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These Are 5 Of The Biggest Spiders In SC. How Dangerous Are They?

Have you ever wondered what kinds of spiders in South Carolina are the biggest?

If you haven't before, you might now.

You may be accustomed to seeing banana spiders in their expansive webs in corners of your yard, but did you know there are other large spiders in the state?

In fact, the Palmetto State's own state spider is the largest of its species in the U.S.

As terrifying as this may sound, the truth might not be so terrible.

"Although it may seem contrary to your instincts, the largest spiders in South Carolina are usually not the most dangerous ones," detailed A-Z Animals, a large animal encyclopedia site, which compiled a list of the biggest spiders in South Carolina.

Starting from the smallest, of the largest, to the biggest of the big in South Carolina, here are five of some of the biggest spiders to look out for in the state as categorized by A-Z Animals.

5. Southern House Spider

The southern house spider (Kukulcania hibernalis) is a common brown spider that is overall brown in color with a dark brown stripe extending from its eyes down its cephalothorax and has a bulbous, hairy abdomen. However, males and females' colorations vary. Female southern house spiders are more of a charcoal gray, whereas the males tend to be more amber in color.

Female southern house spiders are also occasionally reported as small tarantulas, according to Orkin.

Females are larger than their male counterparts and are about 2 inches in diameter, including their leg span. Although not growing as large, males do still have long legs and are frequently mistaken as brown recluse spiders.

Even though these spiders can be found throughout South Carolina and like to build their webs near human structures, you don't have to be too worried about their bite. Their bite is not very harmful to humans and will generally only cause moderate pain and a small bump at the site, reported A-Z Animals.

However, if the sight of a spider makes you queasy, you may want to stay out of their way.

Bird Watching HQ reported that the "males will crawl on anything in their way, no matter what it is, so some people think they are aggressive. But, these spiders do this because they are nearly blind and cannot see larger objects well."

4. American Nursery Web Spider

The American nursery web spider (Pisaurina mira) is best known for its notable breeding and mating rituals aside from its size.

Many female spiders are known to eat the male after mating. Bird Watching HQ said that to prevent this, the male spiders will tie up the female's legs with his silk to avoid being eaten.

Additionally, these spiders are named for their known protection of their egg sac.

The mother spider will carry the sac around in her jaws or attached to her spinnerets until the eggs are about to hatch. Once she senses this, she will then hide the sac and spin a silken enclosure around it and will defend her brood until they disperse after their first molt, detailed the University of Wisconsin's Field Station in the College of Letters and Science.

These spiders can grow to have a 3-inch leg spread and are generally earth-toned in color ranging from a light brown to reddish brown with a dark brown pattern running down the middle of their entire bodies and bands around their legs.

Avoid the webs of a nursery web spider if you can. They can be found throughout the state and are generally not considered to be aggressive toward humans. However, the female will fiercely guard her egg sac, so tampering with it, even unintentionally, could result in a bite. These bites can be painful and swell, but, overall, are not harmful in terms of venom.

3. Joro Spider

The joro spider (Trichonephila clavata) is an invasive spider species from Asia that tends to intimidate those that come near it due to its size, coloration and behavior.

This giant yellow, blue-black and red spider is called the Joro spider. Georgia is seeing an overabundance of this spider, but they are harmless.

These spiders are bright yellow and black as adults with distinct red markings on their underside.

This species of spider looks very similar to the golden silk-orb weaver, which is a frequent sight in South Carolina, but differs in slight variations of color with the joro spider, which sports a much brighter yellow overall color. Also similarly, the females are both considerably larger than their male counterparts.

The Joro spider from Asia was first seen in the United States in Georgia in 2013.

Adult female joro spiders have a cylindrical abdomen and a round cephalothorax. "Their body can grow up to 1 inch long and their leg span can measure up to 4 inches, which is roughly the size of a human palm," WebMD states.

The males are much smaller and are generally only seen on a female's web. Their body length can measure up 0.3 inches and only ever spun their own webs to catch prey as juveniles.

The joro spider, a large spider native to East Asia, is seen in Johns Creek, Ga., on Sunday, Oct. 24, 2021. The spider has spun its thick, golden web on power lines, porches and vegetable patches all over north Georgia this year – a proliferation that has driven some unnerved homeowners indoors and prompted a flood of anxious social media posts. (AP Photo/Alex Sanz)

The Joro spider is also known for making a balloon out of its web, which allows for it to be carried away by the wind. Some can travel vast distances.

A bite from one of these spiders has been compared to feeling like a bee sting and is typically not something to worry about.

