Unknown Sac Spider

At porch lights near an overgrown backyard habitat in NW Georgia.

comments (15)

Flown Kimmerling

Lion

Any ideas, Ferdy? I'm terrible with arachnids! Posted 7 years ago
1. Ferdy Christant
  
  Lion
  
  As am I! I normally use this guide that shows eye arrangement as a key to get to the family:
  https://spiderid.com/articles/identification/
  
  Can't make sense of this one, I've never 6 eyes in a row and so close to touch each other. Really weird! If nobody else responds I hope you'll submit it to bugguide. Would love to know what it is. Or ask Claire via a direct message, she's great with spiders:
  
  Claire Hamilton Posted 7 years ago
2. 1. Claire Hamilton
    
    Lion
    
    Ooh, looks like a little sac spider to me. I'm a bit out of touch so will do some research. Was it on a web?? Posted 7 years ago
  2. 1. Ferdy Christant
      
      Lion
      
      Thanks in advance for any help, Claire! Posted 7 years ago
3. Ferdy Christant
  
  Lion
  
  By the way my initial gut feeling was a jumping spider based on its build, but it seems the eyes are too small. Posted 7 years ago
4. 1. Claire Hamilton
    
    Lion
    
    Nope, definitely not a jumper! Posted 7 years ago

Claire Hamilton

Lion

bugguide.net/node/view/716689
Picture shows the eye arrangement of a sac spider. I thinks its as close as can be, maybe it's a young one not grown into it's eyes yet? Working on a better ID Posted 7 years ago
1. Flown Kimmerling
  
  Lion
  
  It was so tiny! It didn't appear to be on a web, but my front porch is quite cobwebby at this point of the year (haha)!
  
  Thanks so much for helping! Posted 7 years ago, modified 7 years ago

Claire Hamilton

Lion

At the moment it's a toss up between a Ghost spider (Hibana grisilis) or a sac spider of the genus Cheiracanthium.
It's hard to tell from this photo, but on this page there was interesting information about the eye arrangement between the two:
http://spiderbytes.org/2015/04/06/a-ghost-spider-anyphaenidae/
Both are small which doesn't help much and both have a silken retreat, often in a curled up leaf. Both can also give a nasty nip but not dangerous.
Info on Ghosts:
http://www.spiderzrule.com/ghost.htm
Info on Sacs:
http://www.spiderzrule.com/sac.htm

Sorry I can't narrow it down further but my knowledge really isn't that great! I do know it's a female though!! Posted 7 years ago, modified 7 years ago
1. Flown Kimmerling
  
  Lion
  
  Thank you! I think you are right about it being a sac spider. I will post this on BugGuide and maybe facebook to see if anyone recognizes it!
  
  You have been most helpful! Posted 7 years ago
2. Flown Kimmerling
  
  Lion
  
  Claire, I have photos of a larger spider in the same location from a couple of weeks earlier. Not sure if it could be the same type? It has the same eye arrangement
  https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/14990279 Posted 7 years ago
3. 1. Claire Hamilton
    
    Lion
    
    It certainly looks the same, I would go with sac spider and quite probably the yellow sac spider.
    I have no fear of spiders but sac spiders I most certainly wouldn't handle or mess with! ;) Posted 7 years ago
  2. 1. Flown Kimmerling
      
      Lion
      
      I'm very wary of handling them already, but thank you for the warning! Posted 7 years ago
    2. 1. Claire Hamilton
        
        Lion
        
        Their bite is more like a bee sting but some people experience a secondary infection which can be quite nasty. There are a lot of tales of sac spiders causing limbs to drop off and such like, some of which are quite hilarious, but it is not the venom, just infection if not looked after. Still, bee stings are painful!! Posted 7 years ago
      2. Flown Kimmerling
        
        Lion
        
        Ick! That does sound quite nasty! I will definitely keep that in mind when photographing them in the future! Posted 7 years ago

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By Flown Kimmerling

Uploaded Jul 29, 2018. Captured Jul 26, 2018 16:44 in 101 Earl St, Plainville, GA 30733, USA.

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Canon EOS DIGITAL REBEL XTi
f/3.5
1/60s
ISO400
60mm

Captured in the summer. More summer photos.