Insect and Spider Identification: Basement in Wisconsin (Metro area), 1 by cheers44

cheers44 wrote:
I found this dead, but perfectly intact, spider in my basement a couple months ago as I was cleaning. Much bigger than the ones I am used to seeing. I was pretty freaked out and tried to find out what it was with no such luck. I forgot about it until tonight. I went to do a load of laundry and there is was - the same kind of spider standing there right in front of the dryer...alive. I freaked (again) and smooshed it with the bleach bottle. Normally I do not kill anything in my house...I leave it be or put it outside. But this was just too scary for me.

Anyone have any ideas? This pic is pretty accurate...the spider was a little lighter than the pic shows. I would say about the diameter between a dime and a nickel.

Thanks in advance!!