Spiders in Wisconsin

There are about 486 different types of spiders in Wisconsin.

But, depending on who you ask, the number sometimes goes up to over a thousand. No one knows the exact number, and only about 40-50 species in the state are common and well-documented. 

In this guide, you’ll learn about the different types of spiders you’re likely to encounter in Wisconsin. You’ll learn how to identify them along with exciting facts about each species.

Spiders, unlike insects and other arthropods, generally have eight legs. Most species have eight eyes, but some have only six. Many species are web-builders, but there are also many that don’t build webs.

These arachnids are highly diverse, both in appearance and behavior. Contrary to popular opinion, not all spiders are creepy and dangerous.

Many spiders are stunning. And of the 30,000+ spiders in the world, less than 40 species inflict serious bites.

Keep reading to learn more about the different types of spiders in Wisconsin.

Spiders in Wisconsin

1. Northern Black Widow

• Experience Level: Advanced
• Family: Theridiidae
• Scientific Name: Latrodectus variolus
• Other Names: Black Widow, Widow Spider
• Adult Size: Up to 0.5 inches
• Lifespan: 1 to 3 years
• Average Price Range: N/A

The northern black widow is Wisconsin’s deadliest spider.

This arachnid has a fine, glossy black body with a bulbous abdomen several times its cephalothorax. Like all true black widows, its belly has a reddish-orange hourglass marking.

This spider’s hourglass marking is usually broken in the middle, causing the hourglass to resemble two opposite-facing triangles. The back of this species has reddish markings lining the middle.

Although the northern black widow’s venom can kill people, people rarely die from its bite. That’s because the spider only injects a small dose when it bites humans. Children and people with weakened immune systems are the most likely to die from its bite.

Even when not fatal, the black widow’s bite can be debilitating. It causes severe pain that can last several hours and triggers symptoms like difficulty in breathing, vomiting, fever, muscle stiffness, and profuse sweating. Seek medical help if one bites you.

The good news is that black widow bites are rare. Despite their deadliness, these spiders are timid around humans, and they run when threatened. They bite as a last resort if they can’t escape, and most bites are because of accidental skin contact.

Northern black widows have weak eyesight and rely on their messy cobwebs to catch prey. They mostly eat insects, but their diet may include other arthropods and spiders. When insects enter their web, they rush toward their victims and sting them to death.

You’ll find northern black widows indoors and outdoors. Indoors, these spiders favor secluded places. They often build their cobwebs in undisturbed corners and window sills.

2. Orchard Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Tatragnathidae
• Scientific Name: Leucauge venusta
• Other Names: Long-jawed Orb-weaver, Venusta Orchard Spider
• Adult Size: 0.14 to 0.3 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The orchard spider is a colorful orb-weaving arachnid. Its abdomen slants downward at the rear and is several times the size of its cephalothorax.

Although the abdomen has green, yellow, brown, black, and white markings, white is the dominant color on the back of most orchard spiders. Its long legs are usually green and its pale brownish carapace has three green to black lines running down it.

This arachnid lives in an orb-shaped web, which it also uses to trap insects. It has poor eyesight and relies on the vibratory signals caught prey triggers on the web to locate its victim. Once it does, the spider swoops in and kills it before eating.

You’ll find many orchard orb-weavers in orchards, but you’ll also find them in other garden types, forests, bushes,  and shrublands. These spiders live in a wide range of places.

These arachnids are shy and timid. When you approach an orchard orb-weaver’s nest, it’ll typically drop down and run under leaf litter or plants to hide. It rarely, if ever, bites people. Even if it does, its venom is harmless.

Like many spiders, orchard orb-weavers are important natural pest controls because of their high-insect diet. Some projects have also used their venom in formulating pesticides.

3. Yellow Garden Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Araneidae
• Scientific Name: Argiope aurantia
• Other Names: Black And Yellow Argiope, Black and Yellow Garden Spider, McKinley Spider, Corn Spider, Golden Garden Spider, Zipper Spider, Zigzag Spider, Steeler Spider
• Adult Size: 0.75 to 1.1 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The yellow garden spider is common in gardens, where it spins large spiral webs and sits upside-down in the center. Like many web-builders, this species uses its web to catch prey.

Flying insects make the bulk of this spider’s diet. The spider detects them by the vibrations they trigger when they get caught in its web and struggle to free themselves.

These arachnids are beneficial in gardens. Since they eat large numbers of insects, yellow garden spiders function as effective biological pest controls in gardens. Sadly, many homeowners remove them on discovering their webs.

Yellow garden spiders are harmless to humans. You can identify them by their large black and yellow abdomen and whitish-haired carapace. Their long legs have black and yellow bands.

Yellow is the dominant color on most variants’ abdomens. The middle of the back is usually black with pairs of yellow or white spots, while the rest of the belly is yellow with black spiral markings.

4. Banded Garden Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Araneidae
• Scientific Name: Argiope trifasciata
• Other Names: Orb-weaver Spider, Yellow Garden Spider
• Adult Size: 0.59 to 0.98 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The banded garden spider is the yellow garden spider’s close relative. This orb-weaver has a large abdomen with several yellow, orange, white, and black bands running across it.

Like the yellow orb-weaver, this species’ carapace has silvery-white hair, and its long legs have alternating light and dark bands. It is common in gardens, but you’ll also encounter it in forests, open fields, and tallgrass prairies.

This arachnid anchors its spiral web between plant stems or branches and sits upside-down in the center. It feeds on the flying insects that crash into its sticky, vertical webs.

The web of the banded garden spider features a thick, zigzag-like silk thread (stabilimentum) running downwards from the center. This thread’s function is unclear, but research suggests it reflects ultraviolet light that attracts insects.

Banded garden spiders rarely bite and are harmless to humans.

5. Red-spotted Ant-mimic Sac Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Corinnidae
• Scientific Name: Castianeira descripta
• Other Names: Ant Mimic Spider
• Adult Size: 0.2 to 0.4 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

At first glance, the red-spotted ant mimic spider and looks like an ant. That’s because this arachnid has a black, ant-shaped body with reddish spots on its back. It also mimics ants by walking on only six of its eight legs.

This arachnid walks with its first pair of legs raised up to mimic an ant’s antennae. Luckily for it, its mimic is so good that it often gets close to ants undetected. Once within reach, it attacks them.

Although red-spotted ant mimic spiders and eat various arthropods, ants are their favorite prey. So much so that they make their homes near anthills and colonies. They don’t build webs, but adults spin silk sac-like shelters for themselves near ant colonies.

After mating, female red-spotted ant mimic spiders wrap their eggs in silk sacs for protection. Then they attach these egg sacs to rocks or other structures to keep them safe.

Red-spotted ant mimic spiders aren’t dangerous or aggressive towards people, but they can inflict painful bites. Handle them with care so they don’t bite you.

6. Furrow Orbweaver

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Araneidae
• Scientific Name: Larinioides cornutus
• Other Names: Furrow Orb Spider, Furrow Spider, Foliate Spider
• Adult Size: 0.4 to 0.5 inches
• Lifespan: 1 Year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The furrow orb-weaver is a short-haired brown spider with a large, roundish abdomen. Its carapace is reddish-brown, and its spiny legs have alternating reddish-brown and light brown bands.

This spider’s name comes from the black or dark brown pattern on its back. This pattern resembles a leaf with wavy edges or the wavy ridges (furrows) left behind after plowing the soil.

