Where Do Green Lynx Spiders Live: Unveiling Their Secret Habitats

The green lynx spider is a fascinating creature that may have captured your attention due to its striking bright green color. These spiders belong to the Oxyopidae family and can often be found in the United States, specifically in the southern parts of the country, as well as in Central America. Living in a variety of habitats such as grasslands, scrub, gardens, and open spaces, they are drawn to shrub-like plants where they can blend in with their surroundings and observe their potential prey source.

As you explore the world of green lynx spiders, you’ll discover that they have unique features such as long, bristly legs with three claws, a tapering abdomen, and a flat face equipped with eight eyes. These carnivorous creatures have a diverse diet, feeding on insects like wasps, bees, moths, flies, and bugs source. Armed with this knowledge, you can better appreciate the role these spiders play in their ecosystems and the habitats they call home.

General Overview of Green Lynx Spiders

Green lynx spiders are a fascinating species of spider known for their bright green color and unique hunting techniques. These spiders belong to the lynx spiders group, which are famous for their excellent vision and agility. You can identify green lynx spiders by their vibrant bright green color and unique markings, making them an easily recognizable species.

These spiders are typically found in gardens and cotton fields across the United States, where they play a vital role as predators of pests like corn earworms and other insects. They prefer living in a natural environment with lots of plants, providing them with ample hiding spots and prey.

Some features and characteristics of green lynx spiders include:

Bright green body with unique markings
Excellent vision, thanks to their eight eyes
Agile and fast-moving

Like other species of lynx spiders, green lynx spiders don’t spin webs to catch their prey. Instead, they rely on their exceptional vision and quick reflexes to pounce on unsuspecting insects. When you come across these spiders in your garden, it’s essential to know that they’re beneficial for maintaining a healthy ecosystem by controlling insect populations.

Green lynx spiders may look intimidating due to their size and vibrant colors, but they are generally harmless to humans. Although they can bite if provoked, their venom is not dangerous, causing only mild discomfort. So, the next time you see one of these bright green spiders in your garden, you can appreciate their beauty and ecological importance.

Habitat and Distribution

North American Presence

Green Lynx spiders are primarily found in the southern United States, including states like Florida, North Carolina, Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Texas, and California. They can also be spotted as far north as Maryland.

Global Presence

Outside of North America, Green Lynx spiders have a presence in Central America and the West Indies. However, they are not native to continents like South America, Africa, or the Caribbean. You won’t find these spiders in New York or any other northern states.

Habitat Preferences

Green Lynx spiders prefer living in areas with ample plant life, such as:

Gardens
Grasslands
Scrub habitats
Edges of forests

These spiders are often found on various shrub-like plants and enjoy foliage with flowers. Their color helps them blend into green surroundings, making them efficient predators of insects like wasps, bees, moths, and flies.

In summary, when looking for Green Lynx spiders, your best bet is to search for them in southern parts of the United States, Central America, and the West Indies. Be sure to explore habitats with plenty of plants and flowers, as these are the ideal environments for these fascinating creatures.

Physical Characteristics

Body Features

The Green Lynx Spider (Peucetia viridans) has a unique appearance. It has long, bristly legs, each ending with three claws. These eight legs help it move quickly and efficiently through its environment. Its abdomen tapers in, creating a sleek overall look.

Its flat face is home to eight eyes, providing excellent vision for hunting prey. The Green Lynx Spider is an adept hunter, capable of capturing a variety of insects, including wasps, bees, moths, flies, and bugs.

Color Variations

Green Lynx Spiders showcase a range of color variations. Their body color can be predominantly green or yellow, with some individuals featuring black spots. These spiders also display black spines and white appressed hairs, which aid in camouflage.

Their colors help them blend into their surroundings, making them difficult for both prey and predators to spot. The variations in color and markings contribute to their adaptability in various habitats.

Here’s a brief overview of the Green Lynx Spider’s color variations:

Primary colors: Green, Yellow
Additional features: Black spots, Black spines, White appressed hairs
Purpose: Camouflage

So, when you come across a Green Lynx Spider, be sure to appreciate its remarkable physical characteristics and adaptability, as it certainly plays an essential role in our ecosystem.

Lifecycle and Reproduction

Spawning and Spiderlings

The Green Lynx Spider (Peucetia viridans) and its close relative, Peucetia longipalpis, are known for their fascinating reproductive process. Female spiders create egg sacs to protect their eggs during the development stage. These sacs can be found on plants or other structures near the spiders’ habitat.