As of July 2022, this spider species has only been reported to be present in the Upstate and parts of the Midlands regions of South Carolina, according to Clemson University's Home & Garden Information Center.

A citizen called researchers about a strange spider they noticed in Georgia. Now, they're everywhere.

2. Carolina Wolf Spider

The Carolina wolf spider (Hogna carolinensis) is the state spider of South Carolina and the largest of the wolf spider species, with the ability to grow up to be approximately 4 inches long.

The spider was designated as the official state spider of the Palmetto State by Act Number 389 of 2000.

The Carolina wolf spider is large, hairy and fast.

The Carolina wolf spider, Hogna carolinensis

Their mottled brown and black bodies easily camouflage themselves on forest floors, however, in more coastal climates, these spiders are easier to spot on the sandy ground of coastal shorelines.

These spiders can be found throughout the state and are one of the most recognizable spiders in South Carolina.

Additionally, these spiders are ground hunters and are not a spider that waits for something to get stuck in its web. They both actively chase down their next meal and act as ambush predators. Carolina wolf spiders have proven to be hostile in their attack and display a venomous bite that paralyzes their prey before they consume their meal.

Since wolf spiders are so large, their bite may be painful, but pain, swelling, or itchiness around the bite shouldn't have much longevity. However, they are not aggressive and will likely choose to flee rather than attack if you happen to cross its path.

1. Dark Fishing Spider

The dark fishing spider (Dolomedes tenebrosus) is arguably the biggest spider in South Carolina.

A fishing spider is on top of a dead fishing spider on the Waccamaw River on Thursday, April 27, 2017.

This spider preys on invertebrates on land and tadpoles, small fish, and aquatic insects in water. Dark fishing spiders have the ability to skate, row, or run across the water when they hunt as well as dive below the surface to catch their supper. Additionally, an alarmed fishing spider can also hide below the surface of the water for up to half an hour by breathing air that's caught in its hairs, according to the University of Wisconsin's Field Station in the College of Letters and Science.

These spiders have long, furry legs and the females can become quite large.

A fishing spider is on top of a dead fishing spider on the Waccamaw River on Thursday, April 27, 2017.

A-Z Animals reports that this spider's legs have alternating light and dark chevrons on the femur and light and dark bands on the tibias and lower legs.

Similar to other spiders on this list, the males remain smaller than the females, which can have a body measuring an inch long with a 3 or more-inch leg span; thus, making an approximate maximum size for this species being at about 4-4.5 inches in length.

Luckily, despite its massive size, these spiders will usually run from people if they get the chance and, although painful, their bite is typically no more severe than a bee sting.

Invasion Of The Giant Spiders? Not Quite

Giant spiders are invading Britain's homes - if media reports are anything to go by. Spider identification expert Stuart Hine explains why we see more spiders in autumn, and what you should do if you spot one.

False widow spider bites have been a hot topic in recent years, along with reports of bumper crops of house and garden spiders, and news that city spiders are getting fatter.

Spider season: looking for love

Warm weather contributes to more spider sightings, but this doesn't necessarily mean more spiders, says Hine, who spent many years dealing with the Museum's spider identification requests.

Spider sightings always peak in the autumn when the males of many species reach adulthood and wander about looking for females, he says.  

With warmer weather, we keep our doors and windows open longer into spider season, and let more of the wandering males in.

'They aren't bigger, and there aren't really more of them. What we can say is that because of the weather and our windows and doors remaining open, there are more observations of some of the larger species that enter our homes,' says Hine.

A warm and dry autumn provides a longer season for many of the male spiders, who will roam around for longer rather than finding a dry garage or attic to hide in when it's wet.

'The kindest thing anyone can do is let them outside. They are only looking for one thing, and that's the lady spider,' says Hine.

House spider surprises

The Museum's Identification and Advisory Service gets a lot of reports of house spiders, the generic name given to a group of large, long-legged spiders in the groups Tegenaria and Eratigena. Males can have a leg span up to 120 millimetres, and they are usually brown and hairy with dull stripes on the body.

House spiders are not as common as they used to be - homes are now better sealed and central heating and more disturbance makes them dry and unwelcoming to Tegenaria and Eratigena.

'There is a generation now that have never seen these things before, whereas going back 20-30 years it was just something you accepted,' says Hine.

Tegenaria and Eratigena spiders can bite if picked up, but the effect of their venom is small, so getting bitten is unlikely to cause any serious complications.

Araneus diadematus, the European garden spider. The bodies of females can be up to 20mm long. Their colour ranges from dark grey to light yellow and orange, but all have large white dots forming a cross on their back.