Male furrow orb-weavers are much smaller than females, and the pattern on their back is less distinct. In addition, males avoid females outside mating seasons, possibly because they don’t want females to eat them.

You’ll encounter furrow orb-weavers in various parts of Wisconsin. In residential areas, they often build their webs under eaves and overhanging structures. They are nocturnal, hiding in crevices during the day and only coming out to their webs at night.

These arachnids have weak eyesight, so they rely on their webs for food. When their webs catch prey, the spiders hurry over and sting their victims to death. They then wrap their victims in silk to consume later.

Furrow orb-weavers are harmless to people. Their venom is expensive to produce, so they only use it on prey.

7. Daring Jumping Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Salticidae
• Scientific Name: Phidippus audax
• Other Names: Bold Jumper, Daring Jumper, White-spotted Jumper, Bold Jumping Spider
• Adult Size: 0.25 to 0.75 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The daring jumping spider’s name comes from its ability to perform impressive high jumps. Despite its short legs, this spider is able to leap to heights up to 50 times its body length.

Although it lacks extensor muscles in its legs, it is skilled at regulating fluid pressure in its back legs. It jumps by modifying the pressure in its strong back legs. It also uses a silk safety line to steady itself while jumping.

The daring jumping spider is a black, hairy arachnid with three orange-red spots on its back. It has flecks of white hair that form bands around its limbs. However, its most distinguishing feature is its metallic green fangs.

Like other jumping spiders, two of this species’ eight eyes are enlarged. These two eyes give the spider excellent vision, which it uses to scan its environment and locate prey when hunting.

The daring jumping spider doesn’t catch prey in webs. Instead, it stalks or ambushes its victims. When prey is within reach, the spider pounces on it and sinks its poisonous fangs into its victim’s body.

Fortunately, daring jumping spiders are harmless to humans. You don’t need to worry about their fangs because they almost never bite even when you handle them.

They either stay in your hands or jump elsewhere.

8. Northern Yellow Sac Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Eutichuridae
• Scientific Name: Cheiracanthium mildei
• Other Names: Long-legged Sac Spider
• Adult Size: Up to 0.4 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The northern yellow sac spider is another hunter that doesn’t use webs to catch prey.

However, it spins sac-like nests out of silk for shelter. It rests in its silk sac during the day and goes out at night to hunt.

This species is usually greenish-yellow or yellowish-green, but it’s common to find variants that deviate from this color. Although the body lacks distinct patterns, the face is usually darkened and a short line runs halfway down its abdomen.

Northern yellow sac spiders live indoors and outdoors. Indoors, they are difficult to detect because they are nocturnal and don’t spin webs. They live in crevices and damp, undisturbed places like closets.

Although the northern yellow sac spider’s bite isn’t medically significant, it can cause intense pain in allergic people. In rare cases, fever and muscle cramps accompany the bite.

But these symptoms are less severe than those from widows or recluses.

9. Bowl and Doily Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Linyphiidae
• Scientific Name: Frontinella pyramitela
• Other Names: Sheet-weavers
• Adult Size: Up to 0.15 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The bowl and doily spider gets its name from its web’s two-part structure.

The top part is a bowl-shaped web with a tangled mass of silk anchoring it to a tree branch. Under the bowl, the spider spins a flat, doily-like sheet of silk.

This spider’s nest is not sticky, but the design makes it an effective prey catcher. Flying insects that crash into the silk mass above the bowl fall down into the bowl or sheet, where this spider is waiting to sting them to death.

Bowl and doily spiders are tiny brown arachnids with big abdomens. The sides of their belly have white comma-shaped markings running down vertically. In most variants, the lines turn yellowish as they curve under the belly.

You’ll typically find their webs in forest and bushes, anchored to a branch and running parallel to the tree trunk. Unlike most web-building spiders in Wisconsin, it’s common to find a male and female bowl and doily spider in the same nest outside mating seasons.

Bowl and doily spiders are harmless arachnids, and they don’t bite people.

10. American House Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Theridiidae
• Scientific Name: Parasteatoda tepidariorum
• Other Names: Common House Spider
• Adult Size: 0.15 to 0.24 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The American house spider is a relative of the black widow, but it is relatively harmless to people.

Its body is brown, and its abdomen is large and bulbous like widows. However, its belly lacks a reddish hourglass marking and is stippled with black spots.

This spider is common indoors, and it favors undisturbed places with minimal human contact. It builds tangled cobwebs that it uses to catch prey. Like other web-builders, it has poor eyesight and relies on vibratory signals to locate its victims.

It’s common for several American house spiders to build webs close to each other for long stretches. Without close inspection, multiple webs can look like one continuous nest from a distance.

American house spiders are timid and often run when threatened. Many will abandon their nests, drop to the ground, and pretend to be dead.

They only return to their nests after the threat has passed.

11. Giant House Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Agelenidae
• Scientific Name: Eratigena atrica
• Other Names: Drain Spider, Greater European House Spider, European House Spider
• Adult Size: 0.47 to 0.71 inches
• Lifespan: 2 to 3 years
• Average Price Range: N/A

The giant house spider is closely related to the hobo spider, and people often mix up both species. Although they belong to different families, the giant house spider also physically resembles the American house spider.

This arachnid is brown, and its abdomen is stippled with dark markings similar to American house spiders. However, its body is much hairier than American house spiders, and its legs have no banding.

Giant house spiders are extremely fast. They even held the Guinness record for the world’s fastest spider until 1987.

These arachnids are originally from Europe. They were introduced to North America in the previous century and have since spread to many states in the US, including Wisconsin.

Most giant house spider sightings occur indoors. These arachnids build sheet-like cobwebs in wall corners, cracks, and other secluded parts of the house. They are also common in bathtub drains, which is why they are called drain spiders.

These spiders spend most of the day sitting in their webs. However, at night they are usually active and attack any prey that wanders into their webs.

Their venom, while toxic to prey, is harmless to humans.

12. Arrowhead Orbweaver

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Araneidae
• Scientific Name: Verrucosa arenata
• Other Names: Arrowhead Spider, Triangulate Orb-weaver
• Adult Size: 0.15 to 0.55 inches
• Lifespan: Up to 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The arrowhead orb-weaver’s abdomen is shaped like a triangle or arrowhead, which is why the species gets its name. It also has a triangular patch on the upper side of its abdomen.

Depending on the variant, the patch on this spider’s belly is yellow, whitish, or pinkish. The patch also bears reddish, veinlike markings. The rest of this critter’s body is brown, and its legs are spiny.

Arrowhead orb-weavers are web-builders that spin wheel-shaped nests with radial threads connected to the center. You’ll often find them sitting in these nests, waiting for prey to come by so they can attack.

Like other orb-weavers, they have poor eyesight and rely on vibratory signals from their web strands to detect prey before attacking. Although they are aggressive toward prey, they often run when predators invade their nests.

These arachnids are harmless to humans. Their toxin is too weak to cause any significant symptoms, and the spiders themselves rarely bite people.

13. Cat-faced Orbweaver

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Araneidae
• Scientific Name: Araneus gemmoides
• Other Names: Jewel Spider, Cat-faced orb-weaver
• Adult Size: 0.2 to 1 inch
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The cat-faced orb-weaver is a peculiar spider with two angular protrusions on its abdomen. A whitish line passes between the protrusions, expanding to form a pattern with puncture-like depressions in the middle.

