Spiders in Minnesota

Minnesota is the home to many spiders of the orb-weaver, cobweb, jumping, crab, and ground family. The deadly spiders found here include the northern widow and the brown recluse, though the latter occurs rarely. The yellow sac, being mildly venomous to humans, also dwell in Minnesota.

Spiders in Minnesota Identification Chart

Common Spiders in Minnesota

Yellow Garden (Argiope aurantia)Dark Fishing (Dolomedes tenebrosus)Bold Jumper (Phidippus audax)

Largest Spiders in Minnesota

Giant Lichen Orb-weaver (Araneus bicentenarius)Members of the Wolf (Lycosidae) family

Highly Venomous Spiders

Cobweb (Theridiidae)

Northern Black Widow Spider Size Northern Black Widow (Latrodectus variolus) - The Northern Black Widow is a cool spider found mainly on the 'East Coast' of North America. It's a close relative to the southern and western black widows.… Continue Reading >

Sicariidae

Brown Recluse Image Brown Recluse Spider (Loxosceles reclusa) - The brown recluse spider is a special spider found mostly in the central and southern parts of the U.S. It's part of a small group of spiders in North America known for having strong venom, along with the Chilean recluse and black widow.… Continue Reading >

Cheiracanthiidae

Yellow Sac Spider Size Black-Footed Yellow Sac (Cheiracanthium inclusum) - Meet the yellow sac spider! It's a spider that originally came from the Americas. Over time, it's been a part of different spider families, and now it's in the Eutichuridae family.… Continue Reading >

Less Venomous Spiders

Orb-Weaver (Araneidae)

Furrow Spider Size Furrow (Larinioides cornutus) - Did you know there's a spider called the Furrow spider? It belongs to the orb-weaver family. You can find them in places like North Africa, Europe, parts of Asia, and even in North and South America!… Continue Reading >

European Garden Spider Cross Orb Weaver (Araneus diadematus) - Did you know the Cross Orb Weaver spider comes from Europe and North America? Their legs are super cool because they can spin special round webs.… Continue Reading >

Barn Spider Size Barn (Araneus cavaticus) - Have you ever seen a Barn spider? This spider loves to weave its webs at night and is found mostly in North America. You'll see them a lot in late summer and autumn.… Continue Reading >

Giant Lichen Orbweaver Spider Giant Lichen Orb Weaver (Araneus bicentenarius) - Discover the world of the Giant Lichen Orb Weaver, a spider native to areas in the United States and Canada. Known for their impressive size, these spiders are fascinating creatures.… Continue Reading >

Marble Orb-Weaver Marbled Orb-weaver (Araneus marmoreus) - The marbled orb-weaver is a spider with a special design on its body. It has patterns on its abdomen that look like marble, which is how it got its name.… Continue Reading >

Shamrock Orb Weaver Size Shamrock Orb Weaver (Araneus trifolium) - The shamrock orb weaver is a special spider from the Araneidae family. If you're curious, you'll find these little creatures in places like the United States and Canada.… Continue Reading >

Yellow Garden Spider Images Yellow Garden (Argiope aurantia) - Imagine a spider with bright yellow and black colors, weaving an amazing web in the garden. That's the Yellow Garden Spider for you! They're super peaceful and really good at making fancy webs.… Continue Reading >

Cat Face Spider Pictures Cat-Faced (Araneus gemmoides) - The cat-faced spider, known to some as the jewel spider, thrives during the nighttime. Part of the orb-weaver family, these spiders create spiral webs shaped like wheels.… Continue Reading >

Nursery Web (Pisauridae)

Dark Fishing Dark Fishing (Dolomedes tenebrosus) - The Dark Fishing Spider is a special spider from the Pisauridae family. It looks a lot like the striped fishing spider. Here's something wild: after these spiders mate, the male often becomes a meal for the female!… Continue Reading >

Striped Fishing Spider Size Striped Fishing (Dolomedes scriptus) - Discover the Striped Fishing Spider! This big spider is part of the Pisauridae family and lives in both the United States and Canada. With its striking patterns and unique habits, it has become a topic of interest.… Continue Reading >

Jumping (Salticidae)

Bold Jumping Spider Picture Bold Jumping (Phidippus audax) - Bold jumping spiders are super cool members of the Salticidae spider family. They get attention for their amazing jumps and colorful looks. Instead of using webs to catch food, they like to sneak up on bugs and jump on them!… Continue Reading >

Zebra Spider Size Zebra (Salticus scenicus) - Discover the fascinating world of the Zebra Spider, a creature from the northern hemisphere with stripes like a zebra. These lively spiders don't spin webs to catch their dinner.… Continue Reading >

Crab (Thomisidae)

Female Goldenrod Crab Spider Goldenrod Crab (Misumena vatia) - Goldenrod Crab Spiders are super cool! They can change colors and hang out on flowers, waiting for their food. Instead of making big webs, they use silk for catching food or keeping their eggs safe.… Continue Reading >

Ground (Gnaphosidae)

Eastern Parson Spider Parson (Herpyllus ecclesiasticus) - The eastern parson spider is a special kind of spider from the USA and Canada. It's part of the Gnaphosidae family. Instead of making webs to catch food, this spider likes to chase down its meals!… Continue Reading >

Cobweb (Theridiidae)

Triangulate Cobweb Spider Triangulate Cobweb (Steatoda triangulosa) - Meet the triangulate cobweb spider from the Steatoda genus! Found in places like North America, New Zealand, and Europe, this little spider has a neat triangular pattern on its back.… Continue Reading >

Steatoda borealis Steatoda borealis - Guess what? There's a spider called Steatoda borealis, and it's part of the comb-footed spider family. Some people call it a 'false widow spider' because of how it looks. But it's not the same as the real widow spiders.… Continue Reading >

Funnel Weaver (Agelenidae)

Barn Funnel Weaver Spider Barn Funnel Weaver (Tegenaria domestica) - Discover the Barn Funnel Weaving Spider, a spider known by various names worldwide, like the Domestic House Spider in Europe and the Common House Spider in the Pacific Northwest.… Continue Reading >

Wolf (Lycosidae)

  • Arctosa rubicunda
  • Arctosa emertoni

Running Crab (Philodromidae)

  • Tibellus maritimus