What Are the Largest Spiders in Wisconsin?

Tuesday, June 30th, 2026 -- 8:00 AM

(Blaise Mesa, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel) -There are around 500 species of spiders that call the Badger State home. And unless you go looking for the dangerous ones, there is no real threat to humans.  

According Blaise Mesa with the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, PJ Liesch, director of the insect diagnostic lab at the University of Wisconsin, said spiders often get a bad rap, but they really aren't going to bite humans. Humans aren't food to them, so they'd really only ever do it in self defense. "There are arachnologists that handle spiders for their entire care and are never bitten," he said.

What are the largest spiders in Wisconsin?  

• Fisher spider: Liesch said he gets calls from people saying they have seen the biggest spider of their life. That spider is usually the fisher spider.  

The fisher spider does exactly as the name implies, it catches fish. It isn't angling for bass or musky like you or me, but it goes after some of the smaller aquatic species, like a minnow or tadpole. The fisher spider ambushes its prey. It may have its legs in the water and waits for vibrations before pouncing, Liesch said.  

• Nursery web spider: The nursery web spider is found farther from the water. These spiders are usually found on plants, and they use webs to weave together plant leaves. This creates a sheltered spot for young spiders to hang out.  

"It's pretty unique because that is essentially a form of parental care provided by the mother spider," Liesch said.  

What are the most common spiders in Wisconsin?

• Wolf spider: You might be thinking of a larger spider, something a little harry. But Liesch said that isn't the case and these spiders can actually be small or mid-sized. They likely got their name because they are active hunters.
• Jumping spider: These spiders are on the smaller end, usually a quarter of an inch to a half inch. They are well known for jumping and for their bright colors across their body.
• Orb weaver: These spiders are the very same spider in the book "Charlotte's Web." These spiders create webs and hunt prey in the way commonly associated with spiders. Orb weavers have very bright colors with black and yellow spans on their bodies.
• Cellar spiders: Also called cobweb spiders, these arachnids create the messy, tangled webs in the corner of your basement. Liesch said they have adapted to living in and around human structures. These spiders have longer, skinnier legs with small bodies.
• Crab spiders: Crab spiders look a little like crabs because their legs move in a "crab-like fashion," Liesch said. They can be white, pink or yellow and blend in with flowers. Liesch said if you see any insect sitting on a flower at a weird angle, they might have been trapped by a crab spider.

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