The pattern on the back of this spider resembles a cat’s face, with the angular protrusions standing in for ears.

This spider comes in several colors, ranging from super pale to cream, yellow, brown, and reddish-brown. Its body is spiny, and its legs have alternating white and colored bands.

Female cat-faced spiders are larger than males, and their abdomens are massive. Males have much smaller abdomens, and they don’t live as long.

You’ll usually find these spiders outdoors, resting in their orb-shaped webs. These arachnids use their webs to catch prey. When their webs trap insects, the spiders hurry over to inject their victims with venom.

Cat-faced orb-weavers might have a creepy or intimidating appearance, but they are harmless to people. Like most spiders in Wisconsin, they rarely bite humans, and their venom doesn’t trigger significant symptoms.

14. Dimorphic Jumping Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Salticidae
• Scientific Name: Maevia inclemens
• Other Names: Jumping Spider
• Adult Size: 0.2 to 0.3 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The dimorphic jumping spider is one of Wisconsin’s most fascinating spider species.

Males are dimorphic, meaning they occur in two different physical forms. Interestingly, females aren’t dimorphic.

One male form is black with white legs and three black tufts on its head. This form is called the black or tufted morph. In contrast, the second morph is gray with white and black stripes on its legs.

The second morph is called the striped or gray morph, and it lacks the tufts present in the first morph. Its body has orange markings, and its pedipalps are yellow.

It’s unclear why this species has two distinct male forms or what implication these distinctions have. Both morphs typically show up in roughly equal numbers in most dimorphic jumping spider populations.

Female dimorphic jumping spiders are usually brown, but their faces are whitish. They also generally have two dark lines running down their backs.

Like other jumping spiders, dimorphic jumpers have excellent vision and can perform impressive jumps. These spiders are also skilled hunters that don’t catch prey with webs.

Dimorphic jumpers stalk and ambush prey. They pounce on their victims when close and sink their fangs into them. Insects are the bulk of these spiders’ diet, but dimorphic jumpers eat many types of arthropods.

These arachnids are common outdoors, although they also stray indoors. You’ll usually spot them on vertical surfaces like walls and tree barks. They are pretty lively, often jumping from place to place.

Dimorphic jumping spiders are harmless to humans.

15. European Garden Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Araneidae
• Scientific Name: E
• Other Names: Crowned Orb-weaver, Orangie, Cross Spider, Cross Orb-weaver, Diadem Spider, House Spider, Pumpkin Spider
• Adult Size: 0.22 to 0.79 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

European garden spiders vary in color.

Many variants are brown with a wide, wavy-edged, dark pattern running down the back. The center of this pattern has several light markings arranged to form a cross, which is why they are also called cross spiders.

These arachnids are orb-weavers that rely on their webs for food. They usually sit upside down in the middle of their nest, waiting for prey. When insects wander into their nests, the spiders quickly immobilize them with venom before eating or stashing them away for later.

You’ll find most European garden spiders outdoors. They typically build their webs in gardens, forests, and shrublands.

However, they are also common in man-made structures. Here, they usually build their nests under porches and eaves.

When threatened, these spiders vigorously shake their webs to discourage predators from approaching. They drop down and run if this act fails to dissuade predators. They only return after the threat has passed.

Female European garden spiders sometimes eat males after mating. They live longer than males. However, most don’t survive winter.

Before then, the spiders wrap their eggs in silk sacs and place them in leaves, standing guard until winter comes for them.

16. Starbellied Orbweaver

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Araneidae
• Scientific Name: Acanthepeira stellata
• Other Names: Star-bellied Spider
• Adult Size: 0.19 to 0.59 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The star-bellied orb-weaver is an orange to brown arachnid with white streaks on its body.

It has a massive crown-like belly with pointy protrusions lining the top edges. These protrusions make its belly star-like, hence its name.

Like most orb-weavers, male star-bellied orb-weavers are much smaller than females. The size difference between the cephalothorax and belly is not as jarring as in females. Males also tend to have shorter lifespans.

You’ll find most star-bellied orb-weavers in fields and forests rich with vegetation. They sit in orb-like webs, waiting for insects or other arthropods to get stuck in their nest. When insects do, these spiders swoop in and immobilize their victims with venom.

If these spiders are threatened, they drop down from their nests immediately. They curl their legs under themselves and pretend to be dead. They remain that way until the threat passes.

Star-bellied orb-weavers are present, not just in Wisconsin, but in every US state. They scarcely bite people and are harmless even when they do.

17. Zebra Jumping Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Salticidae
• Scientific Name: Salticus scenicus
• Other Names: Zebra Jumping Spider
• Adult Size: Up to 0.25 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The zebra jumping spider is black.

Several long patches of white hair run across its body, creating a pattern similar to the skin of zebras. In some variants, the base color tends toward gray instead of black.

You’ll find zebra jumping spiders in residential areas and in forests. Like other jumpers, these arachnids are lively. They tend to hop from surface to surface, but you’ll usually see them on vertical surfaces.

Zebra jumping spiders are capable of impressive jumps. Although they lack extensor muscles, they are skillful at regulating the blood pressure in their legs. This pressure modification is what powers their jumps.

These arachnids also spin silk draglines to steady themselves while jumping and to reduce the risk of injury in case a jump fails.

Zebra jumpers have excellent vision and are skilled hunters. They don’t build webs to catch prey, preferring to ambush their victims on the ground. When insects are within reach, the spiders pounce on them and inject their victims with venom.

Female zebra spiders often wrap their eggs in silk sacs and are protective of them. They keep their egg sacs in small nests, standing guard until the eggs hatch. Sadly, females die a while after their young leave.

Zebra jumping spiders are harmless, but they are fun to watch in action.

18. Marbled Orbweaver

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Araneidae
• Scientific Name: Araneus marmoreus
• Other Names: Pumpkin Spider
• Adult Size: 0.2 to 0.7 inches
• Lifespan: Less than 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The marbled orb-weaver is a stunning orange spider with a massive abdomen that may be orange, yellow, or brownish.

The spider gets its name from the marble-like pattern on its back. In most variants, this design has brown, yellow, black, and green streaks.

You’ll typically encounter this species in forests, shrublands, and tallgrass fields. It favors moist areas, especially coastal areas. But you may also find it in residential areas.

Like many orb-weavers, this species spins concentric, orb-shaped webs. Unlike many orb-weavers, it doesn’t sit in the center. This spider often hides in a retreat fashioned out of silk and dry leaves at the edge of its web.

The marbled orb-weaver remains connected to the center of its web by a “signal” thread that vibrates when the web catches prey. Their retreat is likely to protect them from predators that target spiders sitting in their web’s center.

Female marbled orb-weavers spin silk sacs around their eggs and protect them for a while. Sadly, most adults die before winter is over. Spiderlings emerge from the eggs in spring.

These arachnids are harmless to humans. Bites are pretty uncommon, and the spider’s venom is not medically significant.

19. Filmy Dome Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Linyphiidae
• Scientific Name: Neriene radiata
• Other Names: Sheetweb Weavers
• Adult Size: 0.14 to 0.25 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The filmy dome spider is a tiny sheet weaver. It belongs to the same family as bowl and doily spiders and shares some physical traits with them. Depending on the variant, this spider is usually either brown and white or black and white.

This arachnid has broad white streaks running along both sides of the abdomen. These white markings branch out into thin white or yellowish stripes running vertically down the sides.

