Two stripes on a spider's abdomen - what is this?
Asked by
meagan (
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)
August 12th, 2010
This afternoon I found a spider in my bathroom.
Needless to say, after a good while screaming (and spending time in my bathtub) I killed it.
However, I NEED to find out what kind of spider this is.
It was at least 2 inches long, brown, and had two white stripes on either side of the abdomen.
Help – PLEASE? I’m so paranoid that it might have had babies that could be poisonous in my house.
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7 Answers
It’s probably a wolf spider. Regardless, it’s nothing to panic over. Very few spiders are a threat to humans, and even those are shy and more likely to avoid you.
@syz You’re probably right. But now that I talk with my bug-smusher, I’m realizing that it was either gray or a very light tan. And the spider was very “plump” looking.
As far as I know, there are only two spiders to watch out for if you live in the U.S. One is the brown recluse and the other is the black widow.. The spider you saw doesn’t sound like either of these, but does sound more like @syz ‘s suggestion of a wolf spider. They can get to be quite large.
Now, I say this as someone who has a very large and very irrational fear of spiders, but…don’t panic. It is highly unlikely that the spider you saw could be dangerous to you or your family. In fact, a spider that large has probably been helping to keep your home free of other pests!
@MissAusten Thanks, I feel the same way. I’m usually pretty careful about killing animals (even bugs) but this spider took the cake.
I’m more or less afraid of there being a herd of them in my house, if that makes sense.
We don’t have any kind of bugs in here that I’m aware of, that the spider could be eating. So I’m just brain washing myself to think that it hasn’t been there long, and wandered in on its own…. accidentally.
I agree with syz. It probably is a wolf spider or a funnel web weaver,(grass spider).
Look at this link for actual pictures of some.
spiders
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