CLOSED: This thing was huge!

About 2 and a half inch spread. They are really quick and like it towards the ceiling. I just want to make sure what they are. Years ago I was told it was a Hobo Spider and it is a harmless spider.

the underside

I'd say its a fishing spider of some type.
Looks a LOT like this one, but not the same pattern.
http://bugguide.net/node/view/181720

Many spiders are commonly called "hobos" for whatever reason, but please don't confuse the term with this hobo spider:
http://bugguide.net/node/view/31446

Found in the west, whose bite is painful and can cause necrosis!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobo_spider

Ya, looks like it but they say it's up in the Pacific Northwest.
I'm in central Florida, 10 minutes off the gulf side and I mostly see them in the summer and fall is when they are guarding a ratty web with a fuzzball eggsack. If I remember correctly. And the nesting area was low to the floor, whereas traveling thru the house was more toward the ceiling.
I thank you.

Here is a site you may find useful Wormfood. Tons of pictures.

http://www.spiderzrule.com/fishing.htm

Yep, been there. Good info , need to know if it's benificial, poisonous, and how to keep it out of the house.
Toss up between the
Male Wolf Spider
http://entomology.unl.edu/images/spiders/lycosa_hell1.jpg
Here's a southern House Spider
http://www.ghpestcontrol.com/pest.html

It would seem that the black hairs on the legs would lend themselves to ID'ing also. This link says there are only 5 poisonous spiders indigenous to Fla.

http://www.venombyte.com/venom/spiders/florida/

It also has link to a number of Fla based sites for more info.

edited for spelling...snark

This message was edited May 31, 2011 11:25 AM

that is not a hobo spider. hobo spider bites cause necrosis of human flesh and live in the pacific northwest.
this does closely resemble a fishing spider: http://floridabackyardspiders.com/FishingSpiders.html

you may want to reference that website if you find other mysterious spiders around your home.

this is another one with pictures and info on fishing spiders: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dolomedes

Just for the record, I was saying not to confuse it with a hobo spider lol, and pointing to a wiki about the actual hobo spider.

While the spider referenced LadyAshleyR's post (dolomedes) does have a similar dead “pose,” it appears that this is more likely a male huntsman spider (probably H. venatoria). The dorsal markings on the prosoma and abdomen are very distinctive to spiders in this particular species. It is also good that the OP posted a picture of the underside because the ventral side of fishing spiders looks different. See
http://www.floridanature.org/photos/Heteropoda_venatoria_1c,_Stuart,_20020402.jpg for an image of the underside of a huntsman.
Also see http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/urban/spiders/giant_crab_spider.htm and http://www.floridanature.org/species.asp?species=Heteropoda_venatoria for more information.

Neat! =D

That is definately it. Thank you so much. The Huntsman is not dangerous or poisonous. They are probably cannibals though. Every time I saw a huge spider carcuss hanging in the window I'd say "that big spider is dead 'cause a bigger spider ate it." Peoples' eyeballs would pop out.
Not a male though, a close look on her bottom rear, she has an egg and maybe a half broken one. What do you think?

I'm not sure what that is attached to the posterior, but if the spider was crushed, it could be fat deposits from the abdomen (an experienced entomologist should probably chime in on this one). The enlarge terminal segments of the palpi would suggest that this is a male, also the abdomen seems to be too slender for this to be female. To see what the palpi look like for females, see http://bugguide.net/node/view/206854/bgimage vs. a male http://entnemdept.ufl.edu/creatures/urban/spiders/huntsman_spider04.htm

This message was edited Jun 8, 2011 8:45 PM

thanks so much drrex, I love spiders, but not in the house where I sleep with my mouth open. hehe