20, 2008)

One day when I was cray fishing{ geting crawfish) down in concord I saw a spider that me and my friend thought was a tarantula... I honestly think it was even bigger than that one in your pic.. but who knows it might just be a lebron spyder< only native to Akron> lol


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## Chubz (Apr 8, 2009)

Yes it is indeed a wolf spider. Common spider to our area and can be rather large. Most of them dont get that big but iv seen 2 that were hugh. Non venomous but i sure as heck wouldnt touch that thing.


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## whjr15 (Jun 16, 2005)

Could it be this: http://www.marion.ohio-state.edu/spiderweb/SpiderPictures/Philodromidae/Philodromus%20cespitum.htm

Not sure, but I'm pretty sure it isn't a wolf spider, as it doesn't have the right coloring... But like you said, it could be the pic quality throwing me off?

EDIT: Nevermind, upon a google image search, I was way off! That picture on that link is misleading! lol. 

Have no idea what kind it is.


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## Muskarp (Feb 5, 2007)

Azzuri said:


> It wasn't intimidated by us at all and didn't try to flee.


Because you guys had rice cakes and marshmallows!


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## JimmyMac (Feb 18, 2011)

I kill at least 3 of those a week in my house out here in Ross. Just the other night I seen the biggest one yet, take that spider and double it, that is what was on my back porch. 

Those spiders carry their young on their backs, one day I was getting into the shed out back and one was apparently above the door, as I opened the door and walked in, it landed on my head. I quickly knocked it off, but like a hundred baby spiders where all over my head... 

I hate them stupid things, every time I see one I kill it as violently as possible, smashing it beyond recognition. Sort of helps shake that creepy feeling once You make sure its good and dead, lol.


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## jcustunner24 (Aug 20, 2007)

In my opinion, this is the scariest spider there is.... it's rare to see them much further than Southern Ohio, but brown recluse spiders can do some serious damage and they're little so they typically don't let you know they're around.


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## Steelheadquarters (Aug 29, 2006)

Yep! Wolf spider!


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## Evinrude58 (Apr 13, 2011)

Yea Brown recluse can actually kill you if you don't see a doc. I got bit by a baby one in Austin Texas(1988). Still got a scar on my left hand.


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## ezbite (May 25, 2006)

Muskarp said:


> Because you guys had rice cakes and marshmallows!


hahahaha that was funny


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## jcustunner24 (Aug 20, 2007)

Evinrude58 said:


> Yea Brown recluse can actually kill you if you don't see a doc. I got bit by a baby one in Austin Texas(1988). Still got a scar on my left hand.


Spiders don't really freak me out (snakes are my kryptonite) but my dad is terrified of them and only them. He hates spiders and always talks about brown recluse because he has a friend who got bit by one.


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## percidaeben (Jan 15, 2010)

Diffently a wolf spider. They do not build webs,hunt warm and cold blooded edibles at night. Not posinous but bite can sting a bit and are much needed for unwanted insect control. Females do carry young for a bit till they locate an unsuspecting head of hair to drop them off in. When camping just leave smoore made with gram cracker not rice cake and they will leave you alone.


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

Could also be a grass spider. Google image search it.


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## fallen513 (Jan 5, 2010)

I may or may not shriek like a schoolgirl if something like that jumps on me.


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## nitsud (May 22, 2010)

All spiders have venom, and are "poisonous," some just aren't as nasty as others.

I like spiders, but they are relentless killing machines. 

Check out the fangs on this one:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sydney_funnel-web_spider

That's a wolf up top...


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## MuskieLuv (Oct 29, 2007)

I found a wolf in my kitchen one evening and tried to kill it but it got under the dishwasher and got away. It was easily that big and was the biggest I'd seen in person. I could have set a mouse trap for that thing. Anyway, I go out to the living room to watch TV for the evening and about a half hour later I catch movement out of the corner of my eye and it is that spider on a sprint into the livingroom, while running it turns 90 degrees and runs infront of the couch. This thing stops right in front of my head as I lay there, turns and stairs at me. It kind of puffs up like some kind of attack posture and that's when something snapped inside me and I turned into a little girl and started throwing shoes at it.LOL I eventually smashed it which left a mess on my carpet. It was like that thing tracked me from the kitchen and was going to hunt me down. Everytime I see one of those damn things, I have to think about that night.


