Found it behind my trash can this morning (I'm in Indianapolis) and it gave me quite a scare. Of course I know that most insects won't harm you, but they sure do look creepy!
(More photos of the spider at http://flickr.com/photos/heidiveronica/sets/72157604863017551/ )
This is more likely a fishing/nursery web spider (family Pisauridae) such as Dolomedes tenebrosus (see http://spiders.entomology.wisc.edu/Pisauridae/Dolomedes/tenebrosus.jpg). I looked at all your photos of this spider, and could see no evidence of it having the enlarged anterior median eyes characteristic of wolf spiders - see http://farm1.static.flickr.com/158/351667740_902201904c.jpg?v=0
Pisaurids have all eyes roughly equal in size - see http://sparkleberrysprings.com/v-web/b2/images/fisher2.jpg
How interesting! Thanks for looking in to that. I never would've known to look at the eyes. And I do live near water. I guess she was out looking for a mate!
This message was edited Jun 22, 2008 9:33 PM
