# Identify this spider that I caught and released

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-spider-that-i-caught-and-released/411025>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [July 9, 2007, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-spider-that-i-caught-and-released/411025 "2007-07-09T06:08:08Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Surbey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@Surbey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surbey)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2007, 6:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-spider-that-i-caught-and-released/411025/1 "2007-07-09T06:08:08Z")

</div>

Ok, so tonight (about an hour ago) I was startled by one of the scariest spiders I have ever come across. For geographical background, I live in Northern Indiana but was just on a camping trip to Lake Erie in Ohio.  
He was FAST and almost vicious. He seemed very aggressive. It was a pain trying to catch him. I ended up stunning him with some compressed air before I could pin him down with a cup. He was between the size of a dime and a nickel (including his legs). He was dark brown or black with white markings on his abdomen and head. Both white marks were a single blotch with the one on his abdomen a bit thinner and longer than the one on his head. He had VERY long legs. Each leg seemed to be longer than his whole body. I’m not sure if that’s typical for spiders. He also seemed to be longer than he was wider. His whole body (legs included) seemed to have more of an ellipse shape instead of a circle.

Any ideas?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9a140/32.png) [@Miss\_Purl\_McKnittington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Purl_McKnittington)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2007, 7:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-spider-that-i-caught-and-released/411025/2 "2007-07-09T07:16:14Z")

</div>

A [wolf spider](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_Spider), perhaps? More pictures [here](http://www.spiderzrule.com/wolf.htm).

If not that, how about a [jumping spider](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salticidae)?

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2007, 12:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-spider-that-i-caught-and-released/411025/3 "2007-07-09T12:20:24Z")

</div>

I believe that’s the Northern Indiana Ugly Spider. Spiderus Uglificus, in the Latin.

---

<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![Surbey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4491bb/32.png) [@Surbey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Surbey)\
**Post date:** [July 9, 2007, 12:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/identify-this-spider-that-i-caught-and-released/411025/4 "2007-07-09T12:44:14Z")

</div>

[QUOTE=Miss Purl McKnittington]  
A [wolf spider](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wolf_Spider), perhaps? More pictures [here](http://www.spiderzrule.com/wolf.htm).

If not that, how about a [jumping spider](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Salticidae)?  
[/QUOTE]

Thanks for the link, I believe it was a wolf spider. Although it was much smaller than the rest, the pictures and descriptions of the Rabid Wolf Spider seem to fit well with the spider I found. My only worry is that this was so small that it could be an indication that it was still young and may have some siblings around! I don’t plan on killing any of these guys but they are a pain to catch.

Thanks **Miss Purl McKnittington**

and nice on the ugly spider **Kalhoun**. That thing was ugly.