And THIS very interesting critter has been living on the outside screen of my back porch for the past three to four days. Her/his legs make this spider about 2 inches big.
I posted this picture to our local neighborhood Facebook group, asking if anyone could identify what kind of spider this one is. I thought maybe a Wolf spider as it is one of four big spiders in South Carolina. But the coloring was…wrong.
In due time, a neighbor identified this spider, and it is NOT a Wolf spider. S/he is a White-Banded fishing spider (Dolomites albineus). Measurements for spiders are kind of confusing–in that some seem to use just the body length, while others use the whole length, including the legs. The inclusion of the legs can make a bigger profile, of course.
By this morning, another neighbor said she has had two around her house as well.
We have a lot of cache water basins here (low-country drainage methods)–and some have sprinkler/fountains in the middle (beauty, yes, but also mosquito control). But there is standing water in drainage ditches, too, and water plants grow there. Likely this area is a good habitat for this spider.
This spider literally can “walk on water” to hunt prey. They have hairs that can repel water, and they can capture an air bubble on their abdomen that allows them to swim and dive (Wikipedia).
This spider can build webs, but the webs are not used for catching prey since they hunt their prey. The webs are used by the female as a sac to protect her eggs, which she carries nestled beneath her head, held secure in her fangs. Thus, if female, she is part of the “nursery egg” grouping of spiders.
But, why is this critter NOT in or near the water right now? Is s/he a she, and is she working currently on laying eggs? In a typical year, this spider can create and carry multiple egg sacs in warm weather. She can and will try to eat her mate. Freezing temperatures kill them, but the eggs can overwinter and hatch in the spring.
Ah, these spiders can and do venture far from water. They can and do capture and eat other insects, including “flies, moths, beetles, mayflies, and other insects.” Thus, s/he is using my porch screen as a perch from which she can strike. And she is a help for control of insects in my garden, as she is when she kills insects on a tree that are harming it.
Here is a nice site that contains much more information about this spider.
https://mdc.mo.gov/discover-nature/field-guide/whitebanded-fishing-spider
By the way, the Wolf spider is the South Carolina state spider. Who knew? The Wolf spider is also a predator who does not rely on a web to capture its prey. And if carries a web sac on its back. Local information on the Wolf spider:
https://www.islandpacket.com/news/state/south-carolina/article265506996.html
Louisa Enright's Blog 
Beautiful spider
She/he is a pretty spider. When I force myself to actually look at a spider I can appreciate it’s beauty but sadly, my first reaction is usually fear. I definitely have arachnophobia. Have had it since childhood – probably started at our camp at the lake in NH. Lots of huge spiders there as we live on the waterfront with many rocks which they love. I won’t be checking out the links provided, that one picture is enough for me! I’d be so grateful that she/he is on the OUT side of the screen! Jan in MA
LOL. I have that song from SOUTH PACIFIC running in my head–something about being “carefully taught” in childhood. I grew up in the post WWII era of chemicals from the war now needing a home, so we got the anti-bug, anti-weed, and a more intense anti-germ industry advertisements to sell those products. Those campaigns have been very successful, of course. There has been good research on that whole topic. Oh yes–and all the laundry and soap ads. And, dog kibble. Now all we get if we still watch tv that has ads are drug ads and car ads.
Don’t get me going on the relentless drug ads that are on tv! Jan