Spiders in Wisconsin
Wisconsin has 149 spider species on record, each with at least 10 GBIF records in the state, and 3,138 licensed records in all. The most recorded are the zebra spider, the bold jumper and the black-and-yellow argiope. Medically significant: the northern black widow.
Widow spiders in Wisconsin
One species of this group is listed for Wisconsin: the northern black widow, with 1 record (under 0.1% of the state's spider records).
Jumping spiders in Wisconsin
Jumping spiders: 25 species are listed for Wisconsin, with 565 records (18% of the state's spider records). The most recorded is the zebra spider (123), ahead of the bold jumper (109).
Plus 13: Habronattus cognatus, Thin-spined jumping spider, Grayish jumping spider, Habronattus decorus, Hammerjawed jumper, Hoy's jumper, Whitman's jumping spider, Hart's jumping spider, Pelegrina flavipes, Boreal jumping spider, Four-lined slender jumping spider, Slender ant mimicking jumping spider, Short-bellied slender jumping spider.
Observation records of the zebra spider in Wisconsin run mostly April through September, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Dane County, Waukesha County and Milwaukee County. Observation records of the bold jumper in Wisconsin run mostly May through October, peaking in September; most licensed records come from Waukesha County, Dane County and Milwaukee County. Observation records of the Asian wall jumper in Wisconsin run mostly April through October, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Dane County, Lincoln County and Waukesha County.
Wolf spiders in Wisconsin
Wolf spiders: 17 species are listed for Wisconsin, with 235 records (7% of the state's spider records). The most recorded is the shiny wolf spider (40), ahead of the forest wolf spider (35).
Plus five: Allocosa funerea, Brush-legged split wolf spider, Woodland giant wolf spider, Pirate otter spider, Unbanded wolf spider.
Most licensed records of the shiny wolf spider in Wisconsin come from Vilas County, Kenosha County and Milwaukee County. Most licensed records of the forest wolf spider in Wisconsin come from Vilas County, Juneau County and Marathon County.
Orb weavers in Wisconsin
Orb weavers: 30 species are listed for Wisconsin, with 592 records (19% of the state's spider records). The most recorded is the black-and-yellow argiope (103), ahead of the banded garden spider (63).
Plus 18: Lined orbweaver, Cone-shaped orbweaver, White micrathena, Giant lichen orbweaver, Araneus boneti, Humpbacked orbweaver, Ornamental orbweaver, Starbellied orbweaver, Lattice orbweaver, Nordmann's orbweaver spider, Arrowshaped micrathena, Fierce orbweaver, Heptagonal orbweaver, Larinia borealis, Openfield orbweaver, Cat-faced spider, Cyclosa turbinata, Greenlegged orbweaver.
Observation records of the black-and-yellow argiope in Wisconsin run mostly July through October, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Dane County, Jefferson County and Grant County. Observation records of the banded garden spider in Wisconsin are concentrated in August and September (95% of them); most licensed records come from Dane County, Grant County and Jefferson County. Observation records of the bridge orbweaver in Wisconsin run mostly May through October, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Dane County, Brown County and Milwaukee County.
Long-jawed orb weavers in Wisconsin
Long-jawed orb weavers are a small part of the spider record here: four species with 2% of records between them. The most recorded is the orchard orbweaver (28), ahead of the long-jawed orb weaver (13).
Fishing and nursery web spiders in Wisconsin
Fishing and nursery web spiders: five species are listed for Wisconsin, with 162 records (5% of the state's spider records). The most recorded is the nursery web spider (61), ahead of the dark fishing spider (54).
Observation records of the nursery web spider in Wisconsin run mostly May through September, peaking in September; most licensed records come from Grant County, Lincoln County and Door County. Observation records of the dark fishing spider in Wisconsin run mostly May through October, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Door County, Sauk County and Grant County.
Crab spiders in Wisconsin
Crab spiders: 15 species are listed for Wisconsin, with 191 records (6% of the state's spider records). The most recorded is the goldenrod crab spider (55), ahead of the whitebanded crab spider (32).
Plus three: Punctated ground crab spider, Philodromus pernix, Philodromus placidus.
Observation records of the goldenrod crab spider in Wisconsin run mostly June through August, peaking in June; most licensed records come from Door County, Dane County and Juneau County. Observation records of the whitebanded crab spider in Wisconsin run mostly July through September, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Dane County, Juneau County and Milwaukee County.
Cobweb spiders in Wisconsin
Cobweb spiders are a small part of the spider record here: eight species with 3% of records between them. The most recorded is the triangulate bud spider (37), ahead of the common candy-striped spider (30).
Observation records of the triangulate bud spider in Wisconsin run mostly May through January, peaking in November; most licensed records come from Dane County, Waukesha County and Brown County. Most licensed records of the common candy-striped spider in Wisconsin come from Dane County, Milwaukee County and Door County.
