Natwerk Designs

What kind of spider did I just find in my kitchen? (pictures)?

I found it in a cup by the window. I panicked & poured some hot water in, then quickly put cardboard over the cup. After a min I peeked in. It wasn't moving, even when I shook the cup. So what kind of spider is this? Is it poisonous? Should I be worried there are more? Sorry if I seem overly panicky. I'm a first time mom with an 8 month old here. http://i40.tinypic.com/2dtosnd.jpg http://i42.tinypic.com/egetci.jpg http://i43.tinypic.com/14maz4k.jpg its legs didn't bend in like that 'til i killed it. I'm in North Carolina, if that helps.

Public Comments

1. brown recluse it is very deadly
2. It looks alot like a grass spider--which isn't dangerous, but check out this chart below to be sure. hopefully i helped out a little bit! =) http://www.termite.com/spider-identification.html#grassspider
3. Looks like a wolf spider. http://entoplp.okstate.edu/ddd/insects/wolfspider.htm
4. Tesa is wrong. It is not a brown recluse at all! Brown recluses don't have those patterns on them. The 3 deadly spiders in the US you have to worry about are the Brown Recluse, Hobo, and Black Widow. The spider you killed was not any of these so you don't have to worry! If you still have the dead spider, take it to a local pest control office. They should have someone there that can identify it. If not, and you demand to know what type it is, you can visit your local college biology or entomology department and have it looked at there. You can also just print your pics and bring those. Concerning the legs, all spiders tuck there legs inward when they die.
5. A Rabid Wolf Spider (Rabidosa rabida). http://bugguide.net/node/view/26084/bgimage It's bite may be painful, but not dangerous. A wasp can cause more discomfort to you. Taking it to a Pest control office won't solve anything. Exterminators are not trained in identifying spiders. If you want a professional identification, call your local university, zoo, or the state's Department of Agriculture and ask them for advice. Also, you need to preserve the spider in a 70% wood alcohol solution.
6. this is very close in appearance to a wolf spider, but seems rather small. my best guess, is a common grass spider, and this spider would not be harmful. your child will be fine. a view showing the eyes, and any spinnerets would confirm this. it is normal for a spiders legs to curl under at death, because they rely on blood pressure to extend them. ps, if the eyes resemble my(or Todds) avatar, then Todd would be correct.
7. Yeah, looks like a young Rabidosa (used to be Lycosa) rabida. We used to call them Sunflower Seed spiders. Quite harmless, like almost all spiders. The link below shows a full-sized one; they can get a bit larger, maybe about quarter-sized leg-tip to leg-tip.