What is this bug?

November 18, 2010 4:15 PM

We find these bugs inside and around our house. We live in Cleveland. What are they? Pic here with fountain pop cup for scale. I think its a solifuge but my wife thinks spider, it makes no webs and keeps pretty still.
posted by drbalderas to Science & Nature (9 answers total)

Does it really have 7 legs?
posted by mkultra at 4:21 PM on November 18, 2010

Response by poster: I think one may be hidden or has fallen off.
posted by drbalderas at 4:24 PM on November 18, 2010

It looks like a wolf spider. They are not web builders, but roaming hunters.
posted by strixus at 4:37 PM on November 18, 2010

Doesn't really look like a wolf spider to me-they are large and sturdy spiders, and you would KNOW they were a spider when you saw one.

That does look like a spider-in fact I have seen similar in my home-but not sure what kind.
posted by St. Alia of the Bunnies at 4:50 PM on November 18, 2010

Yes, it seems likely that it's a spider, as 8 legs usually = spider.
posted by ldthomps at 4:52 PM on November 18, 2010

Not all wolf spiders are huge, St. Alia - there are a huge number of species in the family. And they are prone to losing legs, at least some are. I'm guessing it is the same type as shown here.
posted by strixus at 5:02 PM on November 18, 2010

My guess is some form of Opilione, which is an 8-legged arachnid that's not a spider. They're also known as Harvestmen, and the more common Daddy Long Legs fit into this category. Characteristics that fit: They don't make webs, the second pair of legs is longer than all the others, has little fang-type things that stick out in front [which aren't fangs because they're not poisonous]. I looked through some pictures [there's a bagillion different types of Harvestmen] and this little guy looks to be about right.

I googled Solifugae, to see what you were talking about, and I don't think that fits. They look different, for one, and Solifugae are known to be fast, agile, and sporadic in their movements. you said this guy is pretty chill.
posted by shesaysgo at 5:17 PM on November 18, 2010

An entomologist friend is a fan of bugguide.net, so you might be able to browse around and find something that looks similar. I would look for you but I get the heebie-jeebies from looking at stuff like this for too long.
posted by elerina at 7:38 PM on November 18, 2010

Looks like a wolf spider to me. They can move pretty fast but my experience is that as it gets colder outside they slow way down. They do not make webs. I have had so many of them this year that I thought of getting an exterminator.
posted by futz at 7:00 AM on November 19, 2010