What kind of spider is this????

[Krystina661]

I saw this spider outside of my house on the front porch. It was big and scared me! *LOL* We live in New Jersey if that helps.

Thanks in Advance



~ Kristina ~

 

[Krystina661]

The one below looked like the same spider but it was a different one. I don't know if they are the same kind.

 

[mr.wilderness]

it looks like some kind of Aranea species of orb weaving garden spider, maybe a. diadema, but I'm not sure. We have them around here a lot too

 

[Moltar]

We get those (or at least a very similar sp.) all over the place here in Maryland. They're pretty scary looking but harmless. I like catching moths and throwing them into the web to watch them feed. They get really huge if you feed 'em enough.

 

[Krystina661]

An orb weaving spider? As long as it is harmless I don't mind it hanging around. It was pretty scary looking though.

 

[Moltar]

Funny how often the really dangerous spiders don't look it but the scary looking ones are harmless. Take brown recluses, they look like a tiny little wisp of nothing but their bite is awful. The biggest danger i know of from these orb weavers is the potential for a heart attack when you walk into a web at night and get a spider the size of a quarter full in the face. Then it runs down the back of your shirt and you start dancing around like a maniac until the neighbors call the men in white coats...

Keep it around and feed it moths. If you have kids it can be a neat learning experience for them watching the spider grow.

 

[Galadriel]

Looks like the barn spiders we have here in GA. Very cool.