Help! 4 spiders for ID if possible?!

Jacey&Tim · #1 (**permalink**) 19-04-2009, 07:20 PM

Hi everyone,

We've just moved into a house in rural Kent that's been sitting empty for over a year, and as we've been renovating, we've discovered a wealth of arachnid life inside - the only problem is, I'm terrified of spiders! I was hoping you'd be able to help me identify some of the chaps we've been coming across, as I think I might be able to cope a little better once I know what they are!

These 2 are different shots of the same guy (we've been finding what seems like hundreds of these) - about 8-10mm body length, and we only really see them at night

This one was having some sort of set to with a different spider when we found him - about 1cm body length. I thought maybe a house spider, but he seems a little small?

This guy was tiny, but a bit scary looking none the less - he was no more that 5 or 6mm body length, and very quick - his abdomen sort of pointed upwards in an odd way. His colouring was dark brown/orangey.

Finally, this is the fellow who was having a staring contest with the potential house spider mentioned above. Slightly furry looking fat body (!!), about 8-10mm in length excluding legs - I managed to get a 'face' shot here too (thank heaven for large glass vases).

That's it (for now) - sorry if this is all a bit convoluted, but any help would really be much appreciated!

Thanks a bunch

Jacey

wildherbalian85 · #2 (**permalink**) 19-04-2009, 09:19 PM

Ok number 3 im sure is a woodlouse spider.

Number 2 wolf spider.

Right number 1 and number 4 i am thinking Segestria maybe florentina but its not easy to tell from the pictures.

the first looks like a male and the 4 looks like a female.

If it is a female S. Florentina which i suspect after tweaking photos... then be aware they can grow to have bodies of an inch and i have found to 30mm (though rare) and also be aware they can and do bite!!! So do woodlouse spiders though apparently not as aggressive.

wildherbalian85 · #3 (**permalink**) 19-04-2009, 09:26 PM

Jacey&Tim · #4 (**permalink**) 19-04-2009, 10:20 PM

Eek!

OK, thanks for the info - I shall definitely continue with the 'glass vase and cardboard' technique as opposed to getting brave and using my hands then!! *quickly picks feet up off of the floor*

Is it normal to find so many tube webs (if that's what they are) in the same place? If I catch any more, which I undoubtedly will, I'll try and get some better photos before I evict them! Although no doubt they're probably all finding their way back indoors again and having a good giggle at my expense, lol.

Thanks again

Jacey

Action_Man · #5 (**permalink**) 19-04-2009, 10:46 PM

1 = Lycosidae

2 = Tegenaria

3 = Clubionidae

4 - Lycosidae

All quite harmless

...

Welcome to the WAB forums

...

Jacey&Tim · #6 (**permalink**) 19-04-2009, 11:19 PM

Hey Gordon!

I've had a look at some photos of the spiders you've suggested, and I think you're right! Which is a relief

Thanks to you aswell Ian - to be honest with you, I'm amazed you guys can tell the difference between all these species! What would you suggest is the best book for me to get to start IDing my eight legged friends myself? I've only just started taking photos of them, but we've found plenty of others, and no doubt we'll find more - it's nice to know what they are, stops me being quite so terrified if I can give them names!

Thanks again

Jacey

naturegirl · #7 (**permalink**) 20-04-2009, 12:00 AM

Hi Jacey and Tim and a very warm welcome to WAB!!

I live in kent too, south east to be exact and what a wealth of wild life we have here too!!!!

Wasp spiders next to the International Station in Ashford, False widows all along the south coast, what more could you ask!!

What am I doing on here so late when I have to be up early for work???? See what WAB does for you!!

Naturegirl

wildherbalian85 · #8 (**permalink**) 20-04-2009, 06:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Action_Man

1 = Lycosidae

2 = Tegenaria

3 = Clubionidae

4 - Lycosidae

All quite harmless

...

Welcome to the WAB forums

...

1 & 4 i do not think are wolf spiders.... they dont even look like wolf spiders.

here is one of the pictures from spider umber 1, i have added extra light to picture......

look carfully at the fangs and you can just about see what appears to be a greenish tint.... unfortunatly the picture quality of these spiders is quite poor.

Jacey have a look on here.....

Spiders

any of these look familiar

No.9 Spider · #9 (**permalink**) 20-04-2009, 07:29 AM

As i.d.'d by Action man, they are, from the top - Lycosidae (Wolf spider), Tegenaria (House spider), Clubionidae (Sac spider) and Lycosidae (Wolf spider).

No.9 Spider

Venger · #10 (**permalink**) 20-04-2009, 02:59 PM

1: Initial thoughts, it's a Lycosidae(wolf spider), a Trochosa spp possibly T.ruricola, though not 100% from these photos.

2: Tegenaria spp : you need shots of the epigyne or palps to get to species level with these guys.

3: Male Clubiona spp, we're not going to get to species from those photos, they can be very tricky to ID - you need a microscope for these

4:I'm a little confused about the face shot - you've noted that its of spider one, which has dark front legs - so I'm assuming you mean it's of the spider in the jar. Again it's hard to judge from the photos - can't make out the clypeus properly. Thinking T.ruricola again - however I always struggle with Lycosids. :P