Spider with Red Legs - Sphodros rufipes

sphodros rufipes

does anyone no if these spiders are poisonous

… scared_of_spiders, 13 September, 2011 - 11:02pm

Not dangerous

This is not one of our spiders of medical concern.

… Lynette Elliott, 14 September, 2011 - 7:38am

Moved

Moved from Sphodros.

… Jeff Hollenbeck, 8 June, 2007 - 10:58pm

Moved

Moved from Purseweb Spiders.

… Jeff Hollenbeck, 8 June, 2007 - 10:32pm

What a smart and Magnificent spider

I am glad this spider is documented, I have run across this spider walking along railroad tracks in Chesapeake , VA it is quite large mine was an inch. I thought it was a tranchula. It is very smart it knew I was observing it and got out of dodge after he/she made a lunge at me and raised its two front legs. Does this spider have poison? He seems to like rocks. 6/16/06 5:02pm

… Mr. J, 16 June, 2006 - 4:02pm

Red-legged purseweb

I was just reading about these guys. Apparently they have become fairly rare in recent years.

OSU lists these as being visually identifiable, so it might be safe to go ahead and create a species page for this one.

Jay Barnes

… Jay Barnes, 20 January, 2006 - 1:22pm

Nice match

The two photos look like a match to me, too. That spider has enormous palps (hope that's the right word)!

--Stephen

Stephen Cresswell
Buckhannon, WV
www.stephencresswell.com

… Stephen_WV, 8 April, 2005 - 11:49am

Spider

Your photo looks very similar to a picture in the Golden Guide, Spiders....the Purseweb Spider - Sphodros rufipes. Here is a photo to compare with http://www.americanarachnology.org/HiResGallery/sphodros.html. However, I am not familiary with the spiders, so I don't know if there are other similar species.

… Lynette Elliott, 8 April, 2005 - 10:39am

Spider with red legs

Thanks so much for your input. Yes, it does look like the Sphodros rufipes picture you submitted. The Ranger I work with said it was a purse web spider. He did not know which one, but he did say a male.
Thanks again.
Millpond Jane

… Jane Wyche, 12 April, 2005 - 3:59pm

I agree.

Definitely a male Sphodros purseweb spider. I have always wanted to see one of these! Apparently they are found as far north as Ohio, and I know they've been collected in Cincinnati, but I never saw one while I was there:-(

… Eric R. Eaton, 8 April, 2005 - 12:05pm

Male Sphodros purseweb spider

I was outside on my back porch, when I saw this spider walking just below me. Apparently, it is farther north than Ohio because I live in St. Catharines, Ontario, Canada. I don't like spiders, and this one creeped me out. :-p

… Danika, 9 March, 2009 - 3:10pm