Female Fishing Spider with Egg Sac

bugman

September 21st, 2008 at 5:39 pm

Categories

Eggs, Spiders

Male and Female Spider Near St Louis, Missouri
I found these two in a concrete cistern that I converted to a storage area. It has an abundance of crickits in it. I took these pictures in June. The female has an egg sack and allowed me to get quite close to take her photo. The male was more cautious and would move away when I got too close. They are about 5 to 6 inches across. I have never seen anything this size or color in the area. What are they?
JFCisme
Aspenhof, Missouri

Fishing Spider with Egg Sac

Hi JF,
Your photo depicts a female Fishing Spider in the genus Dolomedes. Because of the maternal care they provide, this family of spiders is known as Nursery Web Spiders. At some point, after carrying the egg sac around, the Fishing Spider will select a good location and spin a large nursery web. We actually believe both of your photos are of female Fishing Spiders.

Female Fishing Spider in her Nursery Web (August 17, 2008)
Fishing Spider with Egg Sac and Spiderlings, and Funnel Web Spider (August 11, 2008)
Fishing Spider with Egg Sac (July 31, 2008)
Fishing Spider (June 10, 2005)
Fishing Spider with Egg Sac (June 19, 2009)

Comments 2

kevlee wrote:
I Live in Gatineau Quebec Canada I have thiese Spiders living in my shed. They are so large that you hear them when they run or jump. Does anyone know if they are poisonous?
Posted 25 Sep 2008 at 6:37 pm ¶
bugman wrote:
Hi Kevlee,
All spiders are poisonous, but Fishing Spiders are not dangerous. They will probably not bite a person, and if that happened, the bite would be very mild.
Posted 26 Sep 2008 at 1:12 am ¶