Garden giants

One spider that benefits from good summer weather is the European garden spider, Araneus diadematus, also known as the garden orb-weaver or cross spider. People often spot the females sitting in the middle of their large webs in gardens or across doors and windows.

When it's a good summer, but not bone dry, it's good for a lot of insects, which is the garden spider's main food. Hine explains, 'In years like this more of them reach their maximum size and there's enough food to support more of them.'

However, the turn to colder and wetter weather will stop insects flying and stop the garden spiders feeding.

False widow spiders

Reports of false widow spiders continue to rise. The term false widow actually describes several species of spider, but the one that gains the most attention is Steatoda nobilis, the noble false widow spider.

S. Nobilis has been in Britain for over a century, probably after being introduced in ship cargo from the Canary Islands or Madeira. The species has been expanding its range north in Britain since first establishing itself on the south coast. Hine says that part of the increase in sightings is due to greater numbers and wider distribution, but also because people are more aware of them.

False widows attract attention as being one of the few British spiders capable of delivering a venomous bite. However, they will only do so if they are trapped or squashed, often in clothing.

'They're not entirely harmless - these things can bite under certain circumstances. But wasps and bees sting too and we don't have that same level of fear of them. This spider has an unwarranted reputation of being so much more sinister,' says Hine.

Steatoda nobilis, the noble false widow spider. Males can reach up to 10mm in size. They have reddish-orange legs and a brown bulbous body with cream-coloured markings. The females are larger - up to 14mm - with a rounder body and less visible markings.

Spider bites

Hine has been bitten three times by false widows, and each time has experienced 'a slight sting and a little numbness in the area'.

Reports of extreme reactions are more likely the result of related infections from exposure of the wound.

The best advice if you are bitten, says Hine, is to keep the area clean and avoid scratching to reduce the risk of infection. Antihistamines can relieve the itchy feeling. The NHS website has more advice on dealing with bites.

As the awareness and numbers rise, Hine predicts it will be something people gradually come to accept, like the possibility of being stung by a bee or wasp. 'I've been bitten and I've survived.'

'Easy To Care For' Houseplants Which Will 'thrive' In Your Kitchen And Banish 'pollutants'

How to care for a peace lily

The kitchen is often a place that gets left out when it comes to plants, with many people thinking they won't survive the difference in temperatures.

However, most will survive this kind of environment and will also provide the home with some great health benefits. 

According to the experts at Bloom and Wild, some houseplants will be happier when placed in the kitchen, a naturally more humid room.

1. Peace lily

The experts explained: "Pretty to look at and easy to care for, peace lilies will make a lovely addition to any kitchen. With their glossy green leaves and white blooming flowers, they'll definitely grab your attention.

"They enjoy a sunny spot so popping them on a window sill would be ideal. Peace lilies also help purify the air to get rid of any lingering pollutants."

'Easy to care for' houseplants which will 'thrive' in your kitchen and banish 'pollutants' (Image: Getty) 2. Golden pothos

The golden pothos is one of the most popular plants for kitchens, probably because of how forgiving it is, making it ideal for beginners.

It can survive with little water, in low light conditions as well as varying levels of humidity, perfect for the kitchen.

With hardy trailing leaves, they can be placed on the top of a cabinet or shelf and will grow in no time.

3. The ZZ plant

The plant pros said: "Tough and dramatic, the ZZ plant is another air-purifying beauty. In fact, it's even part of the araceae family which is the same as the peace lily.

Peace lilies are great kitchen houseplants (Image: Getty)

"There are so many things to love about this plant. Super unfussy, the ZZ plant is easy to look after. It doesn't need watering often, once every two weeks is plenty and it loves a shady spot too."

This means owners can put it wherever they think looks best in the kitchen, ideal for brightening up dull corners.

4. Spider plant

Spider plants are another favourite which look great in hanging pots with their sprawling green leaves, well-known for forming baby snake plants on long stems too.

Spider plants thrive in many different conditions, whether it be shady or sunny, and just need the occasional watering and pruning to stay happy.

Watering indoor plant guide (Image: EXPRESS)

Similar to other houseplants, they can help to purify the air, remove odours as well as fumes and pollutants from the home.

5. Snake plant

Tall but not wide, snake plants can practically go anywhere there is space in the kitchen, whether on a countertop or on a windowsill.

With their dark green, light green and yellow leaves, they make a statement in any home, preferring little to no care.

They are great for beginner plants or busy people who don't want a high maintenance plant, and all they need is water once every couple of weeks.

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