Download Article
Download Article
The nursery web spider (Pisaurina mira) is called so because the female makes a silken nursery web for its young. These common spiders are large and hairy and are often confused with the wolf spider . Their coloration is quite varied compared to most spiders, making them harder to identify than many other species. [1] X Research source Still, with a little knowledge and practice, you can identify a nursery web spider.
Steps
-
Look for large spiders. The nursery web spider is one of the largest true spiders. [2] X Research source They are so big that they are sometimes mistakenly thought to be close relatives of the tarantula. [3] X Research source
- The nursery web spider's body is typically about a quarter of an inch to an inch in size, but it may spread its legs out to as far as three inches. [4] X Research source
-
Take note of coloration. Although there are several different variations in coloring, nursery web spiders generally have a base color that is tan, gray, beige, or buff, with darker brown stripes or other markings. [5] X Research source
- Close inspection of the legs of these spiders will reveal small black spines sticking out.
Advertisement -
Examine the spider's eyes. Nursery web spiders have eight eyes. They appear in two horizontal rows. The bottom row is nearly straight, while the top row curves upward forming a "u" shape. [6] X Research source
- The eyes of the upper row are somewhat larger than the lower one.
- Examining the eyes, if you can get close enough to do so, is a good way to differentiate between the nursery web spider and the wolf spider, which have a different arrangement of eyes. Specifically, wolf spiders have three rows of eyes. [7] X Research source
-
Look at the shape of the spider's body. The nursery web spider has a slender body. [8] X Research source Its abdomen is widest in the middle and tapers toward the rear. [9] X Research source
- Male nursery web spiders are typically very slender. An egg-bearing female, however, may have a very large abdomen.
Advertisement
-
Watch for an egg sac. Possibly the easiest way to identify a female nursery web spider is to watch for any spiders that are carrying an egg sac. A nursery web spider will carry her eggs in her fangs until they are nearly ready to hatch. [10] X Research source
-
Look for a nursery web. When it is almost time for the eggs to hatch, the female spider will spin a protective nursery web. This tangled web is usually spun in high weeds or low shrubs, with the egg sac itself suspended inside a leaf. [13] X Research source
- After spinning the nursery web, the mother spider will stand guard over it until the eggs have hatched. [14] X Research source
- The nursery web spider will shelter the young spiders until they are ready to fend for themselves.
-
Watch hunting behavior. Nursery web spiders, unlike many other species, do not spin webs for hunting purposes. Instead, these spiders hide in wait for prey (typically insects) and then spring out quickly to catch it. [15] X Research source
- Instead of entangling insects in a web, the nursery web spider simply overpowers and subdues its prey. [16] X Research source
- These spiders hunt both by day and by night.
-
Observe posture. A nursery web spider, while at rest, will often adopt an "X" shaped posture, holding its front and hind pairs of legs together. [17] X Research source
Advertisement
-
Learn the nursery web spider's range. Nursery web spiders are quite common across much of North America. They are most commonly found in the eastern part of the US and southeastern Canada. [18] X Research source
- People disagree about how far west these spiders can be found. Some say they have been found all the way out in the states of the West Coast. [19] X Research source Others disagree. It is safe to say, however, that they are less common in western states and provinces.
-
Look for them in their normal habitats. You can look for nursery web spiders in a variety of different types of habitats. They are often found near water. [20] X Research source They are known to inhabit the following areas:
- Woodlands
- Farms and gardens
- Grasslands and heaths
- Old fields
- Rocky areas along the edge of streams and other water
-
Watch for them in the right season. Nursery web spiders mature in late spring and reproduce in the summer. [21] X Research source They are most often seen between the beginning of May and the end of July. [22] X Research source
- Juvenile spiders will hide under loose bark or rocks in the fall and will remain there for protection during the winter. They will emerge in the spring mature.
- Like most spiders, the lifecycle of this spider is about year.
Advertisement
Expert Q&A
Search
-
QuestionHow can I prevent these spiders from getting inside our home?Chris Parker is the Founder of Parker Eco Pest Control, a sustainable pest control service in Seattle, Washington. Since 2016, Chris has been specializing in Integrated Pest Management and doesn’t use any chemicals for pest removal. He offers removal services for ants, rodents, fleas, spiders, wasps, and more. Chris is a certified Commercial Pesticide Applicator in Washington State and received his bachelor’s from the University of Washington.To prevent spiders from entering your home, start by inspecting the exterior of your house. Remove any items that could attract spiders, such as wood piles, dense vegetation, and long-stored objects, as these areas provide ideal hiding spots for spiders. Also, clear a perimeter of at least one foot around your home, keeping it free of vegetation, tree branches or leaves, and stored items. This one-foot barrier helps deter spiders from making their way inside your home.
-
QuestionAre they dangerous or poisonous?Community AnswerUsually not. But a female spider is very protective of her eggs, and may bite if she feels threatened, which will cause a large and painful bump.
