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Home » Forums » General Discussion

Prowling spider - Miturgidae Strotarchus identified... But any more info?

I've got a bunch of these spiders in my house, and I've been able to identify using them this page: http://www.bio.brandeis.edu/fieldbio/Spiders_Savransky_Suhd_Brondstatter/Pages/Miturgidae_Strotarchus.html

The problem is, I can't find ANY info about these - How dangerous, how aggressive, how venomous are they? Anyone know?

This is EXACTLY what they look like (esp the top-down pic). I'm no good at macro photography (don't have a very nice camera), but if I can I'd love to get some good pics of my own for this site. If I can, I'll post them.

I hope this is the right place to post, it didn't seem like it should be under ID request, since I'm pretty sure I've ID'd the little guys...

Thanks,
Caleb
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Contributed by Caleb Hanson on 17 October, 2009 - 1:47pm

MISidentified
The spider on that page is definitely not a Strotarchus sp. It is more likely Agelenopsis (in the family Agelenidae), or closely related.
See:

Harmless to humans.
… Jay Barnes, 17 October, 2009 - 3:23pm login or register to post comments

basically harmless, only bite if trapped
They're not aggressive, will run away if they can, and only bite if they're picked up or trapped (in clothing, between a person and a wall or furniture).

I don't know what the bite of this genus feels like, but another genus in Miturgidae, Cheiracanthium (Long-legged Sac Spiders), has a bite that's been compared to a bee or wasp sting - painful, but not dangerous. And again, they only bite if trapped or handled.

The only spiders in the U.S. that are dangerous to humans are the black widow and brown recluse. Even those species are not aggressive. Spiders would rather run away from humans than try to bite something so much bigger than them!
… Abigail Parker, 17 October, 2009 - 3:05pm login or register to post comments

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