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## Catfish John (May 10, 2004)

to me looks like a wolf spider... them things get mean and terroritorial(spelling) fishing indian lake rock wall them things are all over and they will chase ya...lol


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## DogFaceClown (Mar 29, 2011)

I had a wolf spider come after me in my garage I stomped my foot beside it to see of it was alive or not and it was I must of made it mad because it went for my foot and would not stop chasing it I had to scramble to find something to smash it with. I usually leave them alone outside because they eat all the other pesky bugs but when I see one in my house its instant death for them.

_Sent from my Droid_


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## streamstalker (Jul 8, 2005)

Check out this mamma spider I found on Darby Creek a few years ago. It's called a nursery spider--aptly named as you can see how she is defending that nest where she wrapped those leaves in a web. They look a lot like wolf spiders and fishing spiders. I think the nursery spider also eats small fish and amphibians as the fishing spider does. We have both in Ohio. This one had a leg span which would cover my palm.

http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/27468/size/big/cat/


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## sonar (Mar 20, 2005)

I believe ,I know why streamstalker,,take a look at the "PLANT" she was holding out on,,,, that looks a lot like,a certain substance ????? to me,,, The original posted I.d. question,,,I think that's a water spider,"hopper" there was a man over near Rubber City Wildlife off Arlington Rd.,that had some fish raising ponds that he played with&kept spiders to play with also,they were fast,they would out run the fish that was hittin the surface after them!!HOPPERS,water spiders...that was 40 yrs.back,,and they did look a lot like pics. that Azzuri posted----->>>>>sonar<<<<<-----


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## rcjohnson (Dec 11, 2008)

I have one that lives in my barn. When people see it they do not believe it is real. I tell them to go ahead and mess with it but do not hurt it. Really funny to see a big, dangerous looking dude start screaming and running!


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## MuskieLuv (Oct 29, 2007)

I think this is the spider in the original post. check out the banding on the legs and colors. Just my thoughts. 



streamstalker said:


> Check out this mamma spider I found on Darby Creek a few years ago. It's called a nursery spider--aptly named as you can see how she is defending that nest where she wrapped those leaves in a web. They look a lot like wolf spiders and fishing spiders. I think the nursery spider also eats small fish and amphibians as the fishing spider does. We have both in Ohio. This one had a leg span which would cover my palm.
> 
> http://www.ohiogamefishing.com/photopost/showphoto.php/photo/27468/size/big/cat/


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## Ntflyer (Aug 6, 2008)

jcustunner24 said:


> Spiders don't really freak me out (snakes are my kryptonite) but my dad is terrified of them and only them. He hates spiders and always talks about brown recluse because he has a friend who got bit by one.


I have found that 90% plus of people who hate spiders like snakes, and vica versa, I have a horrible fear of spiders, but I love snakes. Start asking around and you will see it is true!


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## Ntflyer (Aug 6, 2008)

MuskieLuv said:


> I found a wolf in my kitchen one evening and tried to kill it but it got under the dishwasher and got away. It was easily that big and was the biggest I'd seen in person. I could have set a mouse trap for that thing. Anyway, I go out to the living room to watch TV for the evening and about a half hour later I catch movement out of the corner of my eye and it is that spider on a sprint into the livingroom, while running it turns 90 degrees and runs infront of the couch. This thing stops right in front of my head as I lay there, turns and stairs at me. It kind of puffs up like some kind of attack posture and that's when something snapped inside me and I turned into a little girl and started throwing shoes at it.LOL I eventually smashed it which left a mess on my carpet. It was like that thing tracked me from the kitchen and was going to hunt me down. Everytime I see one of those damn things, I have to think about that night.


That would have stopped my heart!..lmao


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## 419deerhunter (Mar 23, 2011)

Ntflyer said:


> I have found that 90% plus of people who hate spiders like snakes, and vica versa, I have a horrible fear of spiders, but I love snakes. Start asking around and you will see it is true!


hate spiders snakes do not bother me at all


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## Azzuri (May 14, 2010)

Thank you to everyone for sharing your stories and wisdom. I still am unsure what type of spider this is. I still don't think it was a recluse, because I have seen a few of those and this one was much larger and didn't have the violin pattern. I also don't think it was a wolf spider because I am very familiar with those and this was just way too big. The nursery spider was pretty close, and I still think it may be a Giant Fishing just because we we're camping about 50 yards from the lake (and I like to tell myself it wasn't poisonous). We are going camping again in a few weeks and we're bringing some jars so we can maybe catch one! The 3 & 4 lb bass and giant crappie are too good to pass up in this secret lake/woods!


