Venomous

• Black widows and hobo spiders are the only two highly toxic spiders in Wyoming. Female black widows may be identified by a red hourglass-shaped marking on their abdomen; only females have enough venom to harm humans. When a black widow bites them, humans may experience anxiety and fatigue; in severe cases, restricted breathing and muscle spasms occur. Hobo spiders cause necrosis when they bite humans. Necrosis is the premature death of skin cells. As a result, a hobo spider bite causes slow-healing, ulcerlike wounds on a person's skin.
  
  

Orb Weavers

• The orb weaver receives its name from the design of its web, which has a round shape. These spiders usually wait in the middle of their web until an insect gets caught in it. Orb weavers often create new webs on a nightly basis. To detect prey, the orb weaver has a silk strand, or signal line, attached to it; when an insect lands on the web, the silk strand vibrates and acts as an alarm system for the orb weaver. Orb weavers are generally found in urban settings throughout Wyoming, including neighborhood backyards and outdoor decks.
  
  

Wolf Spiders

• One of the largest native spiders in Wyoming are the wolf spiders. As adults, wolf spiders grow to 1.5 inches long. These spiders are brown or gray. Its wolflike characteristics are hairs on the spider's body and fangs. Also, wolf spiders are quick creatures and chase down their prey. Wolf spiders do not build webs. For nesting, these spiders find underground burrows. A female wolf spider carries its egg sac on its back. After hatchlings are born, they ride on their mother's back until they can fend for themselves.
  
  

Jumping Spiders

• Jumping spiders are found throughout the United States, including Wyoming. As its name suggests, jumping spiders are able to jump great distances. These spiders use their jumping ability to pounce on unsuspecting prey. Similar to wolf spiders, jumping spiders do not have a web for catching prey or laying eggs. You can identify these spiders by the white, orange or yellow spots on their abdomens. Also, jumping spiders have tufts of hair covering their eyes.
  
  

Cobweb Spiders

• Found in households and forest settings, cobweb spiders build webs with erratic designs. These specimens are also known as comb-footed spiders, since the bottom of their legs resemble combs. The webs of cobweb spiders trick insects into flying into them since they do not have any recognizable shape. All cobweb spiders have globular-shaped abdomens. Black widows are also members of the cobweb spider family.