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Brown spider with large white triangle / arrowhead on back

I was riding my bike in the woods and came back with a smallish brown spider with large white triangle on its back. The triangle also reminded me of an arrowhead. Triangle shape was equilateral. Triangle took up most of space on back. Sorry, no photo.

Is it poisonous? It was on my back pack...glad it did not land on me. I'm in the Ohio Valley area.

Thanks
Contributed by allenwrench on 15 October, 2008 - 12:49pm

Probably
one of these?

Spiders are harmless unless you happen to be an insect.
… Jay Barnes, 15 October, 2008 - 1:37pm

 
or one of these?
… john and jane balaban, 15 October, 2008 - 1:47pm

 
That is it John and Jane!
That is it John and Jane!

Is that one harmless to humans?

Thanks!
… allenwrench, 16 October, 2008 - 6:19pm

 
Yes, as are essentially all North American
spiders. This is a harmless orb weaver. You can find some information about the Widows by going to the INFO page on widows or to the Article on them in the Forums / articles
… john and jane balaban, 16 October, 2008 - 8:13pm

 
Harmful North American spiders
How can you say that "essentially all North American spiders" are harmless to humans? Two famous and common North American species, the black widow and the brown recluse,can make you very sick indeed, and the brown recluse can actually cause tissue necrosis.
… palardi, 23 August, 2017 - 4:33pm

 
Yes that's 2 out of 4000 north american spider species
(Actually more than two since there is more than one Widow and more than one Recluse) - so essentially all - some 3990 out of 4000 species - North American Spiders are harmless to humans. There are 2 you need to learn.
… john and jane balaban, 23 August, 2017 - 8:37pm

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