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Home » Forums » General Discussion

6" diameter spider

Please help me. We just moved to South Chesterfield, Virginia last week. I went to plug in my alarm clock and there was a spider wrapped around my headboard! He could have picked up a softball an threw it across the room! His body was at least 1 1/2" long and about 3/4" wide. The headboard is 4" thick. We think the legs had to be 2" long or longer. He didn't seem to be real hairy. He was calm - didn't move. I cannot sleep until I find out if there's a good possibility of more in our house. We have woods in the back yard and a small stand of trees on both sides of the house.

Thank you!
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Contributed by Terrified on 8 June, 2014 - 1:23pm

Big spiders
can sometimes be scary, but are typically harmless. Without a picture, any possible identification I give you would be suspect at best.

Take a look at images in the genus Dolomedes. There are a couple of species there that are common in woodlands and get to a size close to the dimensions you describe. I find they are generally calm, relying on their camouflage to keep them safe (they are typically afraid of you). While fast-movers, they are fairly easy to capture in jars (they like to hide in small places and a jar is perfect for that).

Incidentally, my wife is okay with most of my spider antics, but when the kids brought a female Dolomedes tenebrosus into the house last week, she made them take it outside. It didn't matter that it was in a jar; the spider's size made it just too scary for her.

Good luck! Be brave!

… Chad Heins, 9 June, 2014 - 11:47am login or register to post comments

 
Dolomedes
It actually looks more like the Dolomedes minor (ours was more gray than brown), but that one is supposed to be from New Zealand. Wikipedia has a picture of that one. Then again, I'm still in shock and might not be remembering exactly. I had no idea he'd want to bunk with me. If we find another one, we'll capture it an let it live outside. Thank you!
… Terrified, 9 June, 2014 - 4:15pm login or register to post comments

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