About 500 species of spiders have been found within the state of Wisconsin according to Cofrin Center for Biodiversity at the University of Wisconsin. Please scroll down this page to view some of the more commonly found spiders in eastern Wisconsin, spider bite photos and First-Aide information.

Jumping spiders move quickly in a jerky, irregular motion and jump/leap quite high, when considering their small size. There are about 300 species of jumping spiders found in the United States.

Has eight extremely long, thin legs and a small body. While sometimes considered a nuisance, these spiders actually prey upon brown recluse spiders, and in this sense could be considered beneficial.

These spiders are often found in dark and damp places, such as basements and cellars, and bathrooms.

House spiders are more commonly found indoors and their webs are often more of a nuisance than the spiders themselves.

There are over 100 wolf spider species in the U.S. Very fast moving, these spiders don't hunt with spider webs. They stalk their prey like a wolf! Baby spiders live on the mother's back a few weeks until large enough to hunt on their own.

Has a distinctive dark violin-shaped marking on top of the front body section. The neck of the violin points toward the rear. Infestation levels in homes vary greatly, ranging from one, a few, or hundreds.

Medical Alert - Seek urgent medical care. Bites cause extensive skin and muscle tissue damage The bite of the brown recluse spider is usually painless. However, localized burning sensation, then intense pain, often develops within the first hour and during the next 6-12 hours, a small pimple or white blister forms. The surrounding tissue begins to darken and take a raised appearance.

The venom of this spider can cause extensive tissue damage (necrotic reaction) and over the next 10-14 days, a sunken, open, ulcerated sore up to several centimeters in diameter. It normally takes 6-8 weeks for a brown recluse spider bite to heal. A large sunken scar may persist that requires surgery to repair. Not every brown recluse bite results in ulcer formation. In rare cases systemic complications such as liver or kidney damage result.

See your physician or emergency room as soon as you suspect a brown recluse spider bite. Capture the spider for later identification (crush the specimen, if necessary, but do so as gently as possible).

Other: Cannot bite through clothing because of its small fangs. Most people are bitten on the hands or feet when handling infested items.

In homes, webs are often produced by harmless cobweb or cellar spiders. While sometimes considered a nuisance, these spiders actually prey upon brown recluses, and in this sense could be considered beneficial.

Web "sacs"are tubular in shape, about 1-inch long, typically positioned between angled surfaces.

Medical Alert! Seek immediate medical care - Bites can cause ulcerated sores, damaged skin and muscle tissueThe bite of a common sac spider can be misdiagnosed as a brown recluse spider bite. Bite injuries develop in a similar manner to that of a brown recluse spider, but are much less severe, and can vary with various sac spider types. Reactions, such as sharp pain felt upon the initial bite, swelling, slow healing, and ulcerated sores around the bite site, are similar enough to be confusing. Most bites will start to improve in a few hours to 2-3 days.

The largest spiders in the Upper Midwest (1 inch long body); typically found near water in the outdoors.

Produce tangled, crisscross webs; close relative of the Black Widow spider.

Medical Alert - Seek Urgent Medical Care - Bites can be fatal!The bite of a Northern Widow Spider is immediately painful. The most reliable evidence of a bite is two tiny red puncture marks, around which the pain intensifies during the first three hours. The pain continues for 12-48 hours and then gradually subsides. Venom contains a neurotoxin that can cause headache, dizziness, shortness of breath, and often painful abdominal spasms and back pain. Rigidity of limbs, increased blood pressure, and profuse sweating are other symptoms. Death seldom occurs in healthy adults though children and adults in poor health may die within 12-32 hours from asphyxia.

Anyone suspecting a spider bite should receive medical attention as soon as possible. A commercial antidote is available for black widow spider bites.

The first four legs are crab-like, extended out to the side; this spider can walk backwards, forwards and sideways.

Tarantulas comprise a group of large and often hairy spiders of the family Theraphosidae. As of December 2023, 1,100 species have been identified.

Garden Spider		Garden Spider Egg Sac Close-up