All things Arachnid: articles, photos, videos, and ID requests are welcome.

BEFORE YOU POST:

Please don't make that tired old "kill it with fire" joke! This is a "No Nope Zone".

Including your location (country, state, province, region) will help with the ID.

Photo tips: The most helpful views for identifying a spider include:

• a view from directly above

• the eyes

• a view from below

These are just tips -- if you didn't get a chance to get these, post what you've got! The spider sleuths will do their best.

Making IDs

Amateurs are encouraged to guess. An important exception is guesses about medically significant spiders (widows, recluses, etc). In those cases, you can still guess, but include a statement that you are not an expert or not sure. Otherwise, an innocent person or spider could get hurt.

Is it dangerous?

The vast majority of spiders are harmless to humans. If you live in North America, there are only TWO types of spiders with the potential to cause serious harm:

• Brown recluse (a.k.a. fiddleback) - Loxosceles reclusa

• Black widow - Latrodectus sp.

Severe reactions are rare. A lot of spiders may look similar. If you aren't sure about your spider, please post and ask! By the way, there is little evidence that hobo spiders pose any serious threat.

Outside N. America, the following spiders have the potential to be medically significant (list may not be comprehensive):

• Wandering spiders of Central and South America (Phoneutria sp. and others)

• Recluses (Loxosceles sp.) in the Americas, Africa and the Mediterranean.

• Sicarius (found in southern Africa)

• Australian funnel-web spider (Atrax robustus)

• Australian redback (Latrodectus hasselti)

• Mouse spider (Missulena sp.)

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External links to spider ID resources:

Bugguide: Spiders of U.S. & Canada

Field Guide to Spiders of Australia

Spiders of Europe and Greenland

Arachnids of Southern Africa

araneae key

PBI World Spider Catalog

Eye arrangements

Male orbweavers

Other subreddits you might like:

• Tarantulas
• Arachnids
• Beetles
• Bug Wars
• Entomology
• Insects
• Plants
• Nature
• Snakes
• What's this bug
• Any plant and animal ID requests