ID Pennsylvania spider

driverdog

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Messages
2
Hi all,

New to the forum, specifically to satisfy my curiosity on THIS guy/girl! I'm hoping I have the right forum for an ID request. I've never seen anything like this, and have lived in Pennsylvania for 33 years, spending much time outdoors. Anybody care to please help ID this Giger-esque spidie? Please see attached pics. It's camped out near my recycling bin, where it gets a nice diet of flies (see pics - in 018 it is lunching on a smaller-sized blowfly). That pic should help you get a feel for the size. I would say the whole spider would just fit on a U.S. dime. Has about a 1.5 foot-square web that looks pretty classic-spiderweb to my novice eyes. Note especially that conch shell-like body! So strange to me. Sorry I only have pics of the underside; it won't turn around for me! I will try harder to get more pics if someone wants to see more. Thanks in advance for any help!
 

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Guy

Arachnosquire
Old Timer
Joined
Sep 2, 2003
Messages
133
Micrathena gracilis ?
Hard to say without a dorsal shot...

Click here
 

driverdog

Arachnopeon
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Messages
2
Sure looks like it!

Guy said:
Micrathena gracilis ?
Hard to say without a dorsal shot...

Click here
Sure looks like it!!

And if so, they're fairly common. Weird that neither myself nor any of my family have seen these before.

Thanks for looking!
 

vulpina

Arachnoprince
Old Timer
Joined
Jan 26, 2003
Messages
1,943
Yes, Guy is correct, these spiders are fairly common in my area (Ohio), you see them alot in wooded areas, really cool little spiders.

Andy
 
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