Northern Indiana is home to many kinds of spiders.
Over 400 species of spiders reside in northern Indiana. Of these, some are native to the area while others are transplants from other areas. Some of these spiders are dangerous, with bites that inject neurotoxins that are poisonous to humans. Others may be quite aggressive and inflict bites that produce itching and swelling for several days, while still others are completely harmless to humans.
Wolf Spider
Brown spiders with dark gray or brown patches on their backs are referred to as common wolf spiders. These mildly venomous spiders reach a span of approximately 2 inches, legs included, and have bulky and furry bodies. Most members of the wolf spider species are mildly aggressive and bite only if provoked.
Yellow Garden Spider
The yellow garden spider spins a zig-zag web.
The yellow garden spider grows to a span of about 2 1/2 inches and has bands of yellow and black across its body and an area of white near its head. It spins a large web, often with a distinctive zigzag pattern woven inside the design. Yellow garden spiders are commonly found in gardens and wooded areas and tend to be aggressive when provoked. This spider's bite may contain small amounts of neurotoxins but usually only results in mild swelling and itching.
Brown Recluse Spider
A brown recluse spider has a necrotic bite.
Native to the United States, the brown recluse spider resides as far north as northern Indiana and Iowa. These small brown spiders have distinctive violin patterns on their mid-body that also gives them the names fiddle-back spider, violin spider and brown fiddler. The brown recluse's bite causes the area around the bite to necrose, or rot. These spiders prefer dry environments and often reside in and around cardboard in sheds and basements. They are quite aggressive when threatened.
Bold Jumping Spider
Bold jumping spiders are furry black and gray striped spiders that reside throughout the United States east of the Rocky Mountains. Bold jumping spiders grow to reach a span of about 1 to 1 1/2 inches and are able to jump as much as 50 times their own length. These spiders are quite aggressive, actively seeking and jumping on prey. Their bites are painful but do not contain any neurotoxins or poisons.
Northern Black Widow Spider
Obtaining her name from the fact that she occasionally kills the male of the species after mating, the black widow is usually quite shy. She can, however, become aggressive and bite, especially if her web is disturbed. This shiny black spider grows to approximately 1/2 to 1 inch and has a distinctive red hourglass shape on the underside of her abdomen. The black widow's bite is the most venomous of any spider in North America but rarely causes death. The bite is extremely painful, with related muscle cramps and spasms lasting for several days.
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