You’ll learn how big they get, where you’re likely to find them, and even if they can cause any harm to you!
What Are the Biggest Spiders in New Hampshire?
New Hampshire may not have the biggest spiders in the U.S., but some sizeable species still live within this state’s borders. We’re going to count down five of the biggest species that you’ll find in this part of New England. That way, you’ll know how to identify them and that even if they’re large, most spiders aren’t out to harm you.
5. Long-Bodied Cellar Spider
The long-bodied cellar spider is a very common spider that prefers to live in the dark recesses of homes. You’ll often find these spiders in your cellar, garage, attic, or rooms that are not often used. Although it has a small body, the cellar spider has very long legs, sometimes measuring about 2 inches in total length. These spiders are easy to identify, too. Long-bodied cellar spiders have peanut-shaped and translucent bodies. They’re usually a grayish-brown color and have dark markings on their cephalothorax. Some people insist these markings look like a skull, and that’s why these spiders are sometimes called “skull spiders.” Even though their legs are long, these spiders are not very harmful to people. The most they’ll give you is a bite that burns and may leave a small bump. Yet, these spiders do not bite often.
4. Striped Fishing Spider
The striped fishing spider is one of many species in the Dolomedes genus that lives in New England. This particular species is frequently confused for a wolf spider since it has a robust abdomen along with similar coloration. Striped fishing spiders have many colors including brown, light brown, and gray. They are known for having a gray or light brown stripe that goes down both sides of their body. Moreover, they have light and dark banding down their legs along with various markings on their body, including a light “W-shaped” one on their abdomen. These spiders spend much of their time near the water. They can be found running along the surface or hiding out by docks. They feed on small aquatic insects, fish, and more. Their bite can be painful and may swell. However, unless you have an allergy to their venom, the bite probably won’t be severe.
3. Carolina Wolf Spider
The Carolina wolf spider is the largest member of the Hogna genus in the U.S. Especially big females can reach upwards of 4 inches in leg length, and they can measure over an inch in body length. These are large spiders with bulbous abdomens. These spiders can range in color, with some of them being sandy brown, gray, dark brown, or nearly black. They may even have other colors on their abdomen. For example, males may have orange hairs on their abdomens. Other than that, these spiders usually have a light-colored band running down the middle of their cephalothorax along with two other light-colored bands running down the outer part of their cephalothorax. Although they can look imposing, especially when they are carrying their young on their backs, these spiders aren’t looking for a fight with a human. Still, they can deliver an unpleasant bite that causes pain and swelling around the bite location.
2. American Nursery Web Spider
The American nursery web spider can grow upwards of 3 inches in length. Interestingly, it’s the males in this species that get longer than the females. These spiders have a reddish-brown body with a brown stripe running down the middle of the cephalothorax and abdomen. Aside from their body length, you can tell these spiders from other species by their unique, U-shaped eye placement that has 4 eyes on the bottom, two eyes in the middle, and another two on the top. The nursery web spider is known for creating a nursery out of a web that holds its eggs before they hatch. This is a fascinating behavior that sees them create large balls of eggs in their habitats. You’ll most likely run into this spider in areas of tall grass. They can bite you, but they’re considered mostly harmless except for pain and swelling.
1. Dark Fishing Spider
The dark fishing spider spends most of its time in the woods, a fact that is contrary to its name and the behavior of other members of this species. Still, this is the biggest spider in New Hampshire, measuring an incredible 4.5 inches at its largest. Although they are big, these spiders can’t do much harm to humans. Typically, a bite from them is similar to a bee sting. These arachnids have hairy bodies with a variety of colors. They can be light brown, brown, dark brown, and even black. Their large cephalothorax will have dark markings in the middle, and their legs will have light and dark chevrons on the upper portion before becoming light and dark banding toward the bottom of the limbs. Overall, the biggest spiders in New Hampshire are not among the largest spiders in the world. They’re also not very dangerous on the whole. Still, you should make sure to watch out for black widows and brown recluse spiders in this region.
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