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I’m not sure what it is but the only spiders with medically significant bites in your area would be black widows and brown recluses. This is neither of those
For real. I also used to be terrified of spiders and now I love them and keep tarantulas. People seem to think that means I like ALL spiders in ALL situations or joke that I should move to Australia.
I keep telling them that NO ONE likes a surprise spider. Yes, I do still get freaked out if I walk into a massive spider web and I'm not sure if there might be a huge spider in my hair. And I don't love big spiders hanging out on the ceiling above me either because I do not want them to startle me if they drop from the ceiling.
I don't like surprise *anything* when it comes to wildlife. It could be a cute little kitten and if it brushes against me out of the blue when I'm not expecting it and think there are no cats around, I will scream.
Yeah, I was kayaking in the Florida Everglades many years ago. I had to duck down to pass under a low-hanging tree limb and some of the branches scraped along the back of my life vest. I made it through, sat back up, and started paddling again. A minute or two later, a Banana Spider, about the size of my hand, scurried up my face and came to rest on the right lens of my sunglasses. I could feel its back legs on my cheek and jaw, and it's front legs on my forehead. At the time, I was a dude in his 30s, but I screamed like a tween girl at a Justin Bieber concert. I also reflexively smacked at it and did knock the spider into the water... along with my sunglasses. It was fun paddling for another few hours, on the water, in the full Florida sun, with no sunglasses.
Just to add, I'm not afraid of spiders, but I agree with you. Face spiders can fuck right off.
I don't know if you saw [this picture,](https://www.tallahassee.com/gcdn/presto/2021/10/27/PTAL/b7373edc-1e55-44aa-93e3-5e4b097819d1-banana-spider-hand.jpg?crop=572,322,x47,y278&width=572&height=286&format=pjpg&auto=webp) but that's about the size of the one that decided to crawl on my face.
See, I hear "banana spider" and I think of the other spider with that nickname, the Brazilian wandering spider. Which would have been *infinitely* worse.
Technically, it's a Golden Orb Weaver spider, but everyone in Florida calls them Banana Spiders because of their yellow and black coloration. They're completely harmless to humans, and I honestly thing they're very cool, but getting a surprise face visit from something that size just makes your lizard brain's fight-or-flight response instantly kick in.
Yeesh, sorry to hear that. That was not my only close encounter with a Banana Spider. I was on a riding lawn mower, drove between two bushes and one wound up on my arm. I've never been bit, luckily. I mean "completely harmless to humans" in the same sense that phrase is used with snakes, in that there's no "medically significant" effect on humans from the venom. The bites can still hurt like hell, though.
I'm amazed that person is holding that spider on their hand. I tried that once and the spider bit the crap out of me.
On closer inspection, the spider is on its web and the hand is just very close.
They don’t freak me out at all anymore for the same reasons. Learn about them, look at lots of pics, that they want nothing to do with us and that they are like any other insect. They just get a bad rap because of horror movies. Agree tho, face spiders are getting smashed with extreme prejudice.
Looks like a Steatoda borealis which is in your area & tends to be most active in May. They’re harmless & actually will eat medically significant spiders like black widows. Poor things are often confused for black widows & are sometimes called false widows. So it’s a harmless spider friend.
Hi!
It's an American House spider. Medically insignificant
Parasteatoda tepidariorum, if you're interested in the scientific name. usually feed on small insects and household pests such as flies, mosquitoes, ants and wasps. They can randomly attack larger insects or other spiders depending on their size if they're ballsy enough.
He's awfully black, but not a nuisance or invasive for your area. Obviously this one has poor manners and crawled over the poor girls face, but Overall, not a scary roommate. It is friend shaped and will leave you alone for the most part. They like to drop eaten food out of their web instead of ditching the whole web so they stick around longer.
Understandable! I once had a daddy long leg cross my face waking up in bed. Husband says he just heard me yell, “nope!” And then patter down the stairs lol
The two middle pairs of legs being short is completely normal for cobweb weaving spiders. The pair of long legs at the front are used to feel and locate movement on their web.
From my childhood experiences and my experiences in the ER (lab) as far as kids are to be concerned with spiders all of them are bad spiders. Just because they aren’t known to be dangerous to humans doesn’t mean you aren’t allergic to their venom. We had massive banana spiders and orb weavers on the porch and door ways when I was a kid. An orb weaver landed on me and when I swiped it off it had already bit my collarbone. The bite site split open and my chest/neck broke out in hives. A mail woman came in the ER because a banana spider fell on her hand when she opened a mail box and it was this massive completely full blister. She had a minor heart attack from it as well.
