Welcome to Nevada spiders. Absent a convenient checklist of the spider species in the state, best estimates of the spider population would range at the seven hundred species or so level at a start. It’s less than the eleven hundred species documented in California and close to the number of species in neighboring Southwest states.
Furthermore, with respect to spider enthusiasts, it’s safe to suggest that it should be fairly easy to find and identify about one hundred of the total number of Nevada spiders. After all, the state’s Southwest location and warm climate in the southern areas around Las Vegas makes for Nevada spiders being a year round phenomena, in the home, yard and other outdoor locations.
While no way considered extensive, The Las Vegas Wash Invertebrate Inventory for 2000-2011 produced about a dozen groups of spiders that can easily be seen and identified in the area:
Some of these species are also common in homes and gardens around the Las Vegas residential areas and other areas across the state.
Jumping Spiders
Bold Jumping Spider
A couple hundred jumping spider species inhabit residential areas, many with limited ranges. Body color can change over the course of time, as with the species presented here.
See Jumping Spiders for more complete information.
Bold Jumping Spider
Bronze Jumping Spider Female
Bronze Jumping Spider Male
Zebra Jumping Spider
Zebra Jumping Spider Side
Zebra Jumping Spider Eyes
Zygiella x-notata
There’s around one hundred orb weaving spider species, many of them regionally situated. Some of the species come in a range of colors.
Here’s a few of the more common species with a wider geographical range. See Orb Weaving Spiders for more detail.
Yellow Writing Spider bottom view
Yellow Writing Spider top view
Banded Writing Spider
Cross Orb Weaving Spider
Araneus nordmanni
Trashline Orb Weaver
Gray Cross Spider
Larinioides patagiatus orange shade
Larinioides patagiatus brown shade
Larinioides patagiatus bottom
Sleeping Orb Weaving Spider
Long-jawed Orb Weaver
Long-jawed Orb Weaver side view
Crab Spiders
Flower Crab Spider
It’s sometimes difficult to identify Crab Spiders using body color. Body hair and eye configuration can help. Here’s a few examples.
Flower Crab Spider yellow
Yellow and Red Northern Crab Spider
Northern Crab Spider white
Northern Crab Spider yellow
Swift Crab Spider
Xysticus cristatus
Xyxtcuis Eyes
Slender Crab Spider
Ground Crab Spider
Lynx Spiders
Striped Lynx Spider Eyes
Lynx spiders can be abundant in residential areas. The following pictures might help with ID.
Striped Lynx Spider top
Western Lynx Spider Eyes
Western Lynx Spider Female
Western Lynx Spider Juvenile
Western Lynx Spider Male
More Spiders and Relatives
Ground Spider
Funnel weaving spider Hololena nedra
Pirate Otter Spider
Opaline or Daddy Long Legs
Dog Tick Female
Dog Tick Male