Funnel weavers and grass spiders in Wisconsin
One species of this group is listed for Wisconsin: the barn funnel weaver, with 7 records (0.2% of the state's spider records).
Lynx spiders in Wisconsin
Lynx spiders are a small part of the spider record here: two species with 0.3% of records between them. The most recorded is the western lynx spider (7), ahead of the striped lynx spider (1).
Sheetweb and dwarf spiders in Wisconsin
Sheetweb and dwarf spiders: 15 species are listed for Wisconsin, with 202 records (6% of the state's spider records). The most recorded is the filmy dome spider (24), ahead of the pale sheetweb weaver (21).
Same family (Linyphiidae): Frontinella pyramitelaSame family (Linyphiidae): Frontinella pyramitela
Related species: Walckenaeria directa
Related species: Lepthyphantes leprosusRelated species: Centromerus sylvaticus
Related species: Pocadicnemis pumilaSame family (Linyphiidae): Frontinella pyramitela
Plus three: Peatland sheetweb weaver, Sisicus penifusifer, Bowl and doily spider.
Ground and sac spiders in Wisconsin
Ground and sac spiders: twelve species are listed for Wisconsin, with 163 records (5% of the state's spider records). The most recorded is the parson spider (34), ahead of the greater ant-mimic corinne spider (31).
Related species: Scotinella redempta
Related species: Drassyllus insularis
Related species: Phrurotimpus borealisObservation records of the parson spider in Wisconsin run mostly April through September, peaking in August; most licensed records come from Dane County, Brown County and Waukesha County. Most licensed records of the greater ant-mimic corinne spider in Wisconsin come from Vilas County and Milwaukee County.
Other spiders in Wisconsin
Other spiders: 14 species are listed for Wisconsin, with 174 records (6% of the state's spider records). The most recorded is Cicurina brevis (33), ahead of Cicurina itasca (25).
Plus two: Ray spider, Dictyna coloradensis.
Most licensed records of Cicurina brevis in Wisconsin come from Vilas County.
Where in Wisconsin are spiders recorded most?
Vilas County dominates: 30% of the state's licensed spider records come from it alone, and the top five counties hold 61%. 70 of Wisconsin's 72 counties have at least one licensed spider record.
| # | County | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vilas County | 930 | 29.6% |
| 2 | Dane County | 409 | 13.0% |
| 3 | Milwaukee County | 242 | 7.7% |
| 4 | Waukesha County | 188 | 6.0% |
| 5 | Kenosha County | 141 | 4.5% |
| 6 | Grant County | 106 | 3.4% |
| 7 | Brown County | 61 | 1.9% |
| 8 | Ozaukee County | 56 | 1.8% |
| 9 | Door County | 54 | 1.7% |
| 10 | Jefferson County | 53 | 1.7% |
| 11 | Juneau County | 49 | 1.6% |
| 12 | Lincoln County | 48 | 1.5% |
When do spiders come out in Wisconsin?
Observation records of spiders in Wisconsin run mostly May through October, peaking in August with 23% of them. Winter (December to February) holds 2% of the records. The sharpest rise comes from May to June.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1% | 1% | 2% | 2% | 9% | 20% | 17% | 23% | 19% | 5% | 2% | 1% |
Spiders: Wisconsin compared with its neighbors
Wisconsin ranks 18th of 50 states by the number of spider species listed, level with New York and Oklahoma; Texas leads with 386 species.
Of the four states bordering Wisconsin, Illinois lists more spider species (Wisconsin: 149 species; Illinois 243, Minnesota 145, Michigan 122, Iowa 57).
What spiders are in Wisconsin? All 149 species
Ranked by licensed records in Wisconsin. The table shows the 60 most recorded of 149 listed spiders.
