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
Close inspection of the legs of these spiders will reveal small black spines sticking out.
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
Male nursery web spiders are typically very slender. An egg-bearing female, however, may have a very large abdomen.
The egg sac looks like a tiny white golf ball. It typically contains a few hundred eggs. [11] X Research source The spider will carry the egg sac underneath her body. [12] 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.
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.
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.
Woodlands Farms and gardens Grasslands and heaths Old fields Rocky areas along the edge of streams and other water
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.
