Is this one of the nursery web spiders? Very large! Found in Munson Twp.
Is this one of the nursery web spiders? Very large! Found in Munson Twp.
Looking at the image, I can tell this is a fishing spider, most likely Dolomedes Tenebrosus. They may be intimidating to look at because of their impressive size (female 15-26mm, male 7-13mm body length, not including leg measurement), but thankfully these are not considered dangerous to humans. They can often be seen on man-made structures and tree trunks. As a member of the Pisauridae family, these spiders are pretty interesting, as they display extended care of their young. The females carry the egg sac, holding it with their jaws, then build a type of nursery with a leaf or other cover and stay to guard the spiderlings until they molt and disperse.
Thank you for sharing that excellent picture! -Naturalist Nora Sindelar
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