ENVIROTHON WILDLIFE

Fishing or Nursery Web Spiders

• look like wolf spiders but have smaller eyes and legs spread more to the sides.

• some species “fish” for prey near water

• aquatic prey: insects, crustaceans, and small minnows.

• stand on stream or pond banks with their legs touching the water to feel vibrations from passing prey

• dive into the water to catch any detected prey

• other species hunt vertically on plants or basement walls & build a “nursery” web in vegetation where they guard their egg sacs and young spiderlings

Sac Spiders

• light-colored with dark fangs and visible spinnerets (silk-spinning parts)

• make small silk sacs under rocks or bark for sleeping and raising young

• wander through plants or homes to hunt prey

• two family groups of sac spiders

• two species, yellow sac spiders (Cheiracanthium mildei and C. inclusum), are the only moderately poisonous spiders found in New York

• bites contain necrotic venom —> itchy or painful sores that heal slowly.

• Many bites blamed on brown recluse spiders in NY are actually from yellow sac spiders.

Black & Yellow Garden Spider

• one of the largest and most noticeable spiders in NY

• active during the day and found in sunny fields and gardens.

• orb weaver: builds complex webs that extend its ability to sense and catch prey

• The web includes:

  • Non-sticky spokes (radii) and frame lines for support

  • A sticky spiral that traps flying insects

  • White zigzag silk patterns that warn birds not to fly through

• The spider rebuilds its web each morning to refresh the sticky spiral.

• Large prey are wrapped in silk to keep them still.

• sexually dimorphic: females are much larger than the tiny males

Sheet Web Weavers

• very small spiders, < ¼ inch long

• very common in plants and vegetation.

• build fine, non-sticky, sheet-like webs in vegetation.

• webs have:

  • A horizontal lace-like sheet

  • “Knock down” threads or many fine, messy vertical strands

• Small flying insects can’t see these threads, crash into them, and fall onto the sheet.

• The spiders run upside down under the web and bite prey through the web.

• Different species build different web shapes:

  • The “bowl and doily” spider makes a cup-shaped web above the sheet and hangs from it.

  • The “filmy dome” spider builds a dome-shaped web where it hides underneath.

Harvestmen (daddy-long-legs)

• not true spiders, but are related arachnids.

• Harvestmen and ticks have one body segment, while spiders have two

• oval bodies and long, thin legs.

• omnivores: hunt small insects, scavenge dead material, and eat plant juices.

• do not have venom but can produce a foul-smelling scent for defense.

Funnel Web/Grass spiders

• build strong, non-sticky sheet webs on plants w/“knock down” threads on top.

• One corner of the web narrows into a silken funnel, where the spider waits facing out.

• When an insect lands on the web, the spider quickly runs out and bites it before it can escape.

• Grass spiders are about 3/4 inch long with brown bodies and long, noticeable spinnerets.

• found on low hedges or evergreen plants near buildings.

Cellar spiders

• very long, thin legs and a narrow, elongated body.

• hang upside down in loose, messy webs on walls near home ceilings.

• After laying about a dozen eggs, the female wraps them in silk and carries the egg cluster in her fangs.

• When scared, they spin quickly in their webs, becoming a nearly invisible blur.

• It’s a myth that cellar spiders are highly poisonous—they are not.

American House Spider

• most common cobweb spider around homes.

• have large, round, shiny abdomens and thin legs.

• hang upside down in messy cobwebs attached by a few sticky threads.

• webs are built in places protected from weather.

• Female cobweb spiders make light brown, round egg sacs that hang in the web.

• The black widow spider is also a cobweb spider, with a shiny black body and a red hourglass mark, but it is very rare in New York.

Nocturnal orb weaving spiders

• active at night and build orb webs where night-flying insects like moths are common

• build webs near porch lights or other bright areas

• Most Araneus spiders are brown with two bumps on the front of their abdomens.

• The cross spider has white spots shaped like a cross on its abdomen.

• The marbled spider (A. marmoreus) has bold patterns and lives in fields, not near buildings.

• During the day, these spiders hide in a retreat made from a curled leaf tied with silk.

• This retreat is usually located above the old web and connected to it by a silk thread.

Jumping Spiders

• large eyes, short squat bodies, and strong legs.

• colorful, intelligent, and have unique personalities.

• excellent vision and often look directly at people approaching.

• Active during the day, they hunt insects and other spiders.

• Named for their ability to jump long distances while hunting or moving through plants.

• Before jumping, they attach a silk dragline to the ground as a safety line in case they miss.

• If prey can’t be reached by a direct jump, they take a detour through vegetation to get above the prey.

• Males court females by moving bright body parts like chelicerae, palps, or leg tufts.

• In autumn, many build silken retreats in goldenrod plants, windowsills, or mailboxes.

Crab Spiders

• named for how they hold their legs out to the sides and walk like crabs.

• Their front two pairs of legs are often much larger, enhancing the crab-like look.

• do not build webs but wait still for prey to come close.

• hunt on flowers, catching insects like bees, flies, and butterflies.

• use fast, strong venom to quickly paralyze their prey.

• Crab spiders can change color (white, yellow, or pink) over several days to match the flower they’re on.

Wolf spider

• Wolf spiders are slightly furry and usually brown or gray.

• They have long, strong legs and good vision thanks to two large eyes among their eight.

• They run after their prey instead of using webs.

• Active at night, they hunt on the ground or low plants.

• Female wolf spiders carry round, light-colored egg sacs attached to their spinnerets.

• After hatching, spiderlings ride on their mother’s abdomen for about a week.

• At night, you can spot them by shining a flashlight at ground level and looking for their eyes reflecting silvery blue-green light.