Revision Of The Jumping Spiders Of The Genus Phidippus
From Occasional Papers.
The genus Phidippus now consists of 60 species which are naturally distributed in continental North America from Alaska to Costa Rica, the Bahamas, Bermuda, and the Greater Antilles. Two species have been introduced outside their natural ranges, P. …read more
Cyrtophora citricola
From Entomology Circulars.
Few species of spiders can be considered truly social, but a greater number of species, particularly webbuilding spiders, live in close proximity to one another, potentially gaining a number of benefits by this association. …read more
The Present Status and a Review of the Brown Recluse and Related Spiders, Loxosceles spp. (Araneae: Sicariidae), in Florida
From Entomology Circulars.
The brown recluse spider, Loxosceles reclusa Gertsch & Mulaik (Figs. 1-2, 6), is frequently reported in Florida as a cause of necrotic lesions in humans. For example, in the year 2000 alone, Loft (2001) reported that the Florida Poison Control Network had recorded nearly 300 alleged cases of brown recluse bites in the state; a subset of 95 of these bites was reported in the 21 counties (essentially central Florida) under the jurisdiction of the regional poison control center in Tampa. …read more
The Mexican Redrump, Brachypelma vagans (Araneae: Theraphosidae), an Exotic Tarantula Established in Florida1
From Entomology Circulars.
In early August 1996, a large black spider with red hairs on its abdomen was collected by citrus grove workers in St. Lucie County, Florida, west of Ft. Pierce. The workers gave the spider to a citrus survey crew, who brought it back to Gainesville. …read more
Crossopriza lyoni and Smeringopus pallidus: cellar spiders new to Florida
From Entomology Circulars.
A variety of synanthropic spiders (species which occur primarily around human habitations), native and exotic, occur in Florida (e.g., Edwards 1979a, b, 1983, 1985). However, the potential for acquiring additional subtropical or tropical species is ever present. …read more
An Introduced Cribellate Spider, Metaltella simoni (Araneae: Amaurobiidae), in Florida
From Entomology Circulars.
Metaltella simoni (Keyserling) is a relatively recent introduction to the Florida spider fauna. Although it is generally inconspicuous, M. simoni may be a threat to extirpate the Florida population of our native amaurobiid species. Originally …read more
The Florida false wolf spider, Ctenus captiosus
From Entomology Circulars.
Among the larger spiders that can occur in homes in peninsular Florida is Ctenus captiosus Gertsch. Superficially, C. captiosus is similar in size and appearance to the sympatric wolf spider Gladicosa pulchra (Keyserling) (Brady 1986), and is almost always mistaken for a wolf spider (family Lycosidae). …read more
A Spiny Orb Weaver, Gasteracantha cancriformis, in Florida
From Entomology Circulars.
One of the more colorful spiders in Florida is a spiny orb weaver, Gasteracantha cancriformis (L.) 1767. Although not as large as some of the other common orb weavers (e.g., Argiope, Levi 1968; Neoscona, Edwards 1984), the combination of color, shape, and web characteristics make G. …read more
A Tropical Orb Weaver, Eriophora Ravilla
From Entomology Circulars.
Among the several large orb weavers occurring in Florida is Eriophora ravilla (C. L. Koch). Unlike similar large spiders of the genus Neoscona (Edwards, 1984), E. ravilla is not a conspicuous member of the diurnal fauna during its adult stage. …read more
The Common House Spider, Achaearana Tepidariorum (C. L. Koch)
From Entomology Circulars.
The common house spider, Achaearanea tepidariorum (C. L. Koch), may be the most abundant of the several species of spiders that live in the company of man in the southeastern United States, especially in Florida. …read more
Large Florida Orb Weavers Of The Genus Neoscona
From Entomology Circulars.
Neoscona hentzii (Keyserling) (Hentz’ s orb weaver) and N. domiciliorum (Hentz) are common and conspicuous members of the moist woodland communities in much of Florida. These spiders are beneficial, consuming a variety of insects. …read more
The Southern House Spider, Filistata Hibernalis Hentz
From Entomology Circulars.
The southern house spider (Filistata hibernalis Hentz) is a conspicuous arachnid due to its relatively large size and its distinctive web. It is common throughout Florida and much of the southern United States wherever man lives. …read more
The regal jumping spider, Phidippus regius
From Entomology Circulars.
Except for 2 pantropical species (Edwards, 1979), the jumping spider most frequently encountered in Florida is Phidippus regius C. L. Koch. This species is aptly named in terms of its size, as it is the largest jumping spider in eastern North America. …read more
The Giant Crab Spider, Heteropoda Venatoria (Linnaeus)
From Entomology Circulars.
The giant crab spider, Heteropoda venatoria (L.), sometimes called the huntsman spider or the banana spider (due to its occasional appearance in marketed bananas), is a cosmotropical species introduced into and now occurring in the U.S., …read more
Pantropical Jumping Spiders Occurring In Florida
From Entomology Circulars.
Jumping spiders, or salticids, are so named because they have a highly coordinated jumping ability with which they capture prey and traverse from plant to plant. Their sense of sight is extraordinary for invertebrates; they can see in color (DeVoe, 1975), and the large front eyes focus on objects (Land, 1972). …read more
The Golden Silk Orbweaver, Nephila Clavipes
From Entomology Circulars.
In Florida and other southeastern states, this large orange and brown spider with the feathery tufts on its legs is well known to most native southerners. It is particularly despised by hikers and hunters; as during late summer and fall the large golden webs (fig. …read more
The Green Lynx Spider, Peucetia Viridans (Hentz)
From Entomology Circulars.
In Florida the green lynx spider, Peucetia viridans (Hentz) (fig. 1), is the spider most often received for identification by Division of Plant Industry entomologists. It is a conspicuous, large, bright green spider found on many kinds of shrublike plants throughout the southern United States and is the largest North American lynx spider. …read more
The Brown Recluse Spider, Loxosceles Reclusa Gertsch And Mulaik
From Entomology Circulars.
The brown recluse (Loxosceles reclusa Gertsch and Mulaik) is one of the few spiders of the south and central United States whose bite is poisonous to man. It is one of the 4 species of Loxosceles (laeta, gaucho, reclusa, and rufescens) known to be venomous, but probably the venoms of all of the species of the genus are toxic. …read more
