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Nursery Web Spider

Pisaurina mira

Photo by SargonR
Published on Project Noah
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32.3953, -86.3573

Field Notes

Description:

Nursery Web Spider, preparing to eat a dragonfly that was caught in its web, spotted near Montgomery, AL.

Reference Links:

Nursery web spider, Spiders of Alabama

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (6)
SargonR
Looking at the list of common spiders in Alabama, that seems to be the most likely ID. Thanks!
James McNair
Based on size, coloring and texturing of legs and shape of rear thorax I think it might be a Nursery Web Spider (Pisaurina mira) http://www.insectidentification.org/pictureviewer/insect-pic-detail.asp?identification=Nursery-Web-Spider&sCurrentPic=pic16
Jae
That's quite a meal indeed. Thanks for sharing.
SargonR
For the spider, it may never get identified, but I thought it was worth sharing since it had caught such a large prey!
SargonR
Yes it is. As the name suggests, the common whitetails are actually quite common--I have uploaded several pictures of them to PN: http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/636806026 http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/661506003 http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/663386003
gatorfellows
The dragonfly is a Common Whitetail, Plathemis lydia (male) http://bugguide.net/node/view/56308 I cannot see the markings on the spider well enough to identify. :)

Spotted for Missions

Mission
Wildlife of the South East, USA
Mission
International Spider Survey
Mission
Hunters & Animal Food Habits
Mission
The Bug Chicks Sofa Safari
Mission
Insects and Arthropods of Alabama

Tags

Photographed
PublishedSeptember 19, 2014

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