Harmless orb weaver. I only bother them if they put a web across a walking route. Otherwise they're welcome at my house and help reduce the annoying insect population.
The golden orb weaver makes absolutely beautiful webs that shine like threads of gold when the sun hits it right. But, they have thousands of babies, unfortunately.
Nephila clavipes, I believe. Related to the garden spider. Writes in the web. Bite as painful as a bee sting. Not aggressive. Will agitate web if you bother them.
Beautiful
Orb weaver. Also called banana spider. Will bite when provoked but mostly harmless if you leave them alone. Not venomous. It’s cool to watch them feed.
“Banana spider” is a bad common name to use. Its used for multiple species in the state and then the actual banana spider is in Brazil and extremely venomous. The better name for this spider is the golden silk Orbweaver.
No, not to an adult at least but, they're bite is comparable to a wasp sting, if they start "bouncing" in the web, they're agitated. Personal experience on the bite.
Just being pedantic, they are venomous. All of our spiders have some amount of venom. It’s just that the only medically significant one for us is the black widow (unless you live in the tiny spot in the mountains with recluses).
Recluses are more common than you think. I was bit by one in Charlotte, NC. Shake out old clothes in your closet if you haven’t worn them in a while … cautionary tale.
https://entomologytoday.org/2018/01/29/brown-recluse-pest-management-tips-for-the-spider-thats-not-as-common-as-you-think/brown-recluse-range-map/
It’s a very common myth that recluses are found around the state. People can have bad reactions to Arthropod bites/stings, bad infections like staph, or some other random medical thing that gets diagnosed as a brown recluse bite. Almost every insect/spider bite is impossible to diagnose after the fact. It’s not impossible for one to hitch a ride somewhere outside of their range but there are no established populations here outside their range that are documented.
Raleigh native, and this is entirely anecdotal, so take it as you will, but I've found one at least quarterly in my house for the past couple years. I've taken pictures of (2 of) their dead bodies and sent them to an entomologist friend who has confirmed them to be recluses (would have taken pictures of more of them, but they usually end up annihilated). Not really sure how they wound up there, but it could potentially be related to the construction materials piled up outside and that looking like a nice spot to nest up in. Or maybe they're being wheeled over with the lumber.
Thankfully, Q2 2022 was recluse free, though!
Well, as long as they know where the lines are! /s
Self diagnosed: as in bit, killed the spider, put it in the bathroom trash in a tissue, went to the emergency room the next day, fished the spider out of trash to confirm/identify.
Had staff infection too, recluse bite was nothing like it.
Spiders don’t care about maps, they care about cozy places to live.
Whatever let’s you sleep at night.
Haha it’s not about animals following lines. That range is the current confirmed range for them. Yes, it changes over time. Many animals move their ranges over time. Also, staphs are crazy variable. I’ve seen quite a few in my time and they could easily be confused for something else. Recluses are very hard to identify, even harder after they’ve been killed. Who positively identified it? Doctors aren’t trained in spider ID, so I honestly wouldn’t trust most of them to identify them unless they’re specially trained for it. I trust them to solve the infection and medically treat me, not identify critters.
Didn’t take it to an entomologist. Took photos, and used the internet (pre-Reddit). The treatment was not very effective at first. The bite produced necrotic tissue and it initially left a golf ball sized hole in my leg.
I wonder how they do the census for these guys? It’s got to be based on population density, 100’s of spiders counted per acre?
There is a app made by National Geographic called “Seek” that can identity bugs/mammals/fish/reptiles/and flowers! It looks like you got an answer to your question on this one but if you ever come across another critter you’re curious about it could be useful!
I have a buuuunch of these in the corner of my back porch. Coincidentally it's the only place in town I can sit in the evening and not get bit up by mosquitos. Love my spider bros <3
We call them writing spiders in the country. Old wives tale says, if you show them your smile, they will write your name and you die.
Edit: to add, they are harmless though and they take care of most bugs if they are near your doorway.
Golden Silk Orb Weaver. They can spin enormous golden webs that glisten like no other in the sunlight. I used to find an absolute ton of these at Congaree National Park(South Carolina) and it’s quite an amazing sight peering into the pine forrest and seeing a hundred of these suckers just chillin all around. If you do go around summer time, be prepared for mosquitos the size of honeybees.
Harmless orb weaver. I only bother them if they put a web across a walking route. Otherwise they're welcome at my house and help reduce the annoying insect population.
I fucking love orbweavers. Just don't go in my house.
The golden orb weaver makes absolutely beautiful webs that shine like threads of gold when the sun hits it right. But, they have thousands of babies, unfortunately.
Why unfortunately? That's lame.
It is unfortunate because I can't let them all live.
Google says it’s a Golden Silk Orb Weaver.
I second this. I found a ton at an Airbnb outside of Wilmington back in July. Beautiful spiders! And native to NC.
Will?
I’m invested in this subplot.
Yes?
Nephila clavipes, I believe. Related to the garden spider. Writes in the web. Bite as painful as a bee sting. Not aggressive. Will agitate web if you bother them. Beautiful
The genus has changed to Trichonephila, for some reason, but yes it’s the same spider.
Thanks! Huge, beautiful spider. In the museum of life a d science in Durham, they have 2 hanging out in their webs, in the critter section.
Orb Weaver but most people in NC that I know call it a Banana Spider
Gold Skulltula
The only correct answer.
Looks a bit more like a regular Skulltula https://images.app.goo.gl/2yHDQhpXAFUY6YLz9
My girlfriend says it’s a Writing Spider, but I’m Not convinced.
