Around 45,000 spider species have been discovered, with about 3,500 species living in the United States. In Alaska, spiders come in many sizes and colors, but let’s take a look at 4 of the biggest that live on The Last Frontier.
1. Banded Garden Spider
The banded garden spider is an orb-weaver species named after the bands covering its body. Females of this species are some of the biggest spiders in Alaska, but males are much smaller. Females have a body size ranging between 0.5 to 0.9 inches large, and their leg span reaches over an inch. Black, yellow, and white are the colors of this spider. Males look similar to females but are about a quarter smaller. This species lives in Meadows, gardens, grasslands, and open woodland habitats with abundant plant life. Females build large circular webs about 2 feet in size. Flying insects like flies, mosquitoes, and gnats are the main food source for this species, and their web is used to catch their prey. Venom and silk are used to neutralize and feed on their prey. Banded garden spiders are big and have bright colors, but this species is not dangerous. Their venom is only useful for the small prey they feed on and is only dangerous to humans if allergic. Banded garden spiders have a docile nature and only bite if threatened.
2. Black and Yellow Garden Spider
The black and yellow garden spider is a species that gets its name from its black and yellow coloring. This spider is a member of the orb-weaver family and is one of its largest members. Females of this species grow between 0.75 to 1 inch large and have a leg span up to 3 inches, and males are much smaller and have a size of around 0.25 inches. Gardens, meadows, open woodlands, and urban areas are places where this species lives. They build circle webs with a zig-zag pattern in the center, called a stabilimentum. The zig-zag web in the center of its web is believed to prevent birds from crashing into it or attracting insects. Black and yellow garden spiders are active during the day and are mostly seen in the months of summer and fall. The webs of this spider are used to tangle insects like flies, butterflies, wasps, and other flying bugs. Black and yellow garden spiders live in vegetated areas with lots of insect traffic. This species acts as a natural form of pest control in gardens and other places with lots of pests. Black and yellow garden spiders are harmless but bigger than most spiders in Alaska.
3. Wolf Spiders
There are over 2,300 species of wolf spiders, and Alaska houses a variety of wolf spider species. Wolf spiders are some of the biggest spiders in Alaska. Very fast and agile, wolf spiders get their name from their ability to pounce on prey like a wolf. Wolf spiders range from 0.4 to 1.4 inches long and have a leg span of close to 4 inches. Brown, tan or gray are colors this spider appears in, and they effortlessly blend into wood or dirt surfaces. Wolf spiders come in all sizes, but the bigger ones are ferocious predators that feed on anything they can overpower that they come across. Wolf spiders hunt at night and feed on small reptiles, amphibians, and invertebrates.
4. Fishing Spiders
Alaska is not only the biggest state in the United States but is also the region with the most natural lakes. Fishing spiders benefit greatly from the abundance of lakes in Alaska, as they comfortably walk on the surface of the water just as they do on land. These semi-aquatic arachnids are also one of the biggest spiders that inhabit Alaska, living in vegetated habitats by waters like lakes. Fishing spiders typically have a body size between 0.7 to 1.4 inches, with females being larger than males. This species’ coloring ranges from light to dark brown, sometimes even being a gray shade. Fishing spiders have hydrophobic hairs, which help keep them from getting wet when on the water. Fishing spiders are active at night and spend most of their time hunting. Being one of the biggest spiders in their range, they have lots of food to choose from. Fishing spiders feed on small fish, tadpoles, frogs, and aquatic insects. They can stay submerged under water for up to 30 minutes. Fish and large frogs are this species’ main predators. Fishing spiders rarely bite humans and quickly flee if spotted.