The egg sacs can hatch anywhere between hundreds to thousands of spiderlings. Unlike wolf spiders, Green Lynx spiderlings can create their own exit holes out of the sacs if necessary. This ability is essential for their survival in the wild (source).

Lifespan

The lifespan of Green Lynx spiders varies depending on many factors, such as gender, food sources, and environmental conditions. In general, female spiders tend to live longer than males. Spiderlings undergo eight instars (developmental stages) before reaching adulthood, but this number may vary in different conditions.

Under laboratory conditions, a shorter lifespan has been observed, as fewer instars may be required for spiders to reach sexual maturity (source).

To summarize, here are some key features in bullet points:

The Green Lynx Spider (Peucetia viridans) and Peucetia longipalpis reproduce by creating egg sacs for their eggs.
Female spiders create and protect the egg sacs, which can contain hundreds to thousands of spiderlings.
Spiderlings can make their own exit holes from the egg sacs if necessary.
Lifespan varies for males and females, and depends on factors such as environment, food sources, and number of instars before reaching maturity.

Diet and Hunting Behavior

Prey and Predators

Green lynx spiders mainly consume insects such as bees, wasps, larvae, honeybees, moths, cotton leafworm moths, cabbage looper moths, and corn earworm moths. These spiders are considered beneficial due to their preference for consuming agricultural pests. However, they also prey on pollinators like honeybees, which can be a downside.

Predators of green lynx spiders include birds, lizards, and other spiders. They have evolved various defensive behaviors to protect themselves, like camouflage and releasing a foul-smelling substance to deter predators.

Hunting Techniques

Green lynx spiders are skilled hunters. They possess excellent vision, thanks to their multiple eyes. The spiders use their keen eyesight to actively search for prey, rather than relying on webs to trap them.

Some hunting techniques of green lynx spiders include:

Ambush hunting: They sit motionless on a plant, waiting for an unsuspecting insect to wander too close before attacking.
Chasing prey: Sometimes, they actively chase their prey across a short distance to capture it.
Jumping: These spiders can jump up to several inches to catch their prey.

Beneficial Insects and Pollinators

Green lynx spiders do have an impact on both beneficial insects and pollinators, including honeybees. While they help control pest populations, like cotton leafworm moths and corn earworm moths, they also prey on insects vital for pollination.

Below is a comparison table of the pros and cons of having green lynx spiders in your garden:

Pros	Cons
Prey on agricultural pests	Prey on beneficial pollinators
Contribute to natural pest control	Negative impact on honeybees

In conclusion, green lynx spiders are complex predators with both positive and negative effects on the ecosystem. It’s essential to strike a balance in your garden, maintaining healthy populations of both predators and pollinators.

Interaction With Human and Environment

Impact on Agriculture

Green Lynx Spiders play a role in the ecosystem by helping with pest control in agriculture. For example, they are known predators of crop pests like corn earworm (Helicoverpa zea) and cabbage looper (Trichoplusia ni). These spiders can be beneficial to farmers by reducing the number of harmful insects affecting their crops.

However, Green Lynx Spiders may also sometimes feed on beneficial insects. They have a diverse diet, which includes bees and other pollinators that are essential for crop growth. It’s important to consider the balance between their benefits and potential drawbacks when assessing their impact on agriculture.

Venomous Bite

Although Green Lynx Spiders possess venom, their bites are generally harmless to humans. They may cause slight pain, itching, or redness at the site of the bite, but typically, the symptoms are mild and disappear after a few hours. Nevertheless, you should always exercise caution when handling any spider to avoid potential harm. Remember that individual reactions to spider bites can vary, and in rare cases, more severe symptoms may occur.

In conclusion, Green Lynx Spiders interact with both human environments and agricultural practices. While they offer some benefits in pest control, they also present potential drawbacks by feeding on beneficial insects. Their venomous bites usually have mild effects on humans, but it’s essential to exercise caution when encountering them.

Scientific Classification and Naming History

Green lynx spiders belong to the family Oxyopidae. This family consists of several genera, including Peucetia, which is the genus of the green lynx spider. The Oxyopidae family is known for their hexagonal eye arrangements, giving them excellent vision. Tamerlan Thorell, a renowned Swedish arachnologist, played an important role in the classification of many spider species, including those from the Oxyopidae family.

