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BS: can you id spiders

23 Jul 04 - 03:33 PM (#1232383)
Subject: BS: can you id spiders
From: mg

someone came to my extension office today with a spider I couldn't idenitfy with the resources and internet I have..and I am not a spider biologist. Anyway, it is not too big...a couple cms I would guess. It has lots of triangles in rows down its body. It has a very hard shell, sort of dark brown. It looks like a large ladybug almost..very black legs. It is chunky and compact..I have sent it off for official id but does anyone have a clue? This is in coastal Washignton state USA..the family goes to Colorado a lot but spider can come from anywhere of course. mg


23 Jul 04 - 03:43 PM (#1232388)
Subject: RE: BS: can you id spiders
From: Bert

A couple of centimeters! Is that just the body or does it include the legs?

What shape is the body?
How long are the legs compared with the body?

My first guess would be a web spinner somewhat like the common garden spider. I think I recall seeing some with triangles on their backs.

They are similar in shape to the black widow but usually somewhat larger and a little bit more furry.


23 Jul 04 - 04:03 PM (#1232401)
Subject: RE: BS: can you id spiders
From: GUEST,MMario

I don't usually think of spiders as having "shells"


23 Jul 04 - 04:14 PM (#1232406)
Subject: RE: BS: can you id spiders
From: Bert

They have an exoskeleton made of chitin. Most spiders are soft, some are hard.


23 Jul 04 - 04:19 PM (#1232412)
Subject: RE: BS: can you id spiders
From: mg

make that maybe .6 cm. Body is oval tending towards circle..not enlongated. Legs are fairly short compared to most spiders. Legs very black and sort of thick. Triangles are very definite..I think about three rows of several each. Spider is gone now. mg


23 Jul 04 - 04:30 PM (#1232416)
Subject: RE: BS: can you id spiders
From: GUEST

anything like this?


23 Jul 04 - 04:36 PM (#1232423)
Subject: RE: BS: can you id spiders
From: Jeri

Sounds more like a tick to me.

I've taken classes in entemological identification (though I'm out of practice), and I (and Bat Goddess) know an entomologist who works for NH State. If he's not familiar with Washington bugs, maybe he at least can find a website, which I'm now off to hunt up.


23 Jul 04 - 04:55 PM (#1232432)
Subject: RE: BS: can you id spiders
From: Jeri

GUEST posted that while I was typing, cuz I'm slow. It certainly looks more like what Mary described than my (dumbass) suggestion of a tick.

At least this thread has reminded me to try to find out what I encountered on a hosta a couple of days ago, a snow white crab spider whose back was outlined in brown. A very strinking little guy.


23 Jul 04 - 05:56 PM (#1232467)
Subject: RE: BS: can you id spiders
From: DonMeixner

http://www.gophergas.com/funstuff/camelspider.htm

Maybe it was one of these?

Don


23 Jul 04 - 06:02 PM (#1232470)
Subject: RE: BS: can you id spiders
From: Stilly River Sage

You're sure it had eight legs, not six legs and two feelers that look like legs? Was the body truly segmented in two--the abdomen and the thorax? It sounds like something that mimics a spider, with short legs like you describe. Some sort of beetle or bug.

SRS


23 Jul 04 - 06:54 PM (#1232492)
Subject: RE: BS: can you id spiders
From: MudGuard

I had the same "problem" recently.

What I did was:
Use google's image search with "spider" (I used the German word "Spinne" as I am German). You will find lots of images.
I looked at the previews Google provided, and only if one of the previews looked similar, I viewed the original image in a new window.

I found the (latin) names of 3 spiders which looked similar to "my" spider. I then used 3 Google image searches, using one of the latin names for each search. Thus I got more pictures to compare and could finally narrow it down to just one name: Araniella cucurbitina (Sorry, descriptions in German only)


23 Jul 04 - 09:53 PM (#1232601)
Subject: RE: BS: can you id spiders
From: mg

Guest..it really did not look like that. Legs were very black..I must say I didn't count them. I don't remember a separate head..more like a ladybug with the head incorporated, but I could be wrong. Maybe it really isn't a spider...not familiar with image search but I'll check it out later.

mg


23 Jul 04 - 10:31 PM (#1232608)
Subject: RE: BS: can you id spiders
From: Jeri

Maybe 'tick' wasn't such a wacky idea. Here's a page with some pictures, as well as information. The first oneon the page is the 'Black Legged Tick' (Deer Tick). .6 cm is really big for a tick though - they hard ticks are smaller than ladybugs. The soft ticks are usually a bit bigger than hard ticks. When they're full, they get bigger, rounder, and their head looks proportionately smaller.


24 Jul 04 - 02:38 AM (#1232667)
Subject: RE: BS: can you id spiders
From: Stilly River Sage

Good page, Jeri. And scary stuff, when you think about the damage ticks do when spreading disease. Here's a search on tick images. It contains links to some movie posters for what looked like a B-movie of the same title. Eliminating those also got rid of some of the interesting (and gross) photos of engorged ticks so I left them in place.

SRS


24 Jul 04 - 08:40 PM (#1233123)
Subject: RE: BS: can you id spiders
From: Liz the Squeak

Ooh, yummy. That reminds me, I must go and de-louse the child just in case.

