Indiana is known for its love of basketball and auto racing. This Midwestern state is also home to an array of natural attractions, from dunes and waterfalls to underground caverns. Getting back to nature in Indiana will undoubtedly include close encounters with all sorts of critters, including spiders. The good news is that only two spiders found in Indiana, the brown recluse (Loxosceles reclusa) and the black widow (Latrodectus spp.), have venom that is considered medically significant to humans. While other spiders may bite, their venom is not considered medically significant. There are about 50,000 described spider species worldwide, and Indiana is home to over 400 of them. Although some of them are small, a few of the spiders are very large. Continue reading to learn about five of the biggest spiders in Indiana.
5. Long-Bodied Cellar Spider
A cellar spider has a translucent body.
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| Scientific Name | Size | Danger to Humans |
|---|---|---|
| Pholcus phalangioides | 1-2 inches | A bite may cause a mild burning sensation. |
The long-bodied cellar spider is also sometimes called the skull spider and, in some regions, is referred to as a daddy long-legs (though this name can also refer to unrelated harvestmen or crane flies). This spider measures about 2 inches in total length, with most of that length coming from its legs. These spiders spend most of their time in, on, or near water. As their name suggests, the cellar spider is usually found in basements, storm cellars, garages, and attics. They build webs to ensnare insects and other arachnids.
Most cellar spiders are brownish gray or light brown with a somewhat translucent body and dark markings on their carapace, the hard shell that covers the cephalothorax. They’re very common around houses and outbuildings.
Bites from long-bodied cellar spiders are extremely rare and generally not considered medically significant.
4. American Nursery Web Spider
Female nursery web spiders are known for consuming their mates.
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| Scientific Name | Size | Danger to Humans |
|---|---|---|
| Pisaurina mira | 1-3 inches | Delivers a bite that is mostly harmless to humans, with pain and swelling common. |
The American nursery web spider spends most of its time living in and around tall vegetation, including trees, tall grass, and shrubs, where this ambush predator can lie in wait for prey.
These spiders usually have a brown or brownish-red body with a dark stripe running down the length of their cephalothorax and abdomen. The female American nursery web spider is known for building web structures to house her young.
The bite of the American nursery web spider is mildly painful and may be accompanied by swelling.
3. Black and Yellow Garden Spider
Argiope aurantia, the black and yellow garden spider, is also called the writing spider.
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| Scientific Name | Size | Danger to Humans |
|---|---|---|
| Argiope aurantia | 0.5-3 inches | Rarely bites humans, but it may cause pain and swelling. |
The black and yellow garden spider is easily identified by its silver cephalothorax and the bright yellow and dark black patterns on its abdomen.
This garden spider spins a unique web, with a noticeable zig-zag running through the center, called the stabilimentum. The stabilimentum may help keep the web stable, ensnare more prey, or alert birds to the presence of the web to keep them from flying through it.
A bite from a black and yellow garden spider is generally not dangerous to humans and is comparable to a bee sting in terms of pain and symptoms.
2. Tiger Wolf Spider
The tiger wolf spider is also known as the speckled wolf spider or woodland giant wolf spider.
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| Scientific Name | Size | Danger to Humans |
|---|---|---|
| Tigrosa aspersa | 2-3 inches | Delivers a moderately painful bite that causes swelling and redness, other symptoms may appear. |
Tiger wolf spiders have large bodies and a leg span that can reach up to 3 inches. They are typically black, brown, and tan, with bulbous abdomens and mottled coloring. Their legs often display dark or brown and black bands.
While their bite is deadly to their prey, humans are simply too big to be affected by wolf spider venom in a meaningful way. A tiger wolf spider bite is not going to be pleasant, but it also isn’t going to be dangerous to the majority of adult humans. It will be painful and will usually leave a swollen mark. In some rare cases, a tiger wolf spider bite can be serious, such as if the person is allergic to their venom.
1. Six-Spotted Fishing Spider
The six-spotted fishing spider can catch small fish and aquatic creatures, sometimes approaching its own size.
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| Scientific Name | Size | Danger to Humans |
|---|---|---|
| Dolomedes triton | 0.35-3 inches | Bites will induce swelling and some pain similar to a bee sting. |
The six-spotted fishing spider is one of the biggest spiders in Indiana, but it has some competition at the 3-inch legspan measurement. Nevertheless, this is a very big spider that can be frightening should it suddenly appear next to someone fishing on a dock.
These spiders spend most of their time in, on, or near water. They can run along the surface of the water to grab unsuspecting aquatic creatures, including small fish and tadpoles. These spiders can even dive below the surface to get prey or get away from predators.
The six-spotted fishing spider has a brown body with white stripes on the sides of its cephalothorax and abdomen. Its abdomen also has many white spots, but that’s not why it was given this name. Instead, the spider has six dark spots on its ventral side.
Their appearance is more intimidating than their bite, which is comparable to a bee sting.