Key characteristics of the Oxyopidae family are:

Hexagonal eye arrangements
Long, spiny legs
Excellent jumping abilities

Some examples of genera within the Oxyopidae family include Oxyopes, Peucetia, and Hamataliwa. The green lynx spider, Peucetia viridans, is a large, bright green, and active predator, often found in vegetation or shrub-like plants, mainly in the southern United States¹. They have great hunting skills, using their agile movements and excellent vision to catch their prey.

Feature	Green lynx spider (Peucetia viridans)	Other Oxyopidae family spiders
Body Color	Bright green	Varying colors(White, brown, etc.)
Eye Arrangement	Hexagonal	Hexagonal
Habitat	Shrub-like plants and vegetation	Forests, grasslands, etc.

By understanding the scientific classification and naming history of the green lynx spider, you can gain a deeper appreciation for their unique position within the Oxyopidae family and the broader spider ecosystem.

Identification

Green lynx spiders are fascinating creatures, and identifying them is relatively simple. They have distinguishing features that set them apart from other spiders.

For instance, they possess a vibrant green color that makes them easily recognizable. Their bodies are sleek and slender, helping them blend in with foliage as they stalk their prey.

Moreover, these spiders have long, spiny legs that spread out from their body. The spines on their legs aid in capturing prey and provide a unique appearance. Here’s a list of some key features:

Bright green color
Sleek, slender body
Long, spiny legs

As you explore the outdoors, keep an eye out for these characteristics. Once you spot a green lynx spider, appreciate its unique beauty and observe its fascinating hunting techniques.

References

The Green Lynx Spider (Peucetia viridans) is a fascinating species found in various habitats across Southern United States and well into Central America¹. Their bright green appearance and hunting techniques make them an interesting creature to study, so here are a few references to help you explore more about their lives.

One great resource about Green Lynx Spiders comes from the Entomology and Nematology Department at the University of Florida. This detailed web page offers information on their appearance, biology, and predation habits.
For more information on their habitat and distribution, you can check out the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service website. This site provides an overview of their habitat range and taxonomy.
To learn about their presence in Florida, the University of Florida IFAS Extension has an excellent article that covers various aspects of Green Lynx Spiders in this region. This includes details about their sightings and interactions with humans.
Curious about where these spiders live and what they eat? The Field Station at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee provides a brief summary of their typical habitats and preferred prey. This can help clarify how their environment influences their behavior.

Remember, these references offer valuable information to expand your knowledge on Green Lynx Spiders. By exploring these sources, you will better understand their unique features and habits. Happy learning!

Green Lynx Spider – Peucetia viridans ↩ ↩²

Reader Emails

Over the years, our website, whatsthatbug.com has received hundreds of letters and some interesting images asking us about these insects. Scroll down to have a look at some of them.

Letter 1 – Male Green Lynx

Green Spider
Location: Montecito Heights
August 31, 2011 8:04 pm
What is this? I’ve never seen one before and it’s in my house!
It’s about an inch and a half. The narrow depth of field in my camera requires that I show you the crazy antenna things and apparent eyes in two different pictures.
Signature: Martha Benedict

green_lynx_martha — Male Green Lynx Spider

Greetings from the other side of the 110 freeway Martha,
Our offices are in Mt Washington, Los Angeles, CA, and though you did not provide a state, we are guessing you might be our neighbor. This stunning spider is a male Green Lynx spider, Peucetia viridans. Green Lynxes do not snare their prey with a web. They hunt and pounce on insects and other arthropods. They seem to have a fondness for awaiting on blossoms for pollinating insects and they often gravitate to rose bushes. A female will eventually mature and once she has mated, lay one or more egg sacs that she fiercely guards. Green Lynx Spiders are perfectly harmless to humans. We have taken the liberty of combining the sharp focus components of your individual images so that both the eyes and pedipalps are sharp. Male spiders have more developed pedipalps than females and they are used during mating. According to Encyclopedia Britannica online: “Spiders have six pairs of appendages. The first pair, called the chelicerae, constitute the jaws. Each chelicera ends in a fang containing the opening of a poison gland. The chelicerae move forward and down in the tarantula-like spiders but sideways and together in the rest. The venom ducts pass through the chelicerae, which sometimes also contain the venom glands. The second pair of appendages, the pedipalps, are modified in the males of all adult spiders to carry sperm (see below the section Reproduction and life cycle). In females and immature males, the leglike pedipalps are used to handle food and also function as sense organs. The pedipalpal segment (coxa) attached to the cephalothorax usually is modified to form a structure (endite) that is used in feeding.” The additional explanation continues: ” In male spiders the second pair of appendages (pedipalps) are each modified to form a complex structure for both holding sperm and serving as the copulatory organs. When the time for mating approaches, the male constructs a special web called the sperm web. The silk for it comes from two sources, the spinnerets at the end of the abdomen and the spigots of the epigastric silk glands located between the book lungs. A drop of fluid containing sperm is deposited onto the sperm web through an opening (gonopore) located on the underside of the abdomen. The male draws the sperm into his pedipalps in a process known as sperm induction. This may take anywhere from a few minutes to several hours. Sperm induction may occur before a male seeks a mate or after the mate has been located. If more than one mating occurs, the male must refill the pedipalps between copulations. ”