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## UFM82 (Apr 6, 2004)

Wolf spiders get big but nothing like a nursery web spider. I found one on the back wall of my house a couple years back- the legs spanned 1 1/2 bricks! (That's about 4" or better.) Looked like a skinny tarantula. Banded legs like in the picture and you could clearly see its eyes. Nursery webs are easy to ID though- they usually sit with their legs paired up and look like an "X". I didn't mess with her- she was actually a pretty spider as far as spiders go. My wife about freaked but I didn't let her smash the thing. LOL- it would have fought back and probably won anyway! LOL

UFM82


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## James F (Jul 2, 2005)

Spiders creep me out!Had one bite me on the vein where blood is drawn from passed out and spent two day's in the hospital,sick for about six more.was one of those yellow ones that don't get very big. Snakes on other hand don't bother me one bit.


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## Chubz (Apr 8, 2009)

Not to be a stickler but one person on here said spiders are poisonous. Spiders and snakes are not poisonous they are venomous. Poison is absorbed thru the skin, swallowed, breathed. Venom is injected. I also hate spiders and kill everyone i see as painful as possible, but snakes i like.


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## salmon king (Aug 20, 2008)

MuskieLuv said:


> I found a wolf in my kitchen one evening and tried to kill it but it got under the dishwasher and got away. It was easily that big and was the biggest I'd seen in person. I could have set a mouse trap for that thing. Anyway, I go out to the living room to watch TV for the evening and about a half hour later I catch movement out of the corner of my eye and it is that spider on a sprint into the livingroom, while running it turns 90 degrees and runs infront of the couch. This thing stops right in front of my head as I lay there, turns and stairs at me. It kind of puffs up like some kind of attack posture and that's when something snapped inside me and I turned into a little girl and started throwing shoes at it.LOL I eventually smashed it which left a mess on my carpet. It was like that thing tracked me from the kitchen and was going to hunt me down. Everytime I see one of those damn things, I have to think about that night.


Muskieluv that is one funny story.. the part about you throwin the shoes and turning into a little girl reminds me of well me!!!


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## salmon king (Aug 20, 2008)

James F said:


> Spiders creep me out!Had one bite me on the vein where blood is drawn from passed out and spent two day's in the hospital,sick for about six more.was one of those yellow ones that don't get very big. Snakes on other hand don't bother me one bit.


Banana spider?


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## willyb021 (Jun 1, 2009)

looks like a small wolf spider. ive seen those bad boys way bigger unfortunatly, and ive seen one jump like a ft one time in a buddies basement, yeah not cool at all


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## chadwimc (Jun 27, 2007)

I had a wolf spider get in my gym shoe one night. I had to go outside for some reason, so I just slipped my shoes on, no socks.
I made it about three or four steps when it bit me. I thought I had something in my shoe. I wiggled my toes and took off. It bit me again. And again. I sat down in the driveway to shake out my shoe. Out came a big, fuzzy, wolf spider. I whacked it with my shoe.

No sooner than 20 minutes later, my middle toe is swelled to the size and shape of a small light bulb. I called the fire department(before 911 service, there was a list of numbers for each service). They said "Go to the ER".

I scooped the spider up in a butter dish and went to the Emergancy Room. By now, my toe was big, black, and ready to burst open. The ER doc asks a million questions...
"Are you having trouble breathing"?
"Is your throat swelling"?
He took a look at the spider and says "Yup. That's a big un"
I asked "What kind is it"?
Doc says "I dunno. Big and ugly is all I got".

I got a shot of Benedryl + a tetnus update. I really thought the skin on my toe was going to break open. But within an hour of the anti histamine shot, it was almost normal except it was black. I did loose the toenail a few weeks later...

They always got in our bathtub. Sometimes, a person is in the shower for a few minutes before noticing the shower mate...


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