About BadSpiderBites.com

By Jen | BadSpiderBites.com

BadSpiderBites.com has been online since 2008. My name is Jen, and I run this site in my spare time as an educational resource dedicated to helping people identify spiders, understand spider bites, and share experiences with one another.

I am not a doctor, entomologist, or spider expert. What I do have is 16 years of reviewing thousands of real visitor-submitted spider bite photos and tens of thousands of comments from people who have been bitten. That accumulated real-world experience, not a medical credential, is what this site is built on.

What you will find on this site

  • Thousands of real spider bite photos submitted by visitors, showing bites at every stage of healing
  • Identification guides for dangerous US spiders including the brown recluse, black widow, and wolf spider
  • Real visitor experiences and comments from people who have been bitten
  • Information on related insects that leave bites similar to spiders, including deer ticks and bed bugs

Where I live

I live in an area with enough spiders to alarm most visitors. Step into my garage and you will see spiders hanging all over the place just outside the door. It is almost guaranteed that one will drop in front of you as you open it, disturbing its web.

Drawing of the spider that lives above the garage door.

My daughter has drawn a picture so you can see exactly what lurks above that door. Fortunately, like most spiders found in and around homes, these are not harmful. But some spiders can cause serious damage – and that is where BadSpiderBites.com comes in.

A note on medical advice

This site is not intended to provide medical advice of any kind. If you are unsure whether you should seek medical attention after a bite, do not wait for a response from this site – contact your doctor or go to the emergency room. I always err on the side of caution and recommend seeing a doctor when there is any doubt.

Please read our Disclaimer and Conditions of Use before relying on anything you find here.

Have a question or a photo?

If you have been bitten and want to share your experience, leave a comment on the relevant spider page. If you recognize a bite or can help someone else who has been bitten, please do so – many visitors are genuinely worried and benefit greatly from hearing about similar experiences.

I may not always be able to identify exactly what bit you, but the community here has a remarkable collective knowledge built up over 16 years. Someone may well have seen exactly what you are describing.

Welcome to BadSpiderBites.com.