| # | Species | Family | Records | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zebra spider Salticus scenicus | Salticidae | 123 | 3.9% |
| 2 | Bold jumper Phidippus audax | Salticidae | 109 | 3.5% |
| 3 | Black-and-yellow argiope Argiope aurantia | Araneidae | 103 | 3.3% |
| 4 | Banded garden spider Argiope trifasciata | Araneidae | 63 | 2.0% |
| 5 | Nursery web spider Pisaurina mira | Pisauridae | 61 | 1.9% |
| 6 | Asian wall jumper Attulus fasciger | Salticidae | 60 | 1.9% |
| 7 | Familiar jumping spider Platycryptus undatus | Salticidae | 60 | 1.9% |
| 8 | Bridge orbweaver Larinioides sclopetarius | Araneidae | 55 | 1.8% |
| 9 | Goldenrod crab spider Misumena vatia | Thomisidae | 55 | 1.8% |
| 10 | Dark fishing spider Dolomedes tenebrosus | Pisauridae | 54 | 1.7% |
| 11 | Garden spider Araneus diadematus | Araneidae | 54 | 1.7% |
| 12 | Furrow orbweaver Larinioides cornutus | Araneidae | 43 | 1.4% |
| 13 | Bronze jumper Eris militaris | Salticidae | 41 | 1.3% |
| 14 | Shiny wolf spider Pardosa moesta | Lycosidae | 40 | 1.3% |
| 15 | Sixspotted orbweaver Araniella displicata | Araneidae | 37 | 1.2% |
| 16 | Triangulate bud spider Steatoda triangulosa | Theridiidae | 37 | 1.2% |
| 17 | Forest wolf spider Hogna frondicola | Lycosidae | 35 | 1.1% |
| 18 | Parson spider Herpyllus ecclesiasticus | Gnaphosidae | 34 | 1.1% |
| 19 | Cicurina brevis | Hahniidae | 33 | 1.1% |
| 20 | Whitebanded crab spider Misumenoides formosipes | Thomisidae | 32 | 1.0% |
| 21 | Greater ant-mimic corinne spider Phrurotimpus borealis | Phrurolithidae | 31 | 1.0% |
| 22 | Common candy-striped spider Enoplognatha ovata | Theridiidae | 30 | 1.0% |
| 23 | Brilliant jumping spider Phidippus clarus | Salticidae | 29 | 0.9% |
| 24 | Arabesque orbweaver Neoscona arabesca | Araneidae | 28 | 0.9% |
| 25 | Orchard orbweaver Leucauge venusta | Tetragnathidae | 28 | 0.9% |
| 26 | Zelotes fratris | Gnaphosidae | 27 | 0.9% |
| 27 | Cicurina itasca | Hahniidae | 25 | 0.8% |
| 28 | Sixspotted fishing spider Dolomedes triton | Pisauridae | 25 | 0.8% |
| 29 | Filmy dome spider Neriene radiata | Linyphiidae | 24 | 0.8% |
| 30 | Longbodied cellar spider Pholcus phalangioides | Pholcidae | 24 | 0.8% |
| 31 | Marbled orbweaver Araneus marmoreus | Araneidae | 24 | 0.8% |
| 32 | Trochosa terricola | Lycosidae | 24 | 0.8% |
| 33 | Dimorphic jumper Maevia inclemens | Salticidae | 23 | 0.7% |
| 34 | Flea jumping spider Naphrys pulex | Salticidae | 23 | 0.7% |
| 35 | Agroeca ornata | Liocranidae | 22 | 0.7% |
| 36 | Common white-cheeked jumping spider Pelegrina proterva | Salticidae | 22 | 0.7% |
| 37 | Dock spider Dolomedes scriptus | Pisauridae | 22 | 0.7% |
| 38 | Pale thin-legged wolf spider Pardosa distincta | Lycosidae | 22 | 0.7% |
| 39 | Tuftlegged orbweaver Mangora placida | Araneidae | 22 | 0.7% |
| 40 | Pale sheetweb weaver Bathyphantes pallidus | Linyphiidae | 21 | 0.7% |
| 41 | Flower crab spider Mecaphesa asperata | Thomisidae | 20 | 0.6% |
| 42 | Centromerus sylvaticus | Linyphiidae | 19 | 0.6% |
| 43 | Eridantes erigonoides | Linyphiidae | 19 | 0.6% |
| 44 | Shamrock orbweaver Araneus trifolium | Araneidae | 19 | 0.6% |
| 45 | Scotinella minnetonka | Phrurolithidae | 18 | 0.6% |
| 46 | Spotted orbweaver Neoscona crucifera | Araneidae | 18 | 0.6% |
| 47 | Tan crab spider Xysticus ferox | Thomisidae | 18 | 0.6% |
| 48 | Trabeops aurantiacus | Lycosidae | 18 | 0.6% |
| 49 | Drassyllus niger | Gnaphosidae | 17 | 0.5% |
| 50 | Dysdera crocata | Dysderidae | 16 | 0.5% |
| 51 | Scylaceus pallidus | Linyphiidae | 16 | 0.5% |
| 52 | Spined micrathena Micrathena gracilis | Araneidae | 16 | 0.5% |
| 53 | Trochosa ruricola | Lycosidae | 16 | 0.5% |
| 54 | Walckenaeria pallida | Linyphiidae | 16 | 0.5% |
| 55 | Agroeca pratensis | Liocranidae | 15 | 0.5% |
| 56 | Ozyptila distans | Thomisidae | 15 | 0.5% |
| 57 | Lepthyphantes intricatus | Linyphiidae | 14 | 0.4% |
| 58 | Lined orbweaver Mangora gibberosa | Araneidae | 14 | 0.4% |
| 59 | Long-jawed orb weaver Tetragnatha laboriosa | Tetragnathidae | 13 | 0.4% |
| 60 | Ubiquitous thin-legged wolf spider Pardosa xerampelina | Lycosidae | 13 | 0.4% |
Related pages
GBIF records read 2026-09-29. Listed: any license. Counted: CC0/CC BY only. How we count.