5 of the Biggest Spiders in Oregon

Oregon is known for its stunning scenery, including Crater Lake, Mount Hood, and the rocky Pacific Coast. From marine life like whales and sea lions along the Pacific Coast to large mammals such as Roosevelt elk and black bears in the forests, Oregon has a wide array of wildlife. Although they are often overlooked, spiders benefit Oregon’s diverse ecosystems by providing essential pest control and serving as a crucial food source for other animals. Oregon is home to at least 500 distinct spider species, ranging from tiny jumping spiders with legspans of less than 0.5 inches to much larger specimens. Continue reading to learn about five of the biggest spiders in Oregon.

5. Hobo Spider

Though hobo spiders are the fifth-largest spider in Oregon, they aren’t terribly large. Hobo spiders have a body length of approximately 0.5 to 0.625 inches and a legspan of up to 2 inches.

Hobo spiders are light to medium brown and have a distinct chevron pattern on their abdomen. Their legs are solid brown and unbanded. Male hobo spiders can be identified by their enlarged, boxing glove-shaped pedipalps, which are leg-like appendages near the spider’s mouth.

As its name suggests, these spiders have a habit of stowing away in a variety of places, such as vehicles and homes. Hobo spiders prefer dark and quiet places with lots of cracks and crevices where they can make their webs. They are usually found in crawl spaces and cellars.

The hobo spider was once considered a very dangerous creature, but its tarnished reputation has been rehabilitated. Modern research has shown that hobo spider bites do not cause necrotic lesions and are not considered medically significant. Hobo spiders aren’t highly aggressive and rarely bite humans. When they do bite, the result is moderate pain and some redness at the bite site.

4. Long-Bodied Cellar Spider

Long-bodied cellar spiders are sometimes called daddy long-legs or skull spiders. The former is a reference to this spider’s long legs, while the latter is a nod to the dark mark on its carapace.

Long-bodied cellar spiders have a tan or yellowish body that is long and cylindrical, with a prominent gray marking on the cephalothorax that is said to resemble a skull. It is distinguished by its extremely long, thin legs, which are often lighter in color, making the spider appear quite large.

Long-bodied cellar spiders, as their name suggests, dwell in cellars, basements, and other damp, dark, undisturbed areas such as garages and warehouses.

Although they are unlikely to bite a human, the long-bodied cellar spider’s bite will result in mild, short-lived symptoms, if any, such as minor irritation or itching, which can be treated with basic first aid. 

3. Tiger Wolf Spider

The tiger wolf spider is not the largest wolf spider species, but it is the biggest wolf spider species in Oregon. Tiger wolf spiders can have legspans up to 3 inches long.

Tiger wolf spiders are black, tan, and brown. Their carapaces are often dark with a light brown or orangish-brown line running from between the eyes down the length of the body. Their legs are brown and black with chevrons on the femur and banding on the tibiae.

Most of the time, these spiders can be found wandering the ground near forests, meadows, and fields. They also take up residence in homes with an abundance of available prey, such as crickets, grasshoppers, and ants.

Tiger wolf spiders do not typically bite humans, but when they do, their bite may cause mild pain, swelling, or itchiness around the bite site. However, the symptoms are fleeting and most often subside within moments.

2. Giant Crab Spider

The giant crab spider is also known as the golden huntsman spider. This spider has a legspan that measures about 3 inches long.

The giant crab spider’s body is described as sandy brown with a thin brown stripe running the length of its abdomen.

These large spiders typically wait on walls to ambush passing prey. Like other hunting spiders, the giant crab spider hunts down and kills its prey rather than waiting for it to stumble into a web.

Although they’re not harmful to humans, crab spiders can deliver a painful bite. Symptoms include localized pain, swelling, and redness, described as similar to a bee sting.

1. Giant House Spider

The giant house spider is one of the biggest spiders in Oregon, with few rivals that can reach its impressive legspan of up to 4.7 inches. This spider has a dark brown or reddish-brown body with a light mark running down the center of its carapace that is surrounded by two dark marks that are rimmed by light colorations on the exterior of the carapace.

The abdomen is dark brown with patterns of light brown running down the middle. The spider’s long legs are usually brown except on the very ends where they are black. They use these long legs to achieve high speed, and they’re one of the fastest true spiders.  

The giant house spider dwells in human structures like basements, garages, and sheds, as well as in the wild, in sheltered spots such as crevices, firewood piles, and gaps between rocks. Originally native to Europe and Central Asia, they are now established in the Pacific Northwest region of North America.

Although it is a large spider, the giant house spider’s bite is not medically significant to humans. The bite consists of an initial sharp pain followed by a swollen, red, and itchy lump at the bite site. The symptoms are mild and subside within a day or so.