Like other sheet-weavers, the nest this species builds is non-sticky. Its name comes from the dome-like sheet-web it spins. This spider’s web is horizontal, and it often stays under to wait for prey.

When an insect wanders into the web and gets stuck, the spider quickly injects it with venom and tears a hole under the web. It then pulls the insect out and wraps it in silk. This usually happens at night, when the spider is most active.

Filmy dome spiders stay under their webs during the day to avoid predators like birds. They rarely construct their nests in open fields. However, they are abundant in dense woodlands and low-hanging vegetation around houses.

These arachnids are harmless to humans.

20. Six-spotted Orbweaver

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Araneidae
• Scientific Name: Araniella displicata
• Other Names: Orb-weaver
• Adult Size: 0.16 to 0.31 inches
• Lifespan: 1 to 2 years
• Average Price Range: N/A

Six-spotted orb-weavers come in several colors, such as brown, yellow, red, orange, white, and tan.

Their distinguishing feature is the presence of three pairs of dark spots on their back. These spots spread out from the rear of the belly in a v-shaped pattern.

Unlike most orb-weavers, these arachnids build small webs that are only a few inches wide. Their nests may be horizontal or vertical and are placed far above the ground, anchored to leaves.

You’ll typically see these spiders in the center of their webs, waiting for prey. They hang under when their nests are horizontal and upside-down when the placement is more vertical.

Six-spotted orb-weavers favor woodlands and forests, but you may also encounter them around the home in your garden or indoors. They are harmless spiders that rarely sting people.

Adult females wrap their eggs in silk cocoons and protect them for as long as they can. Sadly, these spiders don’t live long. Most die in the frosts of winter.

21. Eastern Parson Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Gnaphosidae
• Scientific Name: Herpyllus ecclesiasticus
• Other Names: Stealthy Ground Spider, Ground Spider
• Adult Size: 0.3 to 0.8 inches
• Lifespan: 1 to 2 years
• Average Price Range: N/A

The eastern parson spider is black or gray, and it has a white pattern running down the middle of its back.

This pattern resembles the neckbands Catholic clergy (parsons) wore in the past. That’s why it’s called a parson spider.

Eastern parson spiders are fast on their feet, and they often run in a zigzag manner that makes them hard to catch. This behavior puts them at an advantage when escaping predators, but it also makes them excellent predators.

These arachnids are hunters with keen eyesight, and they have no need for web traps. When hunting, they stalk or ambush their victims and subdue them with venom before eating.

You may encounter eastern parson spiders indoors or outdoors. Within the home, they prefer to hide in cracks, secluded corners, and the crevices between items that haven’t moved in a while. They are nocturnal, so they’ll generally stay out of your way.

Eastern parson spiders are not dangerous to humans. Although they run when threatened, they won’t hesitate to bite you if you back them into a corner.

Their bites, while painful, deliver only a mild venom that can’t harm you.

22. Gray Cross Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Araneidae
• Scientific Name: Larinioides sericatus
• Other Names: Bridge Orb-weaver, Bridge Spider
• Adult Size: 0.31 to 0.55 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The gray cross spider is closely related to the furrow orb-weaver.

Both species have similar leaf-like patterns on their backs. However, gray cross spiders have light markings that form a cross in the middle of their abdominal pattern.

Gray cross spiders vary in color, from gray to brown. They are also called bridge orb-weavers, and that’s because they often hang around bridges and well-lit steel structures.

These arachnids are likely drawn to bridges and well-lit structures because such places attract plenty of insects. You’ll generally find several orb-weavers in the same location, each trying to secure a good spot to catch insects, their favorite snack.

Bridge orb-weavers build large, orb-like nests to trap their victims. Because competition is often fierce, many don’t leave their webs during peak periods of insect activity. This strategy prevents other individuals from displacing them from their spots.

These critters are most active at night and sit head-down in the center of their webs waiting for prey. During the day, most retreat to the edges of their webs.

Juveniles are more likely to stay out on their webs in the daytime.

23. Goldenrod Crab Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Thomisidae
• Scientific Name: Misumena vatia
• Other Names: Smooth Flower Crab Spider, Flower Spider, Flower Crab Spider
• Adult Size: 0.125 to 0.75 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The goldenrod crab spider is usually white or green, and it has a reddish rod-like marking running on either side of its back. It has an oval abdomen that’s wider at the rear, and its first two leg pairs are longer than the rest.

Like crabs, this spider often walks with its curved forearms spread out in front. It can also walk in all directions without turning. It’s called a goldenrod crab spider because it often stays on goldenrod plants.

Also called a flower crab spider, this species spends most of its time in flowerheads. It’s capable of switching its color between green and white to match its surrounding. Its transition sometimes takes days, but it provides the spider with excellent camouflage.

Goldenrod crab spiders are hunters. However, most are passive. They remain in the same spot and ambush pollinators instead of tracking down their victims. They have excellent vision, so they can quickly spot insects and grab them before stinging them.

Male goldenrod crab spiders are more active than females, and you’re likely to find them roaming on the ground in search of prey. They are considerably less colorful and have smaller bellies.

Regardless of the sex, these arachnids are harmless to humans, and bites are uncommon.

24. Dark Fishing Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Pisauridae
• Scientific Name: Dolomedes tenebrosus
• Other Names: Dock Spider, Raft Spider, Wharf Spider 
• Adult Size: 0.27 to 1.02 inches
• Lifespan: 1 to 2 years
• Average Price Range: N/A

You’ll usually find dark fishing spiders around riverbanks, in coastal forests and shrublands, and on docks or wharves. Most sightings are outdoors, but these spiders also sometimes stray indoors.

These semi-aquatic spiders can walk on water. They can also dive in and stay submerged for long periods before resurfacing. As expected, they eat aquatic insects hanging to the surface film.

Dark fishing spiders also sometimes go for prey larger than them, including non-arthropods like tadpoles and tiny fishes. When on land, they hunt down terrestrial insects and consume them.

Unlike web-builders, dark fishing spiders don’t spin webs to catch prey. They rely purely on their speed, wit, and keen eyesight to track down and subdue their victims. They also use surface vibrations to detect prey in water.

You can identify these spiders by their thick-haired body and the dark W-shaped patterns on the second half of their abdomen. These spiders are generally brown with black mottles, and they typically rest with their legs stretched out in every direction.

Male dark fishing spiders often die immediately after mating, after which females eat them for nourishment. Females wrap their eggs in silk sacs and keep them safe for as long as they can.

25. Six-spotted Fishing Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Pisauridae
• Scientific Name: Dolomedes triton
• Other Names: Fishing Spider
• Adult Size: 0.5 to 0.75 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The six-spotted fishing spider is closely related to the dark fishing spider.

This species is also semi-aquatic, so you’ll generally find it near streams, rivers, and coastal vegetation. Like its sibling, it sometimes wanders out of these ranges into drier places.

This species is a skilled hunter that doesn’t build webs to catch prey. On land, it stalks and ambushes its victims, subduing them with venom before eating. It uses surface vibrations to locate prey when on the water before diving in to seize its victims.

Six-spotted fishing spiders get their name from the six pairs of whitish spots on their back. The body is greenish-brown with legs stippled with white spots.

In addition, whitish stripes run along the sides of the spiders, from head to rear.

These hairy arachnids generally sit with their legs spread out. Their bodies are hairy, which adds to the intimidating air around them. However, these spiders scarcely bite people and are harmless.

