Water Spiders (large black) under docks

Merrymeeting · 07-22-2017, 07:56 AM

"Fortunately, they have little interest in people. Dock spiders are generally not aggressive regarding humans and will usually hide when we approach. A dock spider will only bite a person in the rare situation that the spider feels threatened, for instance if the female spider is protecting its young.

Unless you grab the spider or inadvertently step on it, you will likely never be bitten."

Certainly putting your foot into a shoe where one is hiding would qualify as "inadvertently stepping on it"

http://www.cottagetips.com/tips/fact...-dock-spiders/

ITD · 07-22-2017, 08:35 AM

They bite, it hurts, but I have never gotten sick from one, although I've only been bitten by smaller ones. The little buggers crawl to the boat on dock lines and hide under the boat cover. Sometimes when I remove the boat cover I accidently grab one then wham, you know when they bite. Other than that they don't bother you, I leave them alone. If one is where I don't want it, I give it a quick flick into the water, they don't like that, fish think they are tasty. They scramble, on the water to the nearest safe place.

noreast · 07-22-2017, 04:06 PM

There not wolf spiders, Wolf spiders are all over the place. I don't know the Latin name, But I've never heard anything other than dock spider, they can be about 10 x the size of wolf spiders. In NH anyway.

07-22-2017, 04:06 PM	#3
noreast Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2015 Posts: 648 Thanks: 316 Thanked 120 Times in 93 Posts	There not wolf spiders, Wolf spiders are all over the place. I don't know the Latin name, But I've never heard anything other than dock spider, they can be about 10 x the size of wolf spiders. In NH anyway. Last edited by noreast; 07-22-2017 at 05:54 PM.

07-22-2017, 07:56 AM	#1
Merrymeeting Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Merrymeeting Lake, New Durham Posts: 2,226 Thanks: 302 Thanked 800 Times in 368 Posts	"Fortunately, they have little interest in people. Dock spiders are generally not aggressive regarding humans and will usually hide when we approach. A dock spider will only bite a person in the rare situation that the spider feels threatened, for instance if the female spider is protecting its young. Unless you grab the spider or inadvertently step on it, you will likely never be bitten." Certainly putting your foot into a shoe where one is hiding would qualify as "inadvertently stepping on it" http://www.cottagetips.com/tips/fact...-dock-spiders/

07-22-2017, 08:35 AM	#2
ITD Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: Moultonboro, NH Posts: 2,928 Thanks: 476 Thanked 691 Times in 387 Posts	They bite, it hurts, but I have never gotten sick from one, although I've only been bitten by smaller ones. The little buggers crawl to the boat on dock lines and hide under the boat cover. Sometimes when I remove the boat cover I accidently grab one then wham, you know when they bite. Other than that they don't bother you, I leave them alone. If one is where I don't want it, I give it a quick flick into the water, they don't like that, fish think they are tasty. They scramble, on the water to the nearest safe place.