Spider in the Rain
Location: South Pasadena, CA
December 21, 2010 1:03 am
Here’s the lynx spider sheltering her egg sac from the rain.
Signature: Barbara
Dear Barbara,
Thanks for continuing to send us documentation the female Green Lynx Spider living in your garden. We have stated previously that the strong maternal behavior exhibited by this species is rivaled by few other species of spiders, though the Nursery Web Spiders are named because of their protective instincts. Since our Mt Washington offices are but a few miles from South Pasadena, we know that this protective Green Lynx has already kept at least five inches of precipitation from drenching her eggs during this Pineapple Express storm that is predicted to be the worst in a decade by the time the rains subside on Thursday.
Update: December 30, 2010
Hi Daniel. I’m sad to report that the Green Lynx Spider did not survive. Too much rain and nothing to eat I suppose. The egg sac looks collapsed as well. I haven’t taken pictures, because it’s just too sad, but I have left it on the roses, hoping the baby spiders will emerge in some kind of Charlotte’s Web happy ending.
Hi Barbara,
Green Lynx Spiders only live a single season, so this death is not unusual. We hope you see some young spiderlings in the spring.