# Washington house spider... Need ID?



## Ixithel (May 14, 2012)

These little guys have been popping up in the house all the time. I have no idea what it is, they look kind of strange though and I've been keeping one just because. Anyone have a clue?


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## Ciphor (May 14, 2012)

Hi Ixithel,

The image hides just enough distinguishable features that I cannot say for certain on the family. I would suggest checking out _Miturgidae_ (prowling sac spiders) and _Agelenidae_ (funnel-weavers) (maybe a hobo spider)

What webbing I can see, really suggests both almost, which is odd, because the two look nothing alike, yet this image... I just don't know.

I think the amount of light is what is making it so tough. Try and get it in a Tupperware container and snap a shot outside with natural light, or just no direct light.

EDIT: You know, I think definitely Agelenid, because the body posture is just all wrong for the other one. Webbing is wrong too.

Still need a better image to be sure though.


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## Ixithel (May 15, 2012)

I'll take another picture. This one dude suggested Callobius sp but it doesn't really look like that either. They are super strange and i've never seen them before!


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## Shay (May 15, 2012)

can you get a good shot of the abdomen. i think it might be a Callobius spider.but thats my guess.


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## Ixithel (May 15, 2012)

heres another one


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## Ciphor (May 15, 2012)

Shay said:


> can you get a good shot of the abdomen. i think it might be a Callobius spider.but thats my guess.


Not Amaurobiidae. Amaurobiids are cribellate spiders, that can be most easily identified by the way they make their webs. The web in these images was definitely made by a ecribellate spider.

I'm still not confident on ID'ing the family. With the new image I am leaning most on Gnaphosidae, but... Gnaphosids have sausage like spinnerets that are very distinct, the spinnerets on yours do not match, making me lean back on something in Clubionidae or Miturgidae. You know tho, the web retreat is all wrong for a sac spider, and when you capture a sac spider usually their first order of business is building a sac.


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## Ixithel (May 15, 2012)




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## Ciphor (May 15, 2012)

Those are the pictures I needed 

I believe we can conclude Gnaphosidae for family, as you can now see what I was talking about with those sausage shaped spinnerets.

With this family of spiders, unfortunately close examination would be needed to be 100 certain on even the genus, but I think given location, the very hairy carapace, over all color and what little of the eyes I can see, this is likely _Scotophaeus blackwalli_.

http://bugguide.net/node/view/453561/bgimage


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## Ixithel (May 15, 2012)

THATS what it looks like!

Do you know if they are dangerous of get big? I have two of them captured right now, maybe at most an inch in legspan

---------- Post added 05-15-2012 at 09:01 PM ----------

It's from britain? O.O


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## Ciphor (May 16, 2012)

Ixithel said:


> THATS what it looks like!
> 
> Do you know if they are dangerous of get big? I have two of them captured right now, maybe at most an inch in legspan
> 
> ...


If you mean did it migrate from britain, that I am not sure of, I haven't researched this group much. I can reassure you they are not dangerous or aggressive. Very docile and I have handled many ground spiders (Gnaphosidae) in my lifetime and never seen aggression. Though you should always test their temperament before handling, as every spider is different to some degree.

Their venom is the equivalent of a bee sting. It would sting a little & leave small red bump for a few hours. We don't have any dangerous spiders on this side of the Mountains Ixthiel, the hobo has been conclusively shown to be harmless in all lab tests. Blackwidows are only in eastern WA over the mountains. Probably the most painful bite we have here in the NW would come from some species of Linyphiids like genres _Microlinyphia_ & _Neriene_, which would only be painful, not harmful. The ones capable of reaching a size that could inflict a decent bite, are only found in forests and by rivers, and have a very obvious web that no one would ever accidentally bump into.


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## khil (May 16, 2012)

yes it is Scotophaeus blackwalli. they are like a pet rock.



Ciphor said:


> If you mean did it migrate from britain, that I am not sure of, I haven't researched this group much. I can reassure you they are not dangerous or aggressive. Very docile and I have handled many ground spiders (Gnaphosidae) in my lifetime and never seen aggression. Though you should always test their temperament before handling, as every spider is different to some degree.
> 
> Their venom is the equivalent of a bee sting. It would sting a little & leave small red bump for a few hours.


dang I didnt know they could were "that venomous". I've handled some and never got bitten, didn't know they even had large enough fangs to penetrate human skin. Good to know.


