North Carolina Spider Photos
Photographs by Will Cook, mostly taken in North Carolina.
Agelenidae - Funnel-Web Spiders
Agelenopsis sp. 9534 - Carroll Co., VA 9/24/05
spider 80379 - Carroll Co., VA 8/2/08. With hopper prey.
spider 80415 - Carroll Co., VA 8/2/08. With caterpillar prey.
spider 90021 - Carroll Co., VA 8/17/08. With moth prey.
spider 110051 - Carroll Co., VA 10/4/08
Araneidae - Orb Weavers
Araneus marmoreus (Marbled Orbweaver) - Chatham Co., NC 9/22/2013
Argiope aurantia (Black-and-Yellow Argiope). Also known as the garden spider or writing spider, this is perhaps our most commonly noticed spider.
Argiope trifasciata (Banded Argiope) - Scotland Co., NC 9/24/03
Neoscona crucifera - a common spider in search of a common name
Neoscona domiciliorum (Spotted Orbweaver) - Tyrrell Co., NC 11/1/05
Nephila clavipes (Golden Silk Orbweaver, Banana Spider) - New Hanover Co., NC
Verrucosa arenata (Arrowhead Spider) - the distinctive triangle orb weaver
spider 9383 - Durham, NC 7/11/07
spider 1270049 - Carroll Co., VA 7/24/10
Filistatidae - Crevice Weavers
Kukulcania hibernalis - Southern House Spider - Durham, NC 4/14/2011 
Lycosidae - Wolf Spiders
Tigrosa georgicola - Durham, NC 9/23/07. With cockroach prey.
spider 6343 - Clay Co., NC 5/12/06. With young on back.
wolf spider 50025 - Johnston Co., NC 4/20/08.
wolf spider 140657 - Granville Co., NC 5/16/09. With egg case.
wolf spider 150815 - Durham, NC 5/27/2009. With many babies on back!
wolf spider 150820 - Durham, NC 5/27/2009. Closeup of the babies!
wolf spider 1070143 - Orange Co., NC 5/12/2012. With back-riding young.
Oxyopidae - Lynx Spiders
Peucetia viridans (Green Lynx Spider) - fearsome predator of the pine savannas.
Pisauridae - Nursery Web Spiders
Dolomedes scriptus (Fishing Spider) - Bladen Co., NC 10/7/06. Huge!
Dolomedes tenebrosus (Fishing Spider)
Dolomedes vittatus (Fishing Spider) female and male - Buncombe Co., NC 7/8/06
Dolomedes sp. (Fishing Spider)? - Alleghany Co., NC 4/15/06
Dolomedes sp. (Fishing Spider) - Eno River, Durham Co., NC 8/19/07
Dolomedes sp. (Fishing Spider) - Eno River, Durham Co., NC 8/19/07
Pisaurina sp. (Nursery Web Spider) - Fairfax Co., VA 9/11/05
Pisaurina sp. (Nursery Web Spider) - Granville Co., NC 9/10/06
Pisaurina sp. (Nursery Web Spider) - Orange Co., NC 5/7/2011
Salticidae - Jumping Spiders
Lyssomanes viridis (Green Jumping Spider) - Dare Co., NC 3/24/02.
jumping spider 9488 - Carroll Co., VA 7/25/04
jumping spider 2038 - Wake Co., NC 6/4/05
jumping spider 9367 - with moth prey - Durham, NC 7/11/07
jumping spider 9380 - Durham, NC 7/11/07
jumping spider with dragonfly prey - Moore Co., NC 3/22/08.
jumping spider 80716 - Durham, NC 8/6/08
spider 120506 - Durham, NC 11/15/08
spider 120511 - Durham, NC 11/15/08 (same individual)
spider 130580 - Pender Co., NC 4/19/09
jumping spider 140555 - Granville Co., NC 5/16/09
Tetragnathidae - Longjawed Orb Weavers
Tetragnatha sp. 2606 - Bladen Co., NC 10/7/06
Leucauge venusta (Orchard Orbweaver) - Durham, NC 5/27/08
Theridiidae - Cobweb Spiders
Latrodectus mactans (Southern Black Widow) - Mecklenburg Co., VA 5/2/06. One of our more common spiders. Females are easy to identify: black with a red hourglass on the underside and a red spot above the spinnerets. While females are venemous, the bite is rarely fatal.