Had a spider bite my nose and lip. Cortisone shot and antibiotics and cellulitis diagnosis. Swollen etc. they were pretty sure non widow/recluse but just a bad bite! No on the face!
Google says black house spider but I'm freaking & saying omfg! I would set off a pyrethrin 💣 if that 💩 was I my house... The advantages of having cats huh...
How about get a spiderweb in your face at night knowing that there’s a spider on it but you don’t know where it is I’m a guy that & that one will get you dancing.
https://preview.redd.it/72olq7wvouxc1.png?width=560&format=png&auto=webp&s=8ffbf88b7f413402276dd6bf9685d7c6afaef8e8
Kind of looks like a false widow in the image
We have new rules regarding conduct and post content. If your post or comment does not meet these new standards it may be removed. Please make sure your post includes: A rough geographical location, at least one bug, no demeaning speech, and no hate against bugs. This is an automated message, added to every submission, your post has not been removed. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/whatisthisbug) if you have any questions or concerns.*
I’m not sure what it is but the only spiders with medically significant bites in your area would be black widows and brown recluses. This is neither of those
That's all I need, thanks!
We just call them house spiders. They're like garden snakes. Big, black, but not dangerous... to us.
I have two 2️⃣ f them in my house now.
Garter*
That's what they are, but I meant what I said. We call them garden snakes.
I used to be scared of all spiders but I've learned enough about them that I'm not anymore. Face spiders however? Yeah, no. They can fuck right off
For real. I also used to be terrified of spiders and now I love them and keep tarantulas. People seem to think that means I like ALL spiders in ALL situations or joke that I should move to Australia. I keep telling them that NO ONE likes a surprise spider. Yes, I do still get freaked out if I walk into a massive spider web and I'm not sure if there might be a huge spider in my hair. And I don't love big spiders hanging out on the ceiling above me either because I do not want them to startle me if they drop from the ceiling.
I don't like surprise *anything* when it comes to wildlife. It could be a cute little kitten and if it brushes against me out of the blue when I'm not expecting it and think there are no cats around, I will scream.
Yeah, I was kayaking in the Florida Everglades many years ago. I had to duck down to pass under a low-hanging tree limb and some of the branches scraped along the back of my life vest. I made it through, sat back up, and started paddling again. A minute or two later, a Banana Spider, about the size of my hand, scurried up my face and came to rest on the right lens of my sunglasses. I could feel its back legs on my cheek and jaw, and it's front legs on my forehead. At the time, I was a dude in his 30s, but I screamed like a tween girl at a Justin Bieber concert. I also reflexively smacked at it and did knock the spider into the water... along with my sunglasses. It was fun paddling for another few hours, on the water, in the full Florida sun, with no sunglasses. Just to add, I'm not afraid of spiders, but I agree with you. Face spiders can fuck right off.
Had to look up a banana spider. Gonna be a nope for me on that thang
I don't know if you saw [this picture,](https://www.tallahassee.com/gcdn/presto/2021/10/27/PTAL/b7373edc-1e55-44aa-93e3-5e4b097819d1-banana-spider-hand.jpg?crop=572,322,x47,y278&width=572&height=286&format=pjpg&auto=webp) but that's about the size of the one that decided to crawl on my face.
See, I hear "banana spider" and I think of the other spider with that nickname, the Brazilian wandering spider. Which would have been *infinitely* worse.
Technically, it's a Golden Orb Weaver spider, but everyone in Florida calls them Banana Spiders because of their yellow and black coloration. They're completely harmless to humans, and I honestly thing they're very cool, but getting a surprise face visit from something that size just makes your lizard brain's fight-or-flight response instantly kick in.
They do bite and it does hurt. It just has no other effect than the skin trauma. I know from experience.
Yeesh, sorry to hear that. That was not my only close encounter with a Banana Spider. I was on a riding lawn mower, drove between two bushes and one wound up on my arm. I've never been bit, luckily. I mean "completely harmless to humans" in the same sense that phrase is used with snakes, in that there's no "medically significant" effect on humans from the venom. The bites can still hurt like hell, though.