Females create silk sacs to hold their eggs, carrying them around in their jaws for a while before placing them in a nest. After spiderlings hatch from the eggs, females keep watch over them until the young spiders strike out on their own.

26. Spotted Orbweaver

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Araneidae
• Scientific Name: Neoscona crucifera
• Other Names: Barn Spider, Hentz Orb-weaver
• Adult Size: Up to 0.75 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

Spotted orb-weavers have spines all over their bodies, and their abdomens are massive.

The belly of this species has a wavy-edged, dark line on either side and a light brown or grayish cross in the middle. Sadly, this pattern is usually indistinct in adults.

The color of these spiders ranges from brown and gray to orange, and the legs have light and dark bands. Most individuals have a gray carapace with whitish hair.

These arachnids have poor eyesight and depend on the webs they spin to catch prey. Females build these webs, and you’ll usually find them sitting in the center. When insects wander into their nests, they swoop in to kill their victims.

You’ll encounter orb-weavers in various places, from forests and woodlands to gardens and barns. During the day, these nocturnal spiders usually hide in curled leaves, emerging at dusk to rebuild their webs every day.

Spotted orb-weavers don’t bite people. Even if they did, the toxin they inject is harmless to humans.

27. Broad-faced Sac Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Trachelidae
• Scientific Name: Trachelas tranquillus
• Other Names: Bullheaded Sac Spider, Sac Spider
• Adult Size: 0.19 to 0.39 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

Broad-faced sac spiders don’t build webs to catch prey, but they spin silk sacs to rest in when inactive.

That’s why they are called sac spiders. Females also wrap their eggs in protective silk cocoons until the eggs hatch.

These arachnids have a dark red carapace with a tan brown or grayish abdomen. The first pair of legs is dark red, but the legs lighten as you move towards the last pair.

You’ll find broad-faced sac spiders indoors and outdoors. Indoors, they stay in crevices and secluded parts of the house. Outdoors, you’ll find them in forests and woodlands, hiding under leaf litter and debris.

Broad-faced sac spiders are skilled hunters. In addition to hunting live prey, these arachnids have a reputation for scavenging dead and rotting insects. This dietary choice helps them survive periods of food scarcity.

Although the broad-faced sac spider’s venom isn’t medically significant, its bites can leave tiny sores prone to infection. This infection is usually due to germs left on its mouthparts after consuming decaying arthropods.

28. Woodlouse Hunter

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Dysderidae
• Scientific Name: Dysdera crocata
• Other Names: Woodlouse Spider, Long-Fanged Ground Spider, Sowbug Hunter, Pillbug Hunter, Sowbug Killer, Slater Spider, Roly-Poly Hunter,  Cell Spider,  Orange Spider
• Adult Size: 0.35 to 0.59 inches
• Lifespan: 3 to 4 years
• Average Price Range: N/A

Woodlouse hunters are reddish spiders with light brown to grayish bellies. Without close inspection, it’s easy to mistake these arachnids for broad-faced sac spiders. But you can always differentiate them.

Woodlouse hunters have only six eyes in a circular arrangement, while those of broad-faced sac spiders are eight and widely spaced. In addition, woodlouse hunters have long, pointed fangs, and their legs are roughly the same shade.

These arachnids get their name from their favorite prey: woodlouse. You’ll usually find them in forests and woodlands, hanging around rotting logs near woodlouse populations.

Woodlouse hunters are skilled predators, and they don’t spin webs to catch prey. They prefer ambushing their victims and immobilizing them with venom from their sharp fangs.

Although woodlouse hunters have a threatening look, they scarcely bite people. They run when threatened and only bite as a last resort. Fortunately, the toxin they inject doesn’t cause any significant symptoms.

Female woodlouse spiders wrap their eggs in silk cocoons and protect them until the eggs hatch. Young woodlouse spiders remain in their mother’s nest for a while before moving out.

29. Arabesque Orbweaver

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Araneidae
• Scientific Name: Neoscona arabesca
• Other Names: Orb-weaver
• Adult Size: 0.20 to 0.28 inches
• Lifespan: 1 Year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The arabesque orb-weaver is a close sibling of the spotted orb-weaver, but it’s more brightly colored. It’s called an arabesque orb-weaver because the pattern on its back resembles the designs on traditional Arab or Moorish floors.

This spider spins circular webs and anchors them to branches in bushes, forests, and shrublands. In residential areas, you’ll find its webs in gardens, under eaves, and on other artificial structures.

Females typically build the webs. They are active at night and sit upside-down in the center of their nests, waiting for insects to come around. When these sticky traps catch insects, the spiders rush down to kill their victims and stash them away.

Like most orb-weaving spiders in Wisconsin, arabesque orb-weavers rebuild their webs every day. They eat it before retreating during the day and respin the webs when ready to catch prey at night.

These arachnids avoid contact with humans and are totally harmless.

30. Triangulate Combfoot

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Theridiidae
• Scientific Name: Steatoda triangulosa
• Other Names: Triangulate Cobweb Spider, Triangulate Bug Spider
• Adult Size: Up to 0.25 inches
• Lifespan: 1 to 3 years
• Average Price Range: N/A

Triangulate comb-foots are black widow relatives. These spiders have brown bodies, and their bulbous abdomens have pairs of wavy lines that form triangles when they meet.

In most individuals, the triangular patterns are light brown with whitish spots.

Despite their relation to black widows, triangulate comb-foots are pretty harmless spiders. Their venom kills other arthropods, but it doesn’t cause any significant symptoms in humans. Allergic people might experience more severe reactions.

Triangulate comb-foots are common indoors, and they favor undisturbed corners and rooms. They spin thick, messy cobwebs that are super sticky and effective at catching arthropods, including real black widows.

These spiders sometimes build their webs inches away from each other. At a glance, several triangulate spiders’ cobwebs can seem like one long, continuous nest.

These arachnids serve as biological pest controls at home.

31. Asiatic Wall Jumping Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Salticidae
• Scientific Name: Attulus fasciger
• Other Names: Asiatic Wall Jumper, Asian Wall Jumping Spider, Mottled Jumping Spider, Mottled Patterned Jumping Spider, Asian Wall Jumper,  Asiatic Spider
• Adult Size: 0.125 to 0.25 inches
• Lifespan: 1 to 2 years
• Average Price Range: N/A

Originally native to northern and eastern Asia, the Asiatic wall jumping spider has become widespread in many US states since its introduction in the 1950s. This arachnid is dark brown with black mottles and flecks of white hair.

Like all jumping spiders, this species can leap to heights several times its body size. It has strong banded legs that facilitate its jumps, and it uses a silk dragline to steady itself mid-air.

Asiatic wall jumping spiders have excellent vision, which they take advantage of while hunting. They don’t catch prey in webs, preferring to ambush their victims. When insects are close, the spiders leap on them and pierce the insects with their poisonous fangs.

You’ll find Asiatic wall jumpers on vertical surfaces in and out of the house. These lively arachnids are harmless and fun to keep. If you let them, they’ll walk on your skin and clothes without biting.

Asiatic wall jumping spiders have short lifespans. After laying eggs, females wrap them in silk egg sacs and guard them until they hatch. Sadly, females die shortly after their spiderlings leave the nest.

32. Tan Jumping Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Salticidae
• Scientific Name: Platycryptus undatus
• Other Names: Tan Jumper, Tree Trunk Spider
• Adult Size: 0.33 to 0.51 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The tan jumping spider is a tan spider with flecks of black, dark brown, and white hair. It is thickly-haired, and the dominant color varies from spider to spider.