green_lynx_composite_martha — Male Green Lynx (composite image)

Thank you so much, Daniel! This is way beyond my wildest hopes. Absolutely fascinating!
And yes, we are neighbors across the Arroyo. I forget that you have an international following and I should have been a little more complete.
I will not hesitate to send you photos of all my mystery insects. I have some powerful macro lenses and love to get a good photo. In this case, I didn’t even set up my tripod. Next time! Thanks for compositing the detail shots.
What a thrill!
Martha

If we can use our PhotoShop skills to improve the anatomical renderings of our favorite local species of spider, then we will have to overlook the blatant disregard for journalistic journalistic integrity it connotes. Our biggest defense is that when it was conceived, this website was an art project. It has really metamorphosed from that remote time in another millennium.

Letter 2 – Secondary Sex Organs of Male Green Lynx Spider from Alaska

Subject: This is a bug from Alaska
Location: Alaska USA
September 4, 2013 4:16 pm
This image came from a friend that lives in Alaska… Any ideas???
Signature: DaGardenGuy

Dear DaGardenGuy,
We didn’t know that Green Lynx Spiders were found as far north as Alaska. Your individual is a male Green Lynx Spider as evidenced by his well developed pedipalps, his secondary organs of reproduction.

Letter 3 – Lynx Spider from Japan

Two spiders and two question
May 22, 2010
In my home were two green spiders, one hairy and the other crab-like (so to speak).
The crab-like spider held its first and second legs close together to appear to be like pincers. This spider was on the ceiling, easy to see with its lime green body against an off white ceiling.
The hairy spider was discovered crawling on our hanging laundry brought in from outdoors. It had rather long distinctive spike-like hair on its legs and body. The head was white on top, the abdomen was also white on top with grayish tan color on the side. This spider was mostly green with dark outlines, and the mouth part had club-like protrusions.
I do have a Japan insect guide book, and looked up what I think these spiders are. I think the crab-like spider is a crab spider (Oxytate striatipes), and the hairy spider a lynx spider (Oxyopes sertatus).
Question #1: Am I right?
In addition, which was new to me, I read that the club shaped mouth parts (palps) on the hairy spider meant that it was male.
Question #2: Do all male spiders exhibit this feature?
Lucy
Fukuoka City, Japan

Hi Lucy,
Your photos are very small files with low resolution, and it is difficult to make an exact identification, but we agree that you have a Crab Spider and a Lynx Spider, and the Japanese species you cited seem like likely candidates. It seems all male spider possess enlarged pedipalps, or palps, and that they are used for mating purposes. We found many sources for this information, but the most reputable was Encyclopedia Britannica Online. We also located an article entitled The Spermatozoa of the One-Palped Spider Tidarren argo in the Journal of Arachnology online. Cobbling together the information, we can paraphrase that the male spider transfers his spermatozoa first to a reservoir in the palps, and then to the female.

Letter 4 – Lynx Spiderlings

Baby Lynx Spiders
Hi guys,
I saw the photo with the supposed baby Lynx Spiders. Here is a photo of some that were in the field at my lake house. Keep up the awesome work with the site.
Adam Hartmann
Jacksonville, FL

Thanks Adam.
Your photo shows the orange color of the Green Lynx Spider spiderlings.

Letter 5 – Male Green Lynx Spider

Green Spider on prickley pear fruit
I live in montebello, California and it’s been warm here so there’s been a lot of bugs out recently, I just took this picture tonight of this spider on a prickley pear fruit from a catus he was maybe about 2 inches legs in all and green with brown legs can you tell me if it’s poisen’s and what kind it is and what is does???? Thanks.
Sincerely,
Darcy Jimenez

Hi Darcy,
Your photo shows a male Green Lynx Spider. We usually get photos of females which are much larger. These are hunting spiders. They leap at their prey. Their green coloration helps to hide them in foliage. They are often found on flowers waiting for flying insects.