Thomisidae - Crab Spiders
Misumenoides formosipes (Whitebanded Crab Spider)
crab spider impaled on leaf tip - Alleghany Co., NC 7/1/06
spider 3017 - Carroll Co., VA 10/16/06
Crab spider sp. 5613 - Clay Co., NC 5/19/07
spider 2832 - Carteret Co., NC 8/26/07
spider 2833 - Carteret Co., NC 8/26/07. Same individual as above.
Unidentified Spiders
large spider 3830 - Carroll Co., VA 9/24/05
spider 5608 - Durham, NC 5/16/07
spider 9922 - Carroll Co., VA 7/14/07
spider 1253 - Carroll Co., VA 8/17/07
spider 2848 - Carteret Co., NC 8/26/07
large spider 10087 - Durham, NC 10/6/07
large spider 10259 - Durham, NC 10/23/07
spider 50869 - Durham, NC 5/8/08
spider 80935 - Carroll Co., VA 8/16/08
spider 80948 - Carroll Co., VA 8/16/08. With beetle prey.
spider 80964 - Carroll Co., VA 8/16/08. Same individual.
Spiderlings - Scotland Co., NC 11/1/08.
spider 120503 - Durham, NC 11/15/08
spider 130386 - Durham Co., NC 4/11/09
spider 1230813 - Vance Co., NC 5/20/10
newly hatched baby spiders - Carroll Co., VA 5/16/10
spider 1100269 - Durham Co., NC 9/9/2012.
spider 1140873 - Durham Co., NC 9/19/2013.
spider 1130149 - Carroll Co., VA 7/18/13 (female)
spider 1130153 - Carroll Co., VA 7/18/13 (male of same species)
spider 1130506 - Umstead State Park, Wake Co., NC 7/24/2013
Recommended Spider Books:Though web sites are helpful, it's easier to learn how to identify spiders by studying good books. Here are a few to get you started. If you would like to help support this web site, please click on the images below to buy through Amazon. Field Guides | |
| Common Spiders of North America This brand new guide looks like a fantastic resource! Though a little big to take in the field, this tome fills a large gap in natural history field guides, providing beautiful illustrations of over 500 species of spiders found throughout the US and Canada. |
| Spiders and their Kin (Golden Guide) My parents had an earlier version of this -- probably the first ID book I ever picked up as a child. It gives a basic overview of arachnids; a great introduction for kids. |
| National Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Insects and Spiders The first field guide I ever owned; my sister gave this to me when I was 14, helping spur my interest in nature. Only covers about 60 or so spiders, but it's worth having on hand. |
| National Wildlife Federation Field Guide to Insects and Spiders & Related Species of North America This newer guide features 22 pages on spiders, about 60 species. Great photos help identify the most common types. |
| Spiders of the Eastern United States: A Photographic Guide Great photos and detailed information on identification, ecology, and behavior of a selection of common species. Written by arachnologists for the advanced layman. |
| Spiders of the Carolinas I haven't seen this one, but it looks like it's worth checking out. Not really Carolina-specific despite the title (part of a cookie-cutter series for each state), this photo guide covers 100 of our most common species. |
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| The Private Life of Spiders This new book, aimed at a general audience, features large photos and lots of interesting tidbids about spiders. |
| Biology of Spiders, 2nd Edition Detailed treatment for those who seek a scientific understanding of spider biology. Aimed at college students and serious amateurs. |
| Spiders of North America: An Identification Manual This technical guide is essential for those who need detailed information on how to identify spiders with precision. Useful for identifying spider specimens with a hand lens or microscope -- not a field guide. Target audience: arachnologists and advanced amateurs. |
Comments? Questions? E-mail me at cwcook@duke.edu