I apologize for the sub-optimal lighting in a slightly dark corner of my living room.
Does anyone have any thoughts on what this might be? The location is North Carolina, USA. I’m no expert, but looking around at some photos, my best guess might be a grass spider of the genus Agelenopsis. Hopefully this isn’t too mundane of a spider for this community.
The size I would estimate is around 15mm or so. Fortunately, they were a very cooperative photography subject and did not move while I went and grabbed a ruler for the last image below.
I don’t think there’s such a thing as “too mundane of a spider”.
Probably a Wolf Spider. They eat other bugs so they’re nice to have around. If the food dries up it’ll leave. They aren’t aggressive and only bite if provoked.
Had one of these guys jump out of my shoe once when I was a kid. Felt something weird and did the shoe shimmy and it took it as it’s chance for freedom and lept out the side. Kinda surprised I didn’t get bitten for that one.
Reminds me of a brown recluse, but I can’t say for certain that that’s what it is
It’s in NC too, there’s shittons of recluses in NC.
No, there aren’t.
Your map is simply wrong. They go as far north as Wisconsin.
It is not “my map.” It is a map of rigorous sampled field driven study from entomologists throughout the country.