Letter 6 – Male Green Lynx Spider

Subject: Green Lynx Spider
Geographic location of the bug: Mount Washington, Los Angeles, California
Date: 07/14/2018
Time: 08:03 PM EDT
Your letter to the bugman: Dear Bugman,
While tending to my plants, I searched for the small California Mantis that had been there several weeks, but couldn’t find it. I did notice what appeared to be the same Green Lynx Spider I saw earlier in the month had returned. It is really shy and as I moved in with the camera, it hid under the leaves. It is really difficult to find it when it is hiding. I observed it eating a small fly and I noticed a second Green Lynx nearby on another branch. It is so fascinating that the same predators are appearing again this year. I had several Green Lynx Spiders on my plants last summer.
How you want your letter signed: Constant Gardener

Dear Constant Gardener,
Green Lynx Spiders are frequently found on blossoms where they capture pollinating insects. Hopefully these predators will keep your plants free from marauding insects.

Letter 7 – Male Green Lynx Spider on “Woody Plant”

Subject: Green Lynx Spider on my Woody Plant
Location: Mount Washington, Los Angeles, California
July 27, 2017 7:20 PM
Dear Bugman,
Several weeks ago, you identified a tiny Gray Bird Grasshopper for me. I have noticed many chew marks on the plant’s leaves, and I noticed that the little guy has grown quite a bit, so I captured it and relocated it elsewhere in the garden. At the same time I found this well camouflaged predator that I have learned is a Green Lynx Spider. What can you tell me about this spider? I’m presuming it will not harm my plant and I am letting it stay where I found it.
Signature: Constant Gardener

Dear Constant Gardener,
Because of your kindness to the young, hungry Gray Bird Grasshopper nymph, we are tagging this posting with the Bug Humanitarian Award. Your Green Lynx Spider is a male as evidenced by his pronounced pedipalps and long legs. Male Green Lynx Spiders of breeding age will wander in search of a mate, and he will most likely move on as that is his primary goal. If you had discovered a female on your “woody plant” and if the hunting there was to her liking, she might remain and even raise her young, all while keeping unwanted insects from feeding on the plant. You have quite a thriving ecosystem on your “woody plant”.

Immature Gray Bird Grasshopper, shortly before relocation.

Letter 8 – Male Lynx Spider

Subject: Spider?
Location: Portland, Oregon
May 17, 2016 5:32 pm
Hi, I live in Portland, Oregon. This brown spider ??? was on my wall in my garage. It is about 2cm long, maybe smaller, has thorny legs, a white stripe on its lower back, and two eyes bulging out of the sides of its head. I didn’t see any webs nearby. I tried researching these specs but was unable to find anything. Can you tell me anything about it? Thanks.
Signature: Susan F.

Dear Susan,
This is a Lynx Spider in the family Oxyopidae, and what you have mistaken for bulging eyes are actually the pedipalps, which are often greatly enlarged in males since they are organs that are used to transfer sperm to the female during mating. We believe we have correctly identified your Lynx Spider as Oxyopes tridens based on this BugGuide image.

Letter 9 – Pair of Green Lynx Spiders

cool spiders
I found the spider in lunch.jpg in my back yard a few weeks ago then about a week ago I spotted the green spider shown in gspider1.jpg a few leaves over eating a honeybee. My lunch.jpg spider disappeared then I saw his legs hanging out of the mouth of gspider1.jpg. I didn’t have my camera, or it would have been a cool picture. Now there’s two of the green spiders which seem to hunt without a web as seen in gspider3.jpg. Can you identify these spiders for me? Thanks,
Robert in San Diego, CA

Hi Robert,
The pair of green spiders are Green Lynx Spiders. The male is the smaller of the two. You are correct in believing that they hunt without a web. The other spider is one of the orb weaving spiders.

Letter 10 – Possibly Lynx Spider from Barbados

Subject: Huntsman Spider
Location: Barbados
July 1, 2015 12:01 pm
Hi,
Can you tell me if this is a Heteropoda venatoria?
I originally thought so, but certain aspects of its’ appearance don’t seem to match what would be expected for this species, having searched on the internet. It was pretty small (maybe an immature?) and was by the side of our pool in Barbados. Not the best picture in the world, but I hope you can help.
Signature: Dave

Dear Dave,
This is most definitely not a Huntsman Spider, and we believe it may be a Lynx Spider in the family Oxyopidae. Both families are hunting spiders that do not build webs to snare prey.

