Tarantula Madness

[Green_Elite_Cab]

Without seeing it, my gut tells me "Fishing spider", Genus Dolomedes. Fishing Spiders are pretty much the largest Northeastern spiders, and the only ones I can think of that get to be close to the size of a small plate or coaster.

The evidence seems to support the idea, though I'm not sure how "reddish" fishing spiders get.

Try this website- <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.spiders.us/species/filter/ohio/">http://www.spiders.us/species/filter/ohio/</a><!-- m -->

Also, this PDF looks even more indepth. I wish they made something like this here in New Jersey!

<!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/portals/wildlife/pdfs/publications/id%20guides/pub5140.pdf">http://wildlife.ohiodnr.gov/portals/wil ... ub5140.pdf</a><!-- m -->

Furthermore, truly large North American spiders like the Tarantulas only really live in the Southwest, from Oklahoma and Texas west to California. In those states, the tarantulas are probably bigger.

Spiders are like steam locomotives

Just like Steam locomotives have wheel arrangements, spiders have "Eye arrangements". While size and shape also count in spider identification, its the eye arrangement that can really clue you in. In the first link, they even use "eye sketches" to help Identify them.

Many of the wandering spiders (which include wolf spiders and fishing spiders) tend to look like big brown aggressive spiders, but the eye configuration gives them away.


Side note, the way a spider holds its fangs is also relevant. For instance, most "common" spiders have fangs that cross each other. However, Tarantulas and a few others hold their fangs pointed "back", parallel to each other. Believer or not, these huge "tarantulas" are actually the lesser evolved of the two.