FOR AGES 3 YEARS TO 18 YEARS
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
Nursery Web Spiders can be found from the Atlantic to the Great Plains (the genus is also found in Europe), and it is believed that Pisaura Mira is one of the most common spiders in eastern North America. In the Pisaurina Mira, this includes the Brownish Spider, the Pale Spider, and the Blue Spider.
The protection that a female Pisaura spider provides for her egg sac gives Nursery Web Spiders their name. The female Nursery Web Spider hides her egg sac and spins a silken enclosure around these egg sacs, roping in some more foliage before the eggs hatch (she also has a backup of a thread of web that still links the spider's egg sac to her spinnerets). She will cover her brood (egg sac) until their first molt gets scattered.
Nursery Web Spiders do not weave webs to catch flies, despite the fact that they spin silk. Their eyes are great motion detectors, enabling them to eat tiny insects that they come across as they move around the landscape.
Also, check out our other articles on darkling beetle or puss moth facts for more about animals.
A Nursery web spider is a spider that belongs to the family Pisauridae.
The class of animals that the Nursery web spider belongs to is Arachnida.
The exact population is unknown, but Nursery Web Spiders are common in many parts of the world.
A Pisaura Spider can be found in tropical forests and grasslands.
Lands, meadows, and woodland are all home to Nursery Web Spiders. The Pisaurina Mira prefer tall grass, shrubbery, and bushes to call home. Some have also been discovered in residences. Tropical environments are ideal for Nursery Web Spiders.
Various species can be seen creeping over plants and trees in search of food in woodland, while some tend to hunt near marine habitats, while even others can be found looking for prey in bushes and plants.
There is no specific information about who Nursery Web Spiders live with, but spiders mostly live in solitude.
The lifespan of Nursery Web Spiders is about two years.
Courtship is the first stage in the reproduction of nursery web spiders. Male Nursery Web Spiders court females by supplying them with a "nuptial gift." The male catches a fly or other insect and spins a cocoon around it before showing it to the opposite sex. This offering will last a long time and is often repeated. On the other hand, some females are not ready to mate and make threats to scare away their suitors. When a male Nursery Web Spider accepts a nuptial presence, he completes copulation.
Mating takes place from mid-June to mid-July. When a female Nursery Web Spider is ready to lay her eggs, she transfers them to a cocoon under her abdomen with her cheliceres and maxillipeds (grasping parts of the mouth). Before the hatching period, she bears the sac under her body with her fangs (cheliceres). The female creates a new cocoon where she thinks the spiderlings will be protected. She lashes the leaves around her together, creating a "nursery web" after which the species is named. The female stays there until her pulli (first-stage larvae) have completed their first larval molt, keeping an eye on them.
Spiderlings go through many molts. When a spider molts, the skin that has been so close is replaced with a new, bigger layer of skin. After the first molt, the spiderlings leave the nursery, and the female is free to leave.
A Nursery Web Spider is usually found in many parts of the world suitable for its habitat. There is no particular cause for conservation concern.
The Nursery Web Spider is slender-bodied. Although seemingly large, it has a pale grey-brown with a dark brown and black striped pattern running its length, giving it quite the sleek look. These spiders lay egg sacs and pairs of legs. A nursery web spider has eight eyes that are about the same size, while wolf spiders have two wide eyes in addition to the other six. The spider Pisaura Mira is one of the most widespread in eastern North America.
The cuteness factor of the Pisuara spider species and family can be very subjective as they are so small. Even with unique colors on their tiny young bodies, they are hardly deemed cute. Some enthusiasts may disagree.
There hasn't been any study on communication in this species. The giving of a nuptial gift during mating makes for some visual contact, but otherwise, any communication hasn't been noted yet.
Female nursery web spiders are typically 12-15 mm tall, while males are 9-15 mm long. Males and females are both yellowish-brown in color, with a medium to dark brown stripe running down the center of the back. Around the belly, there is a thin white line. These big spiders have a close resemblance to wolf spiders and are often misidentified as such.
The webs of this web-bound species are incapable of catching prey, so these spiders must rely on speed and other tactics to attract their prey.
The Nursery Web Spider size is small in length and this species weighs very little. Male spiders weigh 54 mg on average, while female spiders weigh 68 mg.
There is no specific naming pattern for the Pisauridae species.a
A spiderling is a young Nursery Web Spider.
The Pisaura species do not weave webs to catch flies, despite the fact that they spin silk. Their eyes are excellent motion detectors, and they eat tiny insects that they come across as they fly across the landscape.
The nursery web spider bite is not harmful to humans or pets but to a small insect. Nursery web spider bites are potent enough to destroy their prey insect (even a smallish fish). But is the Nursery web spider poisonous for us? The answer is a clear no!
These close relatives to the wolf spiders are not the best of pets. Apart from their very small size to get them hunting for insects is a very difficult job.
Finding a female with her fangs supporting a large round egg sac is a primary identification.
Male Nursery Web Spiders present a gift of food to the female while lying completely still and pretending to be dead since mating is a risky game for them. The male will then hop up and mate with the female while she examines the food.
Nursery Web Spiders (Pisauridae) are araneomorph spiders that were first described in 1890 by Eugène Simon. A female spider builds a nursery 'tent', puts her egg sac inside, and stands watch outside when the eggs are about to hatch, thus the family's common name.
Nursery Web Spiders can hop anywhere between 5-6 inches (130-150 mm), but they do have difficulties climbing incredibly smooth surfaces, such as glass. Species of Nursery Web Spiders can be found all across the world, but it is still hard to catch a Nursery Web Spider jump due to its small and sleek size. Many can walk on top of still bodies of water, while others can even dive under the surface to avoid enemies.
Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly animal facts for everyone to discover! Learn more about some other arthropods including the cicada killer wasp, or the click beetle.
You can even occupy yourself at home by drawing one of our Nursery Web Spider coloring pages.
Read The Disclaimer
At Kidadl we pride ourselves on offering families original ideas to make the most of time spent together at home or out and about, wherever you are in the world. We strive to recommend the very best things that are suggested by our community and are things we would do ourselves - our aim is to be the trusted friend to parents.
We try our very best, but cannot guarantee perfection. We will always aim to give you accurate information at the date of publication - however, information does change, so it’s important you do your own research, double-check and make the decision that is right for your family.
Kidadl provides inspiration to entertain and educate your children. We recognise that not all activities and ideas are appropriate and suitable for all children and families or in all circumstances. Our recommended activities are based on age but these are a guide. We recommend that these ideas are used as inspiration, that ideas are undertaken with appropriate adult supervision, and that each adult uses their own discretion and knowledge of their children to consider the safety and suitability.
Kidadl cannot accept liability for the execution of these ideas, and parental supervision is advised at all times, as safety is paramount. Anyone using the information provided by Kidadl does so at their own risk and we can not accept liability if things go wrong.
Kidadl is independent and to make our service free to you the reader we are supported by advertising.
We hope you love our recommendations for products and services! What we suggest is selected independently by the Kidadl team. If you purchase using the buy now button we may earn a small commission. This does not influence our choices. Please note: prices are correct and items are available at the time the article was published.
Kidadl has a number of affiliate partners that we work with including Amazon. Please note that Kidadl is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to amazon.
We also link to other websites, but are not responsible for their content.
Was this article helpful?
We’ll send you tons of inspiration to help you find a hidden gem in your local area or plan a big day out.
Check your inbox for your latest news from us. You have subscribed to:
Remember that you can always manage your preferences or unsubscribe through the link at the foot of each newsletter.