Thanks Daniel,
Pretty wide of the mark, eh!
I’ve done some more research, but it seems that the eye arrangement is not typical of the family Oxyopidae (at least from what I can find, which isn’t a lot!), and the only species of the family in the West Indies would seem to be Oxypodes pallidus, about which I can find virtually nothing. It may be a case of ‘back to the drawing-board’ for me!
Thanks for your help
Dave

Hi again Dave,
We agree with you that the eye arrangement does not look like an exact match for the Lynx Spiders, but we have no other guesses at this time.

Letter 11 – Two Green Lynx Spiders meet on same plant

Subject: Two Green Lynx Spider on my Woody Plant
Location: Mount Washington, Los Angeles, California
August 14, 2017 7:30 PM
Just as the sun was setting, I discovered two Green Lynx Spiders where there used to be one. Do you think they will mate?
Signature: Constant Gardener

Dear Constant Gardener,
While the pedipalps are not readily visible, it appears both of your individuals are males. If this plant provides good hunting, there might be a “survival of the fittest” scenario that plays out here with one Green Lynx getting eaten by the other, or perhaps one will just move on. Since Green Lynx Spiders do not build webs, they tend to move around a bit, though female Green Lynx Spiders will remain in one location to raise young. At any rate, having these Green Lynx Spiders on your plants will help to keep unwanted, plant feeding species at bay.

Letter 12 – Unknown Australian Spider looks like Ant Mimic Spider

Lynx Spider? First Encounter
Thu, Dec 11, 2008 at 8:26 PM
Hi Guys,
Found this rather lovely lady in my vegetable patch. I guess its a lynx spider but not one I’ve seen before and I can’t find a match for the colour and patterns on any of my regular reference sites. Body size 8-10mm. Hopefully someone will know this one.
aussietrev
Queensland, Australia

Hi Trevor,
You have helped us with so many identifications in the past. We hope one of our readers can identify your beautiful hunting spider.

Looks an awful lot like an ant mimic in the family Corinnidae. For example (see link):A Corinnidae from Brisbane.
http://www.geocities.com/brisbane_spiders/images/wpeB5.jpg
See also the last for spiders at link:
http://www.geocities.com/brisbane_spiders/Corinnidae.htm

Letter 13 – Unknown Spider may be Lynx Spider

Awesome Spider
Location: Los Angeles, Calif
June 17, 2011 5:08 pm
I found this unique (or maybe not, but I’ve not encountered it before) specimen of arachnid on one of the hammock support ropes in my backyard. The attached photo was taken June 17 at 3 p.m. in the Silver Lake neighborhood of Los Angeles (about four miles northwest of downtown). The size and height of its cephalothorax in proportion to its abdomen is what I found most interesting. In terms of scale I’d guesstimate the creature in its ”hunkered down” position as shown to be not more than a single centimeter in length. I wasn’t able to photograph it in motion. I’m a huge fan ow What’s That Bug. Thank you for any solution you can be to this mystery spider.
Signature: Will Campbell

unknown_spider_silverlake_will — Possibly Lynx Spider

Dear Will,
Sadly, we have not had any luck trying to identify your spider either. We have a vague recollection of seeing images of similar spiders, but we are drawing a blank. We tried looking through images on BugGuide, but alas, no luck. Hopefully our readership will be able to provide some assistance in this identification. A view of the eyes from straight on might help. Did it have a web nearby?

Update
Hi Daniel,
Thanks so much for the response. Part of me is glad I at least didn’t submit “The Most Common Spider In The Universe.” I found it in the same spot as it had been yesterday and have attached a couple images snapped in hopes they might help; one more straight-on and another of what might be its web/lair.
Best,
Will

unknown_spider_silverlake_will_2 — Possibly Lynx Spider

Hi again Will,
Thanks for the additional documentation. We hope we will eventually be able to provide an ID. You may want to provide a comment to the posting to ensure that in the future you will be notified of any activity or comments.

unknown_spider_silverlake_will_3 — Possibly Lynx Spider

Update: December 12, 2012
A comment from a reader directed us to the genus Hamataliwa on Bugguide which appears to be correct.

