• • •
The Spider Myths Site
• • •

Myths about Identifying Spiders

• Spiders are easy to identify.
• Spider species are distinguished and identified by "markings."
• The size of spiders should be described in terms of coins.
• A photo that "looks just like" your spider identifies it.
• Physicians, exterminators, and entomologists can identify spiders.
• Spider specimens can be mailed with a letter in a common envelope.
• The spider you found has to be a species you've already heard of.
• "Since I can't tell what this spider is, it must be new and probably dangerous."
• One specimen is enough of a sample to tell what spiders live in a house.

Every one of the above statements is false!
Click each one to find out why.