Spider Trapping a Baby Black Widow
Location: Southern California
November 4, 2010 1:10 pm
We found this spider in our backyard on the patio trapping a baby black widow. We are thinking it is either a male black widow or a brown widow, but are uncertain. We live in Southern California in the Murrieta/Temecula area. We would love to find out what it is. Thanks!
Signature: Courtney
Black Widow Cannibalism
Hi Courtney,
We are intrigued with your photos of Black Widow cannibalism. The predator in this photo is an immature female Black Widow that will eventually lose that striped pattern and become a glossy black spider, and the prey is exhibiting the telltale red hourglass of a Black Widow as well.
Black Widow Cannibalism
Thank you so much. Is Black Widow cannibalism common? Do all females change like this? Would it have started out all black like the baby here? I understand if you can’t answer all my questions, but I thought I’d try.
Thanks,
Courtney
Hi Courtney,
We were going to paste the third of your photos into this response so we could better determine the identity of the victim. We have never seen data on the frequency of Black Widow cannibalism, but the name and alleged reason may be an indication that there is fact in the lore. With that said, this may be a virgin adolescent female who is still wearing her prepubescent markings. That may be a suitor that sacrificed his life for the perpetuation of the species. Black Widows may be able to mate as adolescents and then storing the spermatozoa until it is needed. Adult females are glossy black and we have not seen documentation of mature females marked otherwise.
4
A chameleon lynx spider?
Location: South Pasadena, CA
November 4, 2010 11:15 pm
I’m sending two pictures, which were taken six days apart. I’m nearly certain it’s the same spider. Apparently a lynx spider, though not all that green. It seems to have changed color to conceal itself. It also seems to be displaying a nice pink peace sign, although it’s quite a killer.
Signature: Barbara
Green Lynx eats Honey Bee
Hi Barbara,
Judging by the size of your Green Lynx Spider, she is getting ready to lay eggs. Your second photo shows a tangle of silk that she will probably use as a nesting site if she is not disturbed. She will remain in the vicinity of the egg sac guarding it and the emerging spiderlings if she lives that long. There is variation in the coloration of Green Lynx Spiders and your pink individual is most attractive. BugGuide has a posting of a similar pink female and there is discussion about a comment by Lynette Schimming that older females sometimes turn red. When she lays eggs, we hope you will send us some additional photos.
Green Lynx
5
Wolf Spider – Att: Daniel
Location: Mid-Missouri
November 2, 2010 10:41 am
I found this wolf spider this weekend in my yard. It was fairly large and I would guess the body length to be about an inch with overall length (with legs) to be in the 2 inch range. He was very friendly (as most all wolf spiders I come across are). One of these days I’m going to get the nerve to let one walk on my hand….yesterday wasn’t that day though.
I have searched and searched for an ID and can not get farther than the Lycosidae Family. I have not seen this species before and most I come accross are Rabidosa or Pardosa. Hopefully you can give me some help to nail it down to a species or even genus.
Signature: Nathanael Siders
Wolf Spider
Hi Nathanael,
We scanned through the Wolf Spider images on BugGuide, and we believe your lovely Wolf Spider might be Gladicosa pulchra. The markings resemble the markings on this image on BugGuide, and the face is a dead ringer for this image on BugGuide.
Wolf Spider
Green Lynx?
Subject: Green Lynx?
Location: Sierra Madre, California
November 2, 2010 4:11 pm
Here’s a momma spider with recently hatched babies. My uncle thinks it’s a Green Lynx spider. You agree?
Signature: John
Green Lynx Spider defends her Spiderlings
Hi John,
You are absolutely correct in your identification of a Green Lynx Spider. This is our personal favorite spider and we are in awe of the maternal aggression exhibited by the female while she is guarding her egg sac and her newly hatched Spiderlings. The Green Lynx Spider is a common spider in Southern California and the adult spiders are often found on blossoms awaiting the arrival of pollinating insects. It is our observation that the male spiders are frequently attracted to lights.
Large Tegenaria, not sure what type
Location: Nova Scotia, Canada
October 30, 2010 7:51 pm
Saw this spider outside my house Oct26,2010 late fall in Nova Scotia, Canada.
