AboutNathan Riggs Expertise I have expertise in identifying insects, many types of spiders, and other arthropod critters that infest lawns, ornamentals, structures, trees, pets and livestock. Mites are not a strong point of mine, but I can provide some help. I'm not a licensed doctor, so I cannot provide medical diagnosis of conditions possibly related to insects. If you've got an interesting photo for me to see, let me know and I'll give you my email so the picture will get to me. If you have hosted an insect photo on a website, please include the link so I can go look at it and provide a faster ID for you. Don't forget...you can now attach pictures to your questions as well!
Experience 17 Years' Experience as an entomologist: 5 years as a biologist with Merck Animal Health and 7 years as a Pest Management Specialist in San Antonio, Texas with Texas Cooperative Extension.
Publications Veterinary Parasitology, Southwestern Entomologist, San Antonio Express News, San Antonio Gardener Newsletter
Education/Credentials BS - Entomology from Texas A&M University in 1992.
Board Certified Entomologist, 1996-2000 - Medical and Veterinary Entomology Specialty (Entomological Society of America)
Awards and Honors 2000 Texas A&M University Vice Chancellor's Award in Excellence for leadership on the Texas Fire Ant Program Educational Team.
Question Eh, sorry to bother you but my wife is driving me nuts with this. She works at a retail store here in bluff city tennessee u.s.a. and she asked me about a spider she has seen in the store. Sorry I don't have a picture, she has severe arachniphobia and would't be able to get close enough to photograph it. She says it is light brown in color, it has long spindly legs, and has a thin white stripe down it's abdomen. The problem is we're not sure if it's indigenous to the area. The trucks that bring the merchandise come from all over the country so it's really difficult to say from where it may have originated.
Answer It's quite possible that this is a species of wolf spider or nursery spider. Each of these is very common across the US.
Do a search on either of these and see what you get.
These spiders are considered to be generally harmless to humans, but will bite if handled. They are not aggressive.