-
QuestionI have been watching a female nursery web spider in my garden for weeks. She has been carrying her egg sack for longer than a week. How much longer will it be until the babies hatch? Will she die after the babies leave?Vincent SherloyCommunity AnswerThe time of death after a hatching depends on the species of nursery web spider. As for how long until the eggs hatch, she will create her enclosure for the eggs around a day or two before they start to emerge from the sac.
Ask a Question
200 characters left
Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered.
Submit
Advertisement
Tips
- Nursery web spiders are closely related to both wolf spiders and fishing spiders. Fishing spiders are very similar, but hunt aquatic prey and are found almost exclusively near water. [23] X Research source Learning to tell the difference between these three varieties of spider will make nursery web spiders easier to identify.Thanks
Submit a Tip
All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published
Name
Please provide your name and last initial
Thanks for submitting a tip for review!
Advertisement
Warnings
- Nursery web spiders are not aggressive to humans, but the female guards her egg sac ferociously, so interfering or tampering with it could result in a bite.Thanks
- A nursery web spider bite is likely to be large and painful due to the size of this spider. However, it is not considered dangerous. [24] X Research sourceThanks
Advertisement
Expert Interview
Thanks for reading our article! If you’d like to learn more about entomology, check out our in-depth interview with Brandon Runyon .
References
- ↑ https://spiderid.com/spider/pisauridae/pisaurina/mira/
- ↑ https://www.stlzoo.org/animals/abouttheanimals/invertebrates/spidersandscorpions/nurserywebspider/
- ↑ http://www.uky.edu/Ag/CritterFiles/casefile/spiders/fishing/pisaurid.htm
- ↑ http://www.britannica.com/animal/nursery-web-spider
- ↑ https://spiderid.com/spider/pisauridae/pisaurina/mira/
- ↑ https://spiderid.com/spider/pisauridae/pisaurina/mira/
- ↑ https://spiderid.com/spider/lycosidae/hogna/carolinensis/
- ↑ https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/invertebrates/spiders/nursery-web-spider
- ↑ https://spiderid.com/spider/pisauridae/pisaurina/mira/
- ↑ http://www.insectidentification.org/insect-description.asp?identification=Nursery-Web-Spider
- ↑ http://www.britannica.com/animal/nursery-web-spider
- ↑ http://www.insectidentification.org/nursery-web-spider.asp
- ↑ http://www.insectidentification.org/insect-description.asp?identification=Nursery-Web-Spider
- ↑ http://www.britannica.com/animal/nursery-web-spider
- ↑ https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/invertebrates/spiders/nursery-web-spider
- ↑ https://spiderid.com/spider/pisauridae/pisaurina/mira/
- ↑ https://spiderid.com/spider/pisauridae/pisaurina/mira/
- ↑ https://spiderid.com/spider/pisauridae/pisaurina/mira/
- ↑ http://www.insectidentification.org/insect-description.asp?identification=Nursery-Web-Spider
- ↑ http://www.britannica.com/animal/nursery-web-spider
- ↑ https://spiderid.com/spider/pisauridae/pisaurina/mira/
- ↑ https://www.wildlifetrusts.org/wildlife-explorer/invertebrates/spiders/nursery-web-spider
- ↑ http://www.uky.edu/Ag/CritterFiles/casefile/spiders/fishing/pisaurid.htm
- ↑ http://www.uky.edu/Ag/CritterFiles/casefile/spiders/fishing/pisaurid.htm
About This Article
Article Summary
X
To identify a nursery web spider, take note of the size and color of the spider you're looking at. If it's leg span is around 3 inches and it's tan, gray, beige, or buff with dark brown stripes, there's a good chance it's a nursery web spider. You can also tell if the spider you're looking at is a nursery web spider by examining its body shape. If the spider is thin with long, slender legs, it could be a nursery web spider. To learn how to identify a nursery web spider by looking at its eyes, scroll down!
Did this summary help you?
Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 169,674 times.
Reader Success Stories
- "So much information that is well-written and organized, with pictures of each step. Seeing images of the different colorings and markings plus the type of web she weaves was particularly helpful." ..." more
Advertisement
"So much information that is well-written and organized, with pictures of each step. Seeing images of the different colorings and markings plus the type of web she weaves was particularly helpful."
..."
more
"Honestly, it was the pictures and the reference to the wolf spider's physical characteristics which confirmed that these creepy little critters haunting me are indeed nursery web spiders."
..."
more
"It is written at a very easy to understand level. Newbies to the spider world get lost when words like pedipalps and cephalothorax get bandied about. "
..."
more
"Never saw one until today. The article helped a lot, as we have one carrying and guarding her eggs in a glass bin. Decided to leave her where she is."
..."
more
"I never know what spiders are poisonous, and I don't like to kill them unless they are. Just thought this one was quite big and different looking."
..."
more