Very large spider for these parts, body 1.5cm long, tip to tip from legs was around 8cm.
I think its a Tegenaria but not sure if its type is a atrica or duellica
Signature: junponline
Funnel Web Spider
Dear junponline,
We agree that this is a Funnel Web Spider in the genus Tegenaria, but any attempts at our making a species identification are purely speculation. Our guess is the Giant House Spider,Tegenaria gigantea (synonym for Tegenaria duellica), though there are a few snags in that line of possibility. This is a European species that was introduced to the Pacific Northwest along with several other European species, including its relative the Hobo Spider, Tegenaria agrestis. BugGuide does not list Nova Scotia as a sighting location, and all sightings are confined to the west coast. The physical description of the Giant House Spider on bugGuide is “No banding on the legs, but proportionally longer legs than its cousins T. agrestis or T. domestica” and that fits your spider. BugGuide also indicates: “The greater European house spider (T. gigantea) is not dangerous to people. Some people may be intimidated by their size as male legspans can reach 4 inches (100 mm). However, Rod Crawford has never known one to bite a human (though they certainly could if they tried); they are so docile he uses them as hands-on demonstrators for school children. You may want to post your photo to BugGuide to see what their large group of contributors has to say, because this may prove to be the first eastern report for the Giant House Spider.
”
Cyprus Arachnid
Location: Latchi, Cyprus
October 29, 2010 3:54 am
I sent you a photo of a spider a couple of days ago but have since been given two more of the same one which I think would greatly help you in identifying our ’illegal immigrant’. We are just very sceptical over this spider being native to this Island. He was about 5-6cm large. Any Idea which species it is and where it originally comes from? We’re all a little stumped! Thank you! 
Signature: Alex P
Wolf Spider from Cyprus
Hi Alex,
Because your photos included a head on view of this spider, we are able to determine that it is a Wolf Spider in the family Lycosidae based on the arrangement of the eyes. You can verify our findings on BugGuide. Wolf Spiders might bite if they are carelessly handled, but the bite of a Wolf Spider is not considered to be dangerous. We are uncertain of the species, but we suspect this is a local species for you.
Wolf Spider from Cyprus
4
Acting Crabby!!
Crab Spider
Acting Crabby!!
Location: Mid-Missouri
October 28, 2010 9:36 am
I found this green crab spider in a section of my yard that has a lot of insect activity. I have no doubts that this crab ended up with a nice meal. When I noticed her she was being pretty active which made it difficult to get any good images, but she did stop for a few brief moments. There was one time when I got a little too close that she made a move for me (for my camera actually), but overall, she was more than accommodating at ME being the pest.
I’m not too sure on my ID. Looking at the guide, the closest I can find is Misumessus oblongus, but there are discrepancies in all of the guide images I see. Mainly, the guide shows the head portion to be a greenish color with an opaque/white abdomen whereas mine has a more clear/opaque head with a whitish abdomen.
(The third image, while not as artistically perfect, shows a much better view of the body)
Signature: Nathanael Siders
Crab Spider
Hi Nathanael,
Thanks for submitting your beautiful images of a Crab Spider in the family Thomisidae. We agree that it sure does resemble the images of Misumessus oblongus that are on BugGuide. Crab Spiders like many other spiders can be highly variable in coloration and markings which probably aids in the survival of the species through adaptation to different environmental conditions.
Crab Spider
What the heck kind of spider is this?!
Location: Santa Monica, CA
October 27, 2010 12:08 pm
I found it in my bathroom the other day and have him trapped in a jar now. Last year, a spider bit me in my apartment (same time of year) and I had to go on antibiotics. So, now I’m really curious what type of spiders hang out in my place!
Signature: EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!
Jumping Spider
Dear EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEK!
You have nothing to fear. This is a harmless Jumping Spider in the genus Phidippus which is represented in our archives from a letter earlier this month. Charles Hogue in his book Insects of the Los Angeles Basin has identified this species as Phidippus formosus, but that species is not represented on BugGuide, which is highly unusual. Bugguide has a letter from Pasadena with a photo of Phidippus adumbratus that looks identical to the individual in your photo. We are not entirely certain why BugGuide does not recognize Phidippus formosus as a species.
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