As its name might suggest, the
Green Lynx Spider is a highly identifiable green spider of the Lynx
spider grouping. Appearing an almost leaf-greenish shade, the species is
further complimented by orange on the legs and black dots on a gray
coloring as well. The abdomen contains chevron-looking shapes to further
distinguish the species.
As with other species of spider, the female weighs in larger than the
male at about 14mm to 16mm in size whereas the male comes in at just
about 12mm to 14mm. Natural environments for the Green Lynx Spider
includes open fields especially those exhibiting tall grassy
surroundings to which the female will attach her egg sac to. Egg sacs
are made of silk spun by the spider and the Green Lynx will also leave
out a common "drag line" to which pull unsuspecting prey within its
grasp.
This species of spider uses
camouflage as its primary defense, but will bite as well. They are able
to change their coloration over the course of several days to blend in
better with their surroundings.
They are an ambush spider, jumping on their prey. They do this instead of spinning webs.
Males are yellow with red bands or spots on their abdomen. Females are completely white or yellow, lacking bands or spots.
Thick legs with long, feathery hairs on them make this spider unique. They make look ferociou, but they lack venom glands.
It is a type of orb-weaver, creating fine webs that entangle prey.
Typical orb-weavers recreate their web every day. A stabilimentum
(zig-zag) may be visible in the web. They seem to hang, head-down, when
collecting and feeding on prey.
Harvestman are well camouflaged in
their habitat and some species have the ability to spray a pungent scent
from a gland between their first pairs of legs. Perhaps the most
bewildering form of defense against a predator is self-amputation. A
harvestman will remove one of its own legs (not one from the critical
second pair, however) to distract a predator. The removed leg can
twitch for up to an hour, allowing the harvestman time to escape.
Sadly, the leg cannot grow back so it is a costly form of
self-protection.
Desert Tarantulas are a common
sight in the Southwestern states. They generally hide during the day,
choosing instead to rest under rock collections or in protective holed
burrows that are uninhabited in desert soil areas until dusk and night.
As with most insect species, the male of the species is smaller though
Desert Tarantulas in general are noted for their leg spans which can
reach up to 4 inches on the females. Their bodies are also covered in
noticeable hair. This spider will work hard at avoiding contact with
people but will strike if disturbed or threatened. It should be noted
that Desert Tarantula bites are considered to be poisonous and seeking
medical assistance is advisable. In general, Desert Tarantula venom is
reported to be about as dangerous as a bee sting but deadly allergic
reactions may result.
The white cross marking on the
abdomen of the Cross Spider became its name and main identifier.
Originally from Europe, it was transported to North America and has
settled in nicely given the similar climates of both continents. Unlike
other non-native species, this exotic addition is not a pest. It is
not harmful to humans either. It is a good worker in the garden and
helps control real pests from destroying plants.
Like most members of the Orbweaver family, the Cross Spider sits in the
center of its web with its head down. It may be spotted at times on the
edge of its web or on a stem with its legs tucked under itself. If it
feels threatened or in danger, it may first use its legs to violently
shake and shimmy its web to startle the threat in hopes of causing it to
leave. If that does not happen, the spider will drop to the ground and
return to its web's center when it feels safe again. This spider
creates a new web every day.
The Cross Spider female is almost twice the size of the male. There is
evidence that some females eat the male after mating. Females lay eggs
in a sac that is usually hung from the web. Their life span is only 12
months long.
This spider can be found in a variety of habitats. They are comfortable
and successful in woodlands, savannas, meadows, gardens, grasslands,
semi-arid regions and evergreen forests.
The legs of this spider are hairy
and the foremost pair are quite long. They create webs to catch prey,
but do not have sticky silk. Instead, small prey get tangled in the
fine threads in such a way that stickiness is not necessary. The
cribellum on the legs allow the spider to 'comb' its web, keeping the
fine strands separated until prey enters.
Webs are built parallel to the ground. The spider sits on or near it in a
'tucked' position, giving it the appearance of a dead flower or piece
of leaf.
Comb-clawed spiders are the most
common type of house spider in North America. They come in a variety of
colors and typically form webs in corners of buildings (sheds, garages,
homes). They use the combs on their feet to fling strands of web at
their recently snared prey, aiding in securing them.
Females hang egg sacs near their resting site and guard them until hatching.
This family of spiders includes species like the black widow, the brown widow and the American house spider.
Fans of Spiderman may recognize the body shape of these spiders being that of the one that bites Peter Parker.
California Trapdoor Spiders are
native to Southern California. In many ways, they resemble smaller
versions of tarantulas, but with shiny, hairless bodies. Their
chelicerae (jaws) have spines on them, which aids this species in
digging their burrows underground.
Their burrows can up more than 7 or 8 inches deep and serve as both a
home and a trap. The top of the burrow opening is covered with a silk
door that is hinged. As the years pass, spiders add more silk webbing to
their doors. They may also collect debris and loose leaf litter,
helping to camouflage its existence. Burrows are usually built into
hillsides or cliff-faces, often facing direct sunlight for ambient
warmth and usually near vegetation that is likely to attract insects.
Under this door, the spider waits and, when it senses oncoming prey, it
quickly lunges out of its burrow and catches the prey item. Once caught,
the prey is restrained in the burrow by both the spider's body as well
as the silk walls inside the burrow. The prey is consumed inside the
tunnel, out of sight.
As is the case with most spiders, the female California Trapdoor spider
is larger than the male. Males search for females during the winter
months. Females lay their fertilized eggs at the bottom of the burrow.
Once spiderlings hatch, they leave the burrow, usually thanks to the
prompting of a heavy spring rain.
The Bowl and Doily Weaver Spider is
a member of the Sheet-Web family. The distinct shape of the web created
by this species aids in identifying it. The 'bowl' shaped part of the
web sits on top of a flat sheet of lacy web just as a doily (an ornate
dinner mat) would. The spider sits beneath the 'bowl', but above the
'doily' while it waits for prey to get entangled. This seems to be an
advantageous position as it allows it to survey its web as it gets some
protection from its own predators. Once an insect is captured, the
spider immobilizes it and pulls it down through the web 'bowl' for
consumption. It may rebuild highly damaged parts of the 'bowl' in order
to aid in ensnaring more prey.
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