In fact, some tan jumping spiders appear more black than tan.

This spider has a broad pattern running along the middle of its back. This broad pattern covers the carapace but narrows into chevrons on the abdomen and is usually lighter than the rest of the body.

Like all jumping spiders, this species jumps by adjusting the blood pressure in its legs. It can leap several times its own height. Although it doesn’t build conventional silk webs, it spins silk safety lines to help with its jumps.

Two of the tan jumping spider’s eyes bulge out like binoculars. These eyes are responsible for the spider’s excellent vision, helping it to move around and locate prey and predators with ease.

This spider tracks down prey since it doesn’t catch them in webs. It jumps on its victims and quickly immobilizes them with venom before eating. Although its venom kills prey, the spider is harmless to humans.

Tan jumpers are energetic spiders, often moving around or jumping from place to place. They love vertical surfaces like walls, fence posts, and tree trunks.

33. Spined Micrathena

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Araneidae
• Scientific Name: Micrathena gracilis
• Other Names: Castleback Orb-weaver
• Adult Size: 0.2 to 0.4 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The spined micrathena is one of Wisconsin’s more peculiar spiders.

Unlike most orb-weaving spiders in Wisconsin, this species doesn’t have an oblong, round, or oval abdomen. Its belly has several pairs of spine-like protrusions at the top edges.

In most variants, these spine-like protrusions are dark brown or black, while the rest of the belly is milky white with dark brown or black blotches. The legs and cephalothorax are solid brown or black.

Spined micrathenas build wheel-like webs in forests, gardens, and bushes. They sit upside-down in the center of their nests, waiting for prey to come by and get stuck. When an insect gets stuck, the spiders hurry over and kill it before eating.

You’ll generally find only one spined micrathena per web, virtually always a female. Male spined micrathenas are smaller and avoid contact with females outside mating seasons. Unlike females, they have only two or so spines on their backs.

Though they look threatening, spined micrathenas are harmless spiders. They rarely bite people and their toxin is too weak to cause any serious symptoms.

34. Brilliant Jumping Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Salticidae
• Scientific Name: Phidippus clarus
• Other Names: Red and black jumping spider, Brilliant Jumper
• Adult Size: 0.19 to 0.25 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The brilliant jumping spider is a stunner. This black arachnid has a white or yellow band on its waist and a wide, reddish-orange stripe on each side of its abdomen.

In most individuals, you’ll also notice four whitish spots at the edges of the black mid-line.

Brilliant jumping spiders are among the most commonly encountered jumping spiders in the US. These arachnids are skilled hunters that don’t use webs when catching prey. Instead, they chase their victims down and pounce on them.

Due to their abundance and high-insect diet, many scientists have proposed their use in controlling some unwanted plant bugs. The spiders have keen eyesight and can subdue prey larger than them.

Like all jumpers, brilliant jumping spiders can leap several times their own height. They do this by pushing blood into their legs before extending them. They also use silk draglines to steady themselves while in the air.

You’ll generally find these spiders in tallgrass prairies, fields, and woodlands. They live in silk nests called “hibernacula.”

After laying eggs, females wrap them in silk sacs and guard them until their young leave the nest.

35. Long-bodied Cellar Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Pholcidae
• Scientific Name: Pholcus phalangioides
• Other Names: Daddy Longlegs, House Spider, Vibrating Spider, Cellar Spider, Daddy Longlegger, Carpenter Spider, Granddaddy Longlegs, Skull Spider
• Adult Size: Up to 0.4 inches
• Lifespan: 2 years
• Average Price Range: N/A

The long-bodied cellar spider is a tiny arachnid with a long abdomen.

Its second name, daddy longlegs, is fitting because the spider’s legs are incredibly long. In most variants, the legs are up to six times their body length.

Long-bodied cellar spiders are among the most common indoor spiders, but they are also abundant outdoors. Indoors, these critters favor cellars, ceiling corners, furniture bends, closets, window sills, and other undisturbed parts of the house.

Although these arachnids are harmless, some people wrongly assume they are deadly. That’s because of myths that claim cellar spiders are among the most venomous species in the world. But these spiders’ venom is weak.

Cellar spiders don’t bite people unprovoked. When threatened, they vigorously shake their webs to dissuade predators and make themselves too blurry to locate inside their webs. They abandon their nests and run if the predator doesn’t back off.

Like all web-building spiders, these arachnids have weak eyesight. They rely on their webs to catch prey.

Insects caught in their webs often cause the strands to vibrate while struggling, helping the spiders locate them easily.

36. Striped Fishing Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Pisauridae
• Scientific Name: Dolomedes scriptus
• Other Names: Fishing Spider
• Adult Size: Up to 1 inch
• Lifespan: 1 to 2 years
• Average Price Range: N/A

The striped fishing spider is closely related to the dark fishing spider.

You’ll find this semi-aquatic critter near streams and rivers, on docks or wharves, and in coastal forests and woodlands. In some cases, this spider lives in drier places and enters houses.

This species is light brown to tan or gray with a light line in the middle of its carapace. Its name comes from the white stripe running the length of its body on each side.

In addition, the second half of its abdomen has dark and light W-shaped markings.

Striped fishing spiders are predators with keen eyesight that hunt on land and water. They usually stand on water, listening to surface vibrations for signs of prey. After locating prey, they dive under to grab their victims.

These arachnids primarily eat aquatic insects, but they also sometimes catch larger prey like fish and tadpoles. They’re able to subdue bigger prey with their venom because of their speed.

Although these spiders aren’t web-building species, they spin silk sacs around their eggs to protect them. Females guard these eggs fiercely until spiderlings emerge.

Striped fishing spiders sit with their legs spread out. Though they sometimes look intimidating, they aren’t dangerous.

They only bite when they can’t escape a threat, but their venom has no significant symptoms in humans.

37. Common Candy-striped Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner to Intermediate
• Family: Theridiidae
• Scientific Name: Enoplognatha ovataC
• Other Names: Candy-striped Spider
• Adult Size: 0.25 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The common candy-striped spider is a yellowish or cream spider with a bulbous or pea-shaped belly. Its abdomen has two reddish stripes running down both sides of the back, giving it a candy-like appearance.

You’ll typically find this spider in gardens, hedges, grasslands, and other places with good vegetation. It’s a distant relative of black widows and spins tangled cobwebs with thin strands that are hard to see with the naked eye.

Like its relatives, this spider catches prey in its cobweb. It often anchors its cobweb to flowers and attacks insects that get trapped in its nest. It can kill prey several times its body size.

Candy-striped spiders aren’t aggressive, but their bites can be painful. Thankfully, they only bite as a last resort when threatened, and their venom doesn’t trigger severe symptoms.

You might develop temporary redness and pain in the bite area.

38. American Nursery Web Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Pisaurina
• Scientific Name: Pisaurina mira
• Other Names: Nursery Web Spider
• Adult Size: 0.35 to 0.7 inches
• Lifespan: 1 to 2 years
• Average Price Range: N/A

The American nursery web spider belongs to the same family as fishing spiders. It can walk on water and stay submerged for long periods. Like its fishing spider relatives, this spider is a hunter.

American nursery web spiders are fast predators with keen eyesight. When hunting in water, they stand on the surface and locate prey using surface vibrations. They dive in quickly to capture their victims, subduing them with their strong venom.