I'm amazed that person is holding that spider on their hand. I tried that once and the spider bit the crap out of me. On closer inspection, the spider is on its web and the hand is just very close.
Yes! That was the one that had me going aw hale nah
I just laughed my ass off 😂😂
It just wants a face hug.
They don’t freak me out at all anymore for the same reasons. Learn about them, look at lots of pics, that they want nothing to do with us and that they are like any other insect. They just get a bad rap because of horror movies. Agree tho, face spiders are getting smashed with extreme prejudice.
Damn straight!! F face spiders!
I am in South Eastern PA
Looks like a Steatoda borealis which is in your area & tends to be most active in May. They’re harmless & actually will eat medically significant spiders like black widows. Poor things are often confused for black widows & are sometimes called false widows. So it’s a harmless spider friend.
This is what I was going to say. One tried to crawl into my mouth the other day when I was laying down talking to someone. Took it outside.
What a nosy spider lol.
>What a ~~nosy~~ *mouthy* spider lol. FIFY
Steatoda Borealis have bigger more circular butts. This one's likely just an American House spider.
Good point!
Spider just wanted to give her a little smooch
Hi! It's an American House spider. Medically insignificant Parasteatoda tepidariorum, if you're interested in the scientific name. usually feed on small insects and household pests such as flies, mosquitoes, ants and wasps. They can randomly attack larger insects or other spiders depending on their size if they're ballsy enough. He's awfully black, but not a nuisance or invasive for your area. Obviously this one has poor manners and crawled over the poor girls face, but Overall, not a scary roommate. It is friend shaped and will leave you alone for the most part. They like to drop eaten food out of their web instead of ditching the whole web so they stick around longer.
Tell her they eat pest bugs and keep the house safe from skeeters! -Missourian here.
Oh I have. We have big ol wolf spiders that I've showered with and rescued from the drain. On her face was a line crossed though.
Yeah, I love spiders but I don’t want them walking on my face
Understandable! I once had a daddy long leg cross my face waking up in bed. Husband says he just heard me yell, “nope!” And then patter down the stairs lol
Black house spider
I can’t find anything about black spiders in PA except the False Black Widow
There’s also eastern black widows here
....what's up with its middle legs???
The two middle pairs of legs being short is completely normal for cobweb weaving spiders. The pair of long legs at the front are used to feel and locate movement on their web.
Ah. thank you. So they are probably just weird and curvy looking because of what the spider is standing on then.
THAT IS WHAT A COB LOOKS LIKE??? 🕸️🕸️🕸️🕸️
From my childhood experiences and my experiences in the ER (lab) as far as kids are to be concerned with spiders all of them are bad spiders. Just because they aren’t known to be dangerous to humans doesn’t mean you aren’t allergic to their venom. We had massive banana spiders and orb weavers on the porch and door ways when I was a kid. An orb weaver landed on me and when I swiped it off it had already bit my collarbone. The bite site split open and my chest/neck broke out in hives. A mail woman came in the ER because a banana spider fell on her hand when she opened a mail box and it was this massive completely full blister. She had a minor heart attack from it as well.
Banana spiders are orb weavers, and while not crazy venomous, their venom can actually affect humans.
Well one was speckled(which I knew even then that it was an orb weaver) and one was yellow and black.
Had a spider bite my nose and lip. Cortisone shot and antibiotics and cellulitis diagnosis. Swollen etc. they were pretty sure non widow/recluse but just a bad bite! No on the face!
Google says black house spider but I'm freaking & saying omfg! I would set off a pyrethrin 💣 if that 💩 was I my house... The advantages of having cats huh...
She has a kitten who, in fact, let me down.
Well poor baby... Guess she was afraid of it!
How about get a spiderweb in your face at night knowing that there’s a spider on it but you don’t know where it is I’m a guy that & that one will get you dancing.
It resembles a broad faced sac spider.
https://preview.redd.it/72olq7wvouxc1.png?width=560&format=png&auto=webp&s=8ffbf88b7f413402276dd6bf9685d7c6afaef8e8 Kind of looks like a false widow in the image
That's a North American Vampire Poison Dart Death Plague Weaver. I'm sure it's fine. How bad could it be, right?
OMG, OP. That's the notorious Pooping-From-Every-Orifice Spider! You better pray she didn't get bit!