Letter 14 – Unknown Spider from Australia

aussietrev Master of Disguise
June 27, 2010
Hi guys,
I have to date been unable to get an ID for this spider which appears to be an Oxypid but is unlike any other. It has a raised ‘crown’ with the eyes set in and unlike other oxypids which like to hang around green foliage it prefers to hide on dead sticks where it camouflages very well. One shot is of its egg sac with the spider sitting close by, if you look carefully. The others shows the raised crown and eye pattern. If anyone has an ID I’d be happy to hear about it.
PS. Can’t believe photography teachers went on a holiday without a camera, have to give you a D- on that one.
aussietrev
Queensland. Australia

unknown_spider_australia_trevor — Unknown Spider

Hi Trevor,
We will post your photos and hope one of our readers can provide some answers. We agree that this might be a Lynx Spider in the family Oxyopidae. I made a choice to not take a camera so I could better relax after a very difficult semester.

unknown_spider_australia_2_trevor — Unknown Spider

Letter 15 – What’s on my Woody Plant??? Green Lynx Spider

Ed. Note August 7, 2017
Recently we have been receiving requests to identify creatures on Woody Plants, so we decided to create a new tag: What’s on my Woody Plant? to cover insects found on Cannabis.
Our Facebook followers are clamoring for more coverage of Woody Plants.

Jeff Lanterman wrote on August 4: “Please more Woody Plant bug submissions!”

Judith Barnard Smith wrote on August 5: “wish there were a way to actually subscribe because I could become a bug addict…..”

Ed. Note August 8, 2017
And in the interest of balanced posting, there are some detractors.

Michael Steele wrote on August 8: “Stop with the ‘woody plant’ shit man. You do that every time someone sends you a pot photo. Nobody here is stupid. Just say cannabis.” and “People aren’t requesting it that way, you are posting it as it being requested that way. Get off the gas. Again, nobody is buying your story.”

Subject: Green Lynx Spider on my other Woody Plant
Location: Mount Washington, Los Angeles, California
August 7, 2017 9:22 pm
Dear Bugman,
You have already identified one male Green Lynx Spider on my woody plant, but now this Green Lynx Spider is on my other woody plant in a different part of the garden. This is my first time growing woody plants, which are really nothing more than weeds with benefits, and I am surprised at how easy they are to grow. All they need is sun and water. I am really fascinated with the ecosystem that exists on an individual plant and I love learning about beneficial creatures in the garden like this Green Lynx Spider. What more can you tell me about Green Lynx Spiders?
Signature: Constant Gardener

Dear Constant Gardener,
Your submission is perfectly timed to launch our newest tag: What’s on my Woody Plant? With more and more people growing legally at home, and with organic, pesticide free cultivation critical, we hope to educate the web browsing public of the importance of natural predators. This is a female Green Lynx Spider. She has smaller pedipalps and she is more robust physically than is the male. She is probably much more likely to remain on a plant where there is good hunting and she may eventually lay eggs that she will guard with her life. Green Lynx Spiders do not build webs to hunt but they do build a messy web to protect the eggs. Green Lynx Spiders pounce on their prey from some distance and they are able to take down large prey. They frequently perch on the tips of branches, especially those with blossoms or those that attract insects. They have excellent eyesight and they can catch winged prey. When he first moved to Los Angeles in the early 1980s, Daniel once watched a Green Lynx Spider leap from a rose to just nearly miss a Cabbage White that was flying about a foot away. The spider missed but returned to its branch thanks to a silken anchor line. We believe your “Woody Plant” is pollinated by the wind and not by insects, but if your plant is attracting phytophagous species like Hemipterans and Grasshoppers, they will likely become food for this beautiful Green Lynx Spider. Please continue to send us images of creatures you find on your “Woody Plant”.

Letter 16 – Yellow Lynx Spider from Australia

Food Chain Pic
Hi Bugman,
This is a Yellow Lynx spider, Oxyopes variabilis, dining on a mosquito. These guys stalk their food and then pounce like a cat, hence their name. Thought it might make an interesting addition to the food chain pages. Taken April 14, in Queensland Australia.Thanks,
Trevor Jinks
Australia

Hi again Trevor,
We have a similar Green Lynx Spider. Thanks for your great Food Chain addition.

Reader Emails

Over the years, our website, whatsthatbug.com has received hundreds of letters and some interesting images asking us about these insects. Scroll down to have a look at some of them.