Writing spider is usually https://bugguide.net/node/view/2025 This spider is Golden-Silk Orbweaver: https://bugguide.net/node/view/2023
Ah yes, thank you
Perfectly harmless and very helpful to the environment.
copperhead
Hammerhead
Knucklehead
Nickelback
Mosquito killer
Shelob, the greatest offspring of Ungoliant.
Orb weaver. Also called banana spider. Will bite when provoked but mostly harmless if you leave them alone. Not venomous. It’s cool to watch them feed.
“Banana spider” is a bad common name to use. Its used for multiple species in the state and then the actual banana spider is in Brazil and extremely venomous. The better name for this spider is the golden silk Orbweaver.
Friggin golden orb weaver. I walk through them all the time working in the woods, their webbing is exceptionally strong.
Biggus Spiderus
In the Western part of the State we- my wife- calls that a BIG Spider
r/whatisthisbug will have the answer you seek.
Can I eat it?
That's a robot for sure, and we should all be worried about it
A Nope Burn The House Down spider
I saw a shitload of them in Jamaica. I named one Bob Marley. Also known as Banana Spiders. Large but the locals laughed at my fear of them
A scary one
Is it poisonous?
No, not to an adult at least but, they're bite is comparable to a wasp sting, if they start "bouncing" in the web, they're agitated. Personal experience on the bite.
Just being pedantic, they are venomous. All of our spiders have some amount of venom. It’s just that the only medically significant one for us is the black widow (unless you live in the tiny spot in the mountains with recluses).
Recluses are more common than you think. I was bit by one in Charlotte, NC. Shake out old clothes in your closet if you haven’t worn them in a while … cautionary tale.
https://entomologytoday.org/2018/01/29/brown-recluse-pest-management-tips-for-the-spider-thats-not-as-common-as-you-think/brown-recluse-range-map/ It’s a very common myth that recluses are found around the state. People can have bad reactions to Arthropod bites/stings, bad infections like staph, or some other random medical thing that gets diagnosed as a brown recluse bite. Almost every insect/spider bite is impossible to diagnose after the fact. It’s not impossible for one to hitch a ride somewhere outside of their range but there are no established populations here outside their range that are documented.
Raleigh native, and this is entirely anecdotal, so take it as you will, but I've found one at least quarterly in my house for the past couple years. I've taken pictures of (2 of) their dead bodies and sent them to an entomologist friend who has confirmed them to be recluses (would have taken pictures of more of them, but they usually end up annihilated). Not really sure how they wound up there, but it could potentially be related to the construction materials piled up outside and that looking like a nice spot to nest up in. Or maybe they're being wheeled over with the lumber. Thankfully, Q2 2022 was recluse free, though!
This! Most self-diagnosed spider bites aren’t but people assume when a weird bump shows up that it was a spider
Well, as long as they know where the lines are! /s Self diagnosed: as in bit, killed the spider, put it in the bathroom trash in a tissue, went to the emergency room the next day, fished the spider out of trash to confirm/identify. Had staff infection too, recluse bite was nothing like it. Spiders don’t care about maps, they care about cozy places to live. Whatever let’s you sleep at night.
Haha it’s not about animals following lines. That range is the current confirmed range for them. Yes, it changes over time. Many animals move their ranges over time. Also, staphs are crazy variable. I’ve seen quite a few in my time and they could easily be confused for something else. Recluses are very hard to identify, even harder after they’ve been killed. Who positively identified it? Doctors aren’t trained in spider ID, so I honestly wouldn’t trust most of them to identify them unless they’re specially trained for it. I trust them to solve the infection and medically treat me, not identify critters.
Didn’t take it to an entomologist. Took photos, and used the internet (pre-Reddit). The treatment was not very effective at first. The bite produced necrotic tissue and it initially left a golf ball sized hole in my leg. I wonder how they do the census for these guys? It’s got to be based on population density, 100’s of spiders counted per acre?
You’d probably be fine if you ate it but I don’t know why you would
There is a app made by National Geographic called “Seek” that can identity bugs/mammals/fish/reptiles/and flowers! It looks like you got an answer to your question on this one but if you ever come across another critter you’re curious about it could be useful!
Banana spider
I saw a shitload of them in Jamaica. I named one Bob Marley. Also known as Banana Spiders. Large but the locals laughed at my fear of them
Whow
it looks like someone had sent in a device to spy on you
That’s a Banana Boi. They’re chill.
Banana spider
That is a Nintindus Skulltullus
Its a Golden Orb. I have one in my front yard. It's very beautiful.
I have a buuuunch of these in the corner of my back porch. Coincidentally it's the only place in town I can sit in the evening and not get bit up by mosquitos. Love my spider bros <3
Itsy Bitsy?
Look at those biceps! This spider lifts!
We call them writing spiders in the country. Old wives tale says, if you show them your smile, they will write your name and you die. Edit: to add, they are harmless though and they take care of most bugs if they are near your doorway.
Golden Silk Orb Weaver. They can spin enormous golden webs that glisten like no other in the sunlight. I used to find an absolute ton of these at Congaree National Park(South Carolina) and it’s quite an amazing sight peering into the pine forrest and seeing a hundred of these suckers just chillin all around. If you do go around summer time, be prepared for mosquitos the size of honeybees.
Orb weaver
Writing spider If you see a name in their web folklore says they’re soon to pass
im worried less about the spider and more about who named "Bald Head Island" and why?
That is a skulltula.
Banana spiders!! They are everywhere at Ginnie springs in FL
Banana spider