Although these arachnids prefer habitats near rivers or coastal forests, you’ll also find them in drier ranges. They sometimes wander into artificial structures and hunt various terrestrial arthropods.

American nursery web spiders are generally brown with a broad dark central stripe running from their head to rear. A white line borders this central stripe on both sides, but the white line is broken into a series of dashes on some variants.

It’s common to mistake this species for fishing spiders or wolf spiders. But if you zoom in, you’ll notice four of its lower eyes are in a straight row. Fishing and wolf spiders don’t have their four lower eyes on a single row.

American nursery spiders often sit with their legs spread out like fishing spiders. Although they don’t spin silk webs to catch prey, they create silk cocoons for their eggs and protect them.

These arachnids are harmless to humans.

39. Shamrock Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Araneidae
• Scientific Name: Araneus trifolium
• Other Names: Orb-weaver
• Adult Size: Up to 0.75 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

Shamrock spiders are hairy arachnids that tend to live in gardens and other vegetation-rich places.

They are brown with light and dark bands on their spiny legs. Although it varies widely, their abdomen is usually white, yellow, or reddish-brown.

These orb-weavers build intricate wheel-like webs with sticky and non-sticky strands. Like other orb-weavers, shamrock spiders use their nests to catch prey like insects. They locate these insects by vibratory signals and run over to kill them.

Shamrock spiders sometimes sit head-down in the center of their webs waiting for prey. Other times, they hide in a leafy retreat nearby and monitor their webs using a signal thread attached to their webs’ center. This thread vibrates when the webs snare prey.

These arachnids are harmless to humans. They function as biological controls, helping reduce the population of pests in the gardens, parks, and fields that host them.

40. Bronze Jumping Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Salticidae
• Scientific Name: Eris militaris
• Other Names: Bronze Lake Jumping Spider, Bronze Jumper, Bronze Lake Jumper
• Adult Size: 0.19 to 0.35 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The bronze jumping spider is a brown or bronze-colored jumper.

It has a cream or light brown band on the sides of its face. In most males, the cephalothorax is dark, and a cream or white band curves around the abdomen.

Female bronze jumpers have a lighter cephalothorax and a darker abdomen than males. They also lack the white banding males possess. Like most spiders in Wisconsin, female bronze jumpers are bigger than males.

You’ll generally encounter these spiders in fields and bushes. They are common in residential areas, where they often rest on poles, fences, and tree trunks. Like most jumpers, they are harmless and easy to handle.

These spiders don’t bite unless handled roughly, so bites are rare. Even if one were to bite you, you’ll have no or mild symptoms. You might experience more intense reactions if you’re allergic to spiders.

Bronze jumpers have excellent vision, courtesy of their pair of enlarged eyes. They don’t snare their prey with webs, preferring to chase and subdue them instead.

They also have short strong legs to use when jumping. Although they don’t build typical webs, they spin silk draglines to make their jumps easier. These draglines also protect them from injury when jumps go wrong.

Female bronze jumping spiders wrap their eggs in silk cocoons, after which they place the cocoons in their nests. They guard the eggs diligently until spiderlings emerge and leave the nest.

Sadly, most females die around this time.

41. Lined Orbweaver

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Araneidae
• Scientific Name: Mangora gibberosa
• Other Names: Orb-weaver
• Adult Size: 0.2 to 0.25 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The lined orb-weaver is a green spider with a whitish abdomen.

A dark line runs through the center of its carapace, and its legs are translucent. In addition, three dark lines extend anteriorly from the rear of the belly but two of them stop midway.

Like other orb-weavers, the lined orb-weaver spins a wheel-like web with spiral threads interspersed with radial strands. This species’ web stands out because the center is reinforced with thickened silk that forms a white circle.

You’ll usually see the lined orb-weaver sitting in the center of its web. It usually stays in forests, gardens, and other areas with ample vegetation. Like most web-builders, it relies on its web to catch insects and other arthropods.

Lined orb-weavers are harmless to humans and won’t bite except threatened without an escape route. In gardens, they function as biological pest controls because of their diet and are beneficial to have around.

42. Running Crab Spiders

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Philodromidae
• Scientific Name: Philodromus spp.
• Other Names: Crab Spiders
• Adult Size: Up to 0.75 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

As their name suggests, running crab spiders are quick on their feet.

These fascinating arachnids walk around with their arms outstretched like crabs. Females are usually yellowish to light brown with dark brown mottles, while males a dark brown to black.

Unlike true crab spiders, only their second pair of legs is longer than the others. The first pair is the same size as the rest. Their legs are usually spiny with light and dark bands.

Running crab spiders are swift predators that don’t spin webs to catch prey. They have excellent eyesight and prefer to chase down or ambush their victims before attacking.

Although these arachnids don’t spin webs to catch prey, they use silk for other purposes. Females, for example, spin silk egg sacs to house their eggs. They guard these eggs for as long as they live.

Running crab spiders rarely bite humans, unless threatened and prevented from escaping. Their bites can cause pain and trigger uncomfortable symptoms in allergic people, but their toxin is harmless.

43. False Black Widow

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Theridiidae
• Scientific Name: Steatoda grossa
• Other Names: False Widow, Brown House Spider, Dark Comb-footed Spider, Cupboard Spider
• Adult Size: 0.25 to 0.4 inches
• Lifespan: 1 to 6 years
• Average Price Range: N/A

The false black widow is a close relative of true black widows.

It’s easy to misidentify this species as a black widow if you’re not familiar with true widows. But if you know what to look for, telling them apart is easy.

True black widows have a reddish hourglass marking on their underbelly but false black widows don’t. Most false black widows are also brown instead of black like true widows.

Although dark false black widows are common, their color tends towards dark brown or purple than black.

False black widows spin disorganized cobwebs and are common indoors. You’ll usually find their webs in ceiling corners and secluded areas. Like other web-builders, they use their cobwebs to catch insects and other arthropods.

These arachnids can be beneficial to have around. In addition to controlling pests like mosquitoes and flies, these spiders also prey on true black widows and keep them out of the house.

Fortunately, false black widows are harmless compared to true widows. Bites are uncommon because these spiders often run when threatened.

If one bites you, the resulting symptoms are generally mild and fade without treatment.

44. Spitting Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Scytodidae
• Scientific Name: Scytodes thoracica
• Other Names: Spitting Spider
• Adult Size: 0.15 to 0.25 inches
• Lifespan: 1.5 to 2 years
• Average Price Range: N/A

Spitting spiders differ from other spiders in Wisconsin because they can shoot or spit toxic silk at prey from their heads. This action is possible because the spiders have extra silk glands on their heads.

These arachnids are usually yellow or light brown with dark brown blotches on their bodies. Their cephalothorax and abdomen look like inflated domes and are roughly the same size.

Unlike most hunters, spitting spiders don’t have sharp eyesight. They often tap around prey before attacking to pinpoint their exact location, after which they cover their victims in toxic silk.

Spitting spiders don’t build webs to catch prey, and they are generally safe to handle. Their toxic silk is harmless to humans, and the spiders don’t bite.

45. Rabbit Hutch Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Theridiidae
• Scientific Name: Steatoda bipunctata
• Other Names: False Black Widow
• Adult Size: 0.31 inches
• Lifespan: 1 to 6 years
• Average Price Range: N/A

Rabbit hutch spiders are also false black widows. Although they are easier to differentiate from true widows, it’s common for inexperienced people to mistake them for black widows.

