Please identify spider - Kelowna, BC, Canada

[Hayden_Kel]

Hello,

I am not an expert in insects whatsoever but found this little guy in my back yard and was hoping someone could identify it. We typically get dozens of black widows in our rock walls so when we found this one, we thought it was a little unusual. Thanks in advance,

Craig

 

[jamiesspiders]

Hi there

IM 100% sure that is what they call a barn, spider its
one of the more common orb, weavers hope I was some help.

 

[Arachnophilist]

yeah that looks like an Araneus sp. could be diadematus but i dont see too much of a white cross on its back.

 

[NRF]

IM 100% sure that is what they call a barn, spider its
one of the more common orb, weavers hope I was some help.

It's easy to be sure that people call it barn spider, because "people" call anything barn spiders. I think it's the cat faced spider Araneus gemmoides.

 

[Arachnophilist]

I dont think we have the cat faced spider in BC.. not sure though. dont think its a diadematus though.


no wait I can see the ears... you're right. man we dont get the widows OR catfaced spiders in Vancouver! I need to move to the interior!

 

[NRF]

According to this list you have it:
http://www.geog.ubc.ca/biodiversity/efauna/spiders_list.htm

 

[diadematus]

no wait I can see the ears... you're right. man we dont get the widows OR catfaced spiders in Vancouver! I need to move to the interior!

I can clearly see the indentations, but not any projections. Are these projections also apodemes or muscle attachment points?

-Kevin

 

[NRF]

I can see small projections or "ears". They probably vary in size between individuals and may also depend on the spiders age. A. diadematus sometimes also have projections.

 

[Arachnophilist]

yeah it lacks the white "cross" that makes it the diadematus though.. and it has the two "eyes" and if you look carefully you can see the shaoe of the ear on the first pic against the leg.. and you can just make out the shape of them on the second pic as well.. I have an A.diadematus that lives in my front door casing and it has no ears or eyespots. just the white cross.

 

[diadematus]

...and it has the two "eyes" and if you look carefully you can see the shaoe of the ear on the first pic against the leg.

Hmmm, maybe so. By "eyes" do you mean the apodemes ("dimples") or something in the coloration?

-Kevin

 

[Hayden_Kel]

Thanks for all your responses

Wow, thanks for the quick responses. Really appreciate your answers as I am not trained in this field (let's share a beer over vertebrate physiology one day though!) Apparently our region has a form of pseudo scorpion and I've always tried to find one to photograph it. If I come across one, I'll post it, meanwhile here's some out of focus Black Widow pics from our back yard. Cheers all!

Craig in Kelowna

 

[Canfire]

Kelowna B.C.? I live not long from you... Chilliwack

 

[Arachnophilist]

yeah thats what I meant by "eyes" not literally.