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## Ciphor (May 16, 2012)

khil said:


> yes it is Scotophaeus blackwalli. they are like a pet rock.
> 
> 
> 
> dang I didnt know they could were "that venomous". I've handled some and never got bitten, didn't know they even had large enough fangs to penetrate human skin. Good to know.


Not very many species are capable of inflicting a bite, most have very small chelicera. And I wouldn't say they are "that venomous", just more painful, like comparing a honey bee sting to a wasp sting. Both suck, but the wasp sucks a little extra 

Linyphiidae has two sub-families, Erigoninae - Dwarf Spiders (money spiders, small small little guys) & Linyphiinae - Sheetweb Spiders (the ones that can get to a medium size).

This is an example of a larger, painful biting Linyphiid, _Neriene digna_. I was able to get one of her fangs in the photo







---------- Post added 05-16-2012 at 07:54 PM ----------




khil said:


> yes it is Scotophaeus blackwalli. they are like a pet rock.


I would say likely, but not definitely. True spiders, unlike tarantulas, often have differences that are so small they cannot be seen from an image alone (sexual anatomical differences, hairs on their legs, etc.). In the NW, we have a quite a few species for Gnaphosidae, and a good handful of them all basically look the same. Some less frequently photographed species look like her spider such as _Gnaphosa snohomish_ & _Zelotes rainier_


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## Ixithel (May 18, 2012)

*I have another one*

My mom has decided to catch EVERY spider she finds in her house and gives it to me @.@ This one is uglier then the last, found it in the bath tub.


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## Ciphor (May 18, 2012)

This one is much easier then the last. That is definitely a mature male _Steatoda sp._

The appearance, and location, will make this spider a very likely _Steatoda grossa_ - False black widow. They are very common in our neck of the woods, and often times your home has literally hundreds of them. They can be very reclusive, and live under your stairs, in cellars, basements, and all sorts of nooks & crannies. The males you will see more often, like you have here, as they seek out females to mate with. Another possibility is that the spider was thirsty, and sensed water in your bathroom, went into the tub for a drink and got stuck.

Be cautious, these males are usually docile, but on more then one occasion I have encountered very aggressive males that bite first, flee second. _Steatoda sp._ bites have mixed reports, some claiming blistering and a lot of pain, some claiming it was nothing at all.


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## khil (May 18, 2012)

I get these Steatoda  sometimes too. They don't seem to do as well in captivity, and they can't climb plastic.


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## Ciphor (May 18, 2012)

khil said:


> I get these Steatoda  sometimes too. They don't seem to do as well in captivity, and they can't climb plastic.


I beg to differ, My _Steatoda spp._ and many others I know who keep them in captivity do very well. They are in my opinion, one of the most hardy species of Entelegynae. They also live up to 5 years in captivity. I'm fortunate enough to have raised more then one from birth to death.

This gal is gravid, and 4 years old.


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## Ixithel (May 20, 2012)

Thats definitely it!  He's a scary looking little monster... given it seems to be the season I bet any day now I'll have another one...

But the question is... I have two blackwalli's and a Steatoda
WHAT DO I DO WITH THEM? T__T


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## Ciphor (May 21, 2012)

Ixithel said:


> Thats definitely it!  He's a scary looking little monster... given it seems to be the season I bet any day now I'll have another one...
> 
> But the question is... I have two blackwalli's and a Steatoda
> WHAT DO I DO WITH THEM? T__T


Just to be clear, _Steatoda spp._ that live in your home do not adhere to seasonal breeding, and you can find males all year round if you got a healthy population.

I'd let the male _Steatoda sp._ go free. He wont live long, and was born to service the ladies. I'd keep the Gnaphosid. Feed a small cricket every couple weeks. Spritz of water once a week.


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## Ixithel (May 22, 2012)

Caught another one, I think it's a female this time. Though i'll never know for sure. It's the same as the Steatoda, though bigger with no boxing gloves. Found her chillin under a web she made on my shower rack


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