Fun Nursery Web Spiders Facts For Kids

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.

What type of animal is a Nursery Web Spider?

A Nursery web spider is a spider that belongs to the family Pisauridae.

What class of animal does a Nursery Web Spider belong to?

The class of animals that the Nursery web spider belongs to is Arachnida.

How many Nursery Web Spiders are there in the world?

The exact population is unknown, but Nursery Web Spiders are common in many parts of the world.

Where does a Nursery Web Spider live?

A Pisaura Spider can be found in tropical forests and grasslands.

What is a Nursery Web Spider's habitat?

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.

Who do Nursery Web Spiders live with?

There is no specific information about who Nursery Web Spiders live with, but spiders mostly live in solitude.

How long does a Nursery Web Spider live?

The lifespan of Nursery Web Spiders is about two years.

How do they reproduce?

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.

What is their conservation status?

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.

What do Nursery Web Spiders look like?

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.

How cute are they?

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.

How do they communicate?

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.

How big is a Nursery Web Spider?

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.

How fast can Nursery Web Spiders move?

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.

How much does a Nursery Web Spider weigh?

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.

What are their male and female names of the species?

There is no specific naming pattern for the Pisauridae species.a

What would you call a baby Nursery Web Spider?

A spiderling is a young Nursery Web Spider.

What do they eat?

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.

Are they harmful?

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!

Would they make a good pet?

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.

Did you know...

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.

How did nursery web spider get its name?

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.

Do nursery web spiders jump?

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.