Does anyone know what kind of spider this is? I saw it lurking around our study while I was working last night. Just to give you an idea of its size, the planks of our floor are about 3 inches (8 centimeters) wide. I really just need to know whether we can safely ignore it or if we have to avoid it at all costs.
P.S. Guys and gals, killing it is not an option. I like spiders because they keep the bug population down at home, especially during the hot, humid and rainy months (that's about 9 months of the year).