I had a lovely one the other week, hanging from my buddlea, it was almost olive green with deep black markings, and a flash of lime green on the belly. I suspect it was just a Garden Orb, but it was such a lovely variation, I was quite taken with it.

I think one of the cats ate it.

LTS


25 Jul 04 - 12:03 AM (#1233211)
Subject: RE: BS: can you id spiders
From: GUEST

Small and short legs, could be a jumping spider (Salticidae) but there are other things to consider: number, size, and position of the eyes; shape of abdomen; hairiness etc. Go here http://www.arachnology.org/
Click on Arachnology Pages on the left and get links to many spider sites.


25 Jul 04 - 06:07 PM (#1233578)
Subject: RE: BS: can you id spiders
From: McGrath of Harlow

There was a Monster from the Id in the movie "Forbidden Planet". But it didn't look like a spider.


29 Sep 04 - 05:31 PM (#1284339)
Subject: RE: BS: can you id spiders
From: GUEST

LOOKING TO ID SPIDER IN PORTLAND OREGON
1 INCH BODY DARK BROWN OR BLACK WITH WITH WHITE CROSS ON BACK
SAW ON WEB ON RAIN GUTTER.


29 Sep 04 - 05:59 PM (#1284353)
Subject: RE: BS: can you id spiders
From: GUEST,Blszqx

That is not a spider at all, Mary. It is an advance scout for the Martian invasion, set to take place in 2012. Do not be alarmed. There is nothing you can do about it anyway, so I advise you to simply get the maximum enjoyment out of the 7 years and a few months you have left. We Martians intend to make major improvements to the Earth soon after touchdown, and the first one will be to get rid of the one species that is presently threatening the survival of all life on Earth. I think I hardly need tell you which species that is.


29 Sep 04 - 06:04 PM (#1284356)
Subject: RE: BS: can you id spiders
From: Sorcha

Guest, how big was it? From what you describe, it sounds like a harmless Wolf spider. I just move them outside. They are small, seldome bigger than a US nickle, and pretty hairy all over. Do a Google Images seach for wolf spider.


29 Sep 04 - 06:17 PM (#1284368)
Subject: RE: BS: can you id spiders
From: Little Hawk

Wolf Spider

Rabid Wof Spider


29 Sep 04 - 07:10 PM (#1284425)
Subject: RE: BS: can you id spiders
From: Amos

Sounds like a Tegenaria, perhaps? See if it is any of these.

A


29 Sep 04 - 07:39 PM (#1284453)
Subject: RE: BS: can you id spiders
From: Blowzabella

Now I shall have nightmares - thanks Amos!


30 Sep 04 - 12:13 AM (#1284618)
Subject: RE: BS: can you id spiders
From: Blissfully Ignorant

There are only two types of spider: one,the large, hairy, threatening, stuff-of-nightmares spider; and two, the small, bald, spindly-legged, threatening, stuff-of-nightmares spider. Niether should be approached- the only safe way of dealing with spiders is to stand at a safe distance and scream at the top of your lungs until somone braver comes and removes them.....That's my experience anyway, folks! :)


30 Sep 04 - 12:19 AM (#1284623)
Subject: RE: BS: can you id spiders
From: Bert

GUEST 29 Sep 04 - 05:31 PM. that is the common white cross spider. She is also a garden spider, and spins a large web.

The one with the series of triangles on her back is very similar, but is slightly smaller and spins a smaller web.


30 Sep 04 - 12:22 AM (#1284625)
Subject: RE: BS: can you id spiders
From: dianavan

Sounds more like an insect to me.

diana


30 Sep 04 - 04:27 AM (#1284718)
Subject: RE: BS: can you id spiders
From: GUEST,noddy

OOPs just smashed my screen with my shoe!


17 Oct 04 - 01:37 PM (#1299095)
Subject: RE: BS: can you id spiders
From: GUEST,guest, sally

I'm sitting here at my computer desk in South Central Texas, watching a spider exactly as you've described, wondering the same thing -- what is it?

They are definitely spiders, and for little boogers, they weave enormous webs. And their shell is hard as a rock. I've got them all over the yard, as we do most autumns.

I don't know what they are, but I'll try to find out on my end.


17 Oct 04 - 02:27 PM (#1299139)
Subject: RE: BS: can you id spiders
From: John MacKenzie

My partner Liz is obviously related to Blissfully Ignorant, I say 'can you ID that?' She says 'yes it's a spider, get rid of it pleeeeeaaasssse'
Giok


17 Oct 04 - 09:26 PM (#1299364)
Subject: RE: BS: can you id spiders
From: GUEST,TJ

The wonderfully funny US public radio news quiz program "Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me" had a question this week on what a recent poll showed to be the biggest phobia of British citizens. The answer was spiders, beating out things like terrorism and death in general. Me, I've always found them to be interesting litle beasties, the vast majority of which, of course, are completely harmless to humans.

I had a very talented orb-weaver living on my porch all summer. It was amazing to watch her construct her web every evening, a creature with a brain about the size of a pencil point who was able to trace the same complex geometrical design every night with singular resolve.


17 Oct 04 - 09:31 PM (#1299366)
Subject: RE: BS: can you id spiders
From: GUEST

I can relate to that. The only good spider is under a copy of The Yellow Pages. Very under it.