These spiders have bulbous bellies that range from dark brown to dark purple. They lack the reddish hourglass marking characteristic of black widows, but they have a short, white dorsal stripe that curves around the front of their abdomen.

Rabbit hutch spiders construct silk cobwebs like their relatives, but they are harmless to humans. They rely on their sticky cobwebs for nutrition, consuming insects and other arthropods that wander in and get stuck.

You’ll encounter these spiders indoors and outdoors. Their name comes from their love for sheltered places, such as rabbit hutches.

Indoors, they favor undisturbed places like wall corners. You’ll also find them outdoors in garages and among vegetation.

46. Deadly Ground Crab Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Thomisidae
• Scientific Name: Xysticus funestus
• Other Names: Ground Crab Spider, Bark Crab Spider
• Adult Size: 0.18 to 0.4 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

There’s no reason to worry about the “deadly” in the deadly ground crab spiders’ name, except if you’re an insect. This species is ruthless with prey, but it is completely harmless to humans.

It runs when threatened. And when it does bite, doesn’t trigger any serious symptoms.

The deadly ground crab spider is a fast arachnid that doesn’t spin webs to catch insects and other arthropods. Like other skilled hunters, it uses its speed, wit, and excellent eyesight to track down prey before attacking.

A true crab spider, this species is orange to light brown with a wide abdomen and enlarged front legs. It walks with its first two pairs of legs spread out in front, like real-life crabs.

You’ll usually find the deadly ground crab spider in forests and woodlands, roaming in the ground in search of prey or hiding under debris. This spider’s mottled body helps it blend in with tree barks and leaf litter on the forest floor, making it difficult to spot.

While this species doesn’t spin silk web traps, it spins silk sacs to house its eggs. Females keep their egg sacs in the open but stand guard over them until spiderlings emerge from the eggs.

47. Black-footed Yellow Sac Spider

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Eutichuridae
• Scientific Name: Cheiracanthium inclusum
• Other Names: Long-legged Sac Spider, American Yellow Sac Spider, Agrarian Sac Spider
• Adult Size: 0.16 to 0.35 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The black-footed yellow sac spider is the northern yellow sac spider’s close sibling. Like its sibling, its body is usually greenish-yellow or yellowish-green with a darkened face, but it sometimes deviates from this color.

If you’re trying to tell both species apart, look at their legs. The tips of this species’ legs are black, while the legs of the northern yellow sac spider don’t have black tips. This species is also more common outdoors, while northern yellow sac spiders like being indoors.

Although both species don’t inflict medically significant bites, the bite of the black-footed yellow sac spider is more painful because this species’ venom is stronger. While rare, this spider’s bite is also more likely to trigger severe reactions in allergic people.

The black-footed yellow sac spider doesn’t spin webs to catch prey. But it creates silk sacs to rest in during the day and also builds cocoons to hold its eggs. When hunting, it prefers to stalk and ambush prey.

You’ll usually find this spider in gardens, forests, woodlands, and places with vegetation. It is primarily nocturnal, so it spends most of the day hiding in its silken retreat.

48. Giant Lichen Orbweaver

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Araneidae
• Scientific Name: Araneus bicentenarius
• Other Names: Orb-weaver
• Adult Size: 0.39 to 1.2 inches
• Lifespan: 1 year
• Average Price Range: N/A

The giant lichen orb-weaver is a brown to orange spider with black and white banded legs and a massive belly. Although the belly often has multiple colors, green is usually prominent, and the overall pattern looks like the lichen on rocks.

This species is closely related to the European garden spider. In fact, both species have the same broad pattern with serrated edges running down the center of their backs. But the giant lichen orb-weaver lacks cross markings in the middle of this pattern.

The giant lichen orb-weaver is one of the heaviest spiders in Wisconsin, and it spins massive webs that are often up to eight feet wide. You’ll generally find it on the edge of its web, not the center.

Like other orb-weavers, this species uses its web to catch prey. It’s usually active at night when its own predators are fewer. It listens for vibrations on the silk strands to pinpoint prey and rushes over to bite its catch.

When threatened, this spider tends to run instead of attack. It often drops from its webs and curls its legs under its body, pretending to be dead. It only climbs back up when the threat has passed.

Giant lichen orb-weavers are harmless to humans.

49. Boreal Combfoot

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Theridiidae
• Scientific Name: Steatoda borealis
• Other Names: False Black Widow
• Adult Size: 0.28 inches
• Lifespan: 1 to 6 years
• Average Price Range: N/A

The boreal comb-foot is yet another false black widow in Wisconsin.

It’s very similar to the rabbit hutch spider, and it can be hard to differentiate both species without professional help. It has a T-shaped marking on the head, but this isn’t always present.

In many parts of the US, boreal comb-foot populations have been supplanted by rabbit hutch spiders, a species originally native to Europe.

The boreal comb-foot has a similar venom to true widows, but its own is significantly less toxic. Bites might cause you mild pain and swelling, but these symptoms fade quickly without any complications.

Fortunately, boreal comb-foots are reluctant to bite humans. Their first instinct is to run when threatened. Most bites are through accidental skin contact where the spider is unable to quickly escape.

Like its relatives, the boreal comb-foot creates silk cobwebs to catch insects. It kills insects that wander into its sticky cobweb.

It then feasts on them immediately or bundles them to finish off later.

50. Conical Trashline Orbweaver

• Experience Level: Beginner
• Family: Araneidae
• Scientific Name: Cyclosa conica
• Other Names: Trashline Orb-weaver
• Adult Size: 0.13 to 0.25 inches
• Lifespan: 1 to 2 years
• Average Price Range: N/A

The conical trashline orb-weaver has a mix of brown, white, and tan on its body. The belly of this is typically larger than its dark cephalothorax and ends in a cone-shaped tubercle, which is where the species gets its name. The legs have light and dark bands.

As this spider’s name suggests, the trashline orb-weaver literally lines its web with trash. It spins orb-like webs and arranges plant debris and the remains of its past victims on the strands of its web.

While the trash makes the web more conspicuous, the litter and dead insects grab all attention and make the spider less noticeable. The spider often sits upside-down in the center of its nest, waiting for prey.

Conical trashline orb-weavers rebuild their webs every day. You’ll find them in forests, gardens, and woodlands, where they anchor their webs to vegetation.

When threatened, they run from predators and only return when the coast is clear. These arachnids are harmless to humans.

Frequently Asked Questions

You probably still have questions about spiders in Wisconsin. Read on to find the answers to your most pressing questions.

Wrapping up

If you’re a fan of spiders, Wisconsin is home to a diverse pool of these fascinating arachnids.

With the exception of black widows, most species are pretty harmless. You can keep them as pets and have fun caring for these critters.

Spiders are super low maintenance and easier to care for compared to most conventional pets. Besides keeping you company and entertaining you with their idiosyncrasies, these arachnids are beneficial to have around.

Spiders play a vital role in the environment. In your gardens and homes, they help you control unwanted pests and insects by consuming them. This action contributes to the balance of the ecosystem and makes them cheap biological controls.

Although spiders have racked up a bad reputation because people consider their appearance disturbing, it’s helpful to think of the vital roles these arthropods play before squashing them next time.

More spiders in nearby states

• Spiders in Illinois
• Spiders in Michigan
• Spiders in Minnesota