Green Lynx Spider (Peucetia viridans)
Lynx spiders get their name from the way that they sometimes pounce
on their prey in a catlike fashion. These spiders spend their time
hunting for insects in bushes and low plants. They are fast runners,
but can occasionally be seen lying in wait for prey beside flowers.
They build no web for prey capture, but they do release a silk
dragline as they hunt among leaves.
Look For: Bright green, cream, or tan body; legs are yellow with
black spines.
Length: 5/8".
Habitat: Fields, woods.
Range: Southern U.S.
Bite: While the Green Lynx spider aggressively attacks its insect
prey, it very seldom bites humans. |
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22
November, 2007:
We home school in LA. My daughter, Mary
(9) found this spider on our badminton net.
Her sister Camille (12) took this photo.
They found your site and were able to
identify it as a green lynx. May kids
contribute?
Love the site.
Click for
a larger view
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11 November, 2007:
Aloha Glen,
I found this little guy about 7-10mm on one of my plants in
the
garden. I live on the Island of Kauai in Hawaii and I was
just trying
to research to find out more about it. There really isn't
too much
information on Hawaii spiders other than the cane and wolf
spiders. I
think your website is fantastic and I am guessing that the
one I found
is a Lynx spider. I'd be glad to hear your thoughts if you
have time.
Thank you.
Aloha,
Uri
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13 October, 2007:
Here is a neat pic of a lynx spider taken in
Arkansas.
Click for
a larger view
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13 October, 2007:
These Green Lynx Spiders were photographed at Pamlico
Community College in Grantsboro, North Carolina on
October 9-11, 2007.
Click for
a larger view
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13 October, 2007:
Me and my mother have two cool looking green lynx spiders
on her white rose bush. They both are on their egg sacks and
will not leave them, no matter how I poke at them. I can
even pet them and they do not mind. We have a few pictures
for your web site, but do not know how to get them on there.
so here they are. they are not that great but they are good
enough. Thanx.
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PS Are you sure this one is a lynx
spider, the egg sacs look a lot like brown widow sacs and
the spider from the little I can see does too!! I wouldn't
be petting it if it is!!
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1 October, 2007:
I recently observed a Lynx spider on a rosemary plant in
my herb garden in Middle Tennessee and got photo that I
thought you might like to share.
John
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a larger view |
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30 September, 2007:
Hi, here are a couple of Green Lynx pictures I took this
weekend in Huntsville, Tx. Thanks, Cheryl
Click for
a larger view
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2 September, 2007:
Until I took this photo, I had never seen a green
lynx in any other color but green. She must
have eaten petals to dye herself to match the
ironweed. I have two other photos of this spider.
You can use it for a credit, or a link to one
of my websites. I am a freelance
writer/photographer, author of Waltz on the Wild
Side - An Animal Lover's Journal, and someday,
if I can have your attention, I will describe
a spider of frightening proportions that was caught
between my window panes above the air conditioner. I
live in northwest Florida, 17 miles from
Panama City. We have lots of interesting
insects. Have a wonderful photo of Phidippus Regina
(I'm not sure I
spelled that right), the largest of our jumping
spiders. She looks like she's dressed in
chinchilla on a cattail. Wonderful site, and I will
share it with others. May Lattanzio
www.thelensflare.com/u_may.php
http://www.jpgmag.com/people/mazie
Click for
a larger view
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26 August, 2007:
I recently came across your site. It is great.
I am enclosing a photo of a spider from my yard. I
live in northern California. Is this a Lynx with lots of
babies?
Thanks, VijClick for
a larger view
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26 August, 2007:
I was getting the mail and looking over my Lantana
this afternoon when I saw a shape that was definitely NOT a
Lantana. :D It turned out to be the most beautiful green,
long-bodied spider with bristly legs. I quickly found my
sister's camera and irritated the spider by chasing it around
and around the lantana stalk taking its picture several times.
I could tell right away this was no web-weaver, judging by the
agile and tense way it moved around the flower. It was also BIG!
Its body alone was at least an inch, and its long legs were
probably 3 1/2" if stretched out. Thanks to your great site I
now know it was a common Green Lynx spider. Here are some of the
photos I took, you may use them on your site in any way you
like. I live in southern South Carolina. Thank you!-Vori S. |
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Reply: It's a lynx spider.
24
August, 2007:
Unidentified spider... what is it? My wife must
know!
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5 August, 2007:
Thank you for such a helpful website. My son and I
love to take pictures of insects and try to identify
them. We moved to
North Carolina and had never seen so many different
species of insects. We originated for California (LA
area). We’ve included a couple of pictures.
Thank you again,
Maria and David
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27 July, 2007:
Glen,
I thought you might be able to use these on your
site.
Rick Miller
Click for a larger view.
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7 May, 2007:
Glen, I recently took some photos of a green lynx spider
in my yard. Its wine-colored spots stand out nicely against
the green body. Thought you might be able to use them or add
them to your archives on the website. Anyone can use them
who wishes! I have lots more.
Rick. Click for a larger view. |
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7 May, 2007:
From Garland, TX. I love how his markings make him look like his
fangs are VERY long. At least I hope those are just markings....
In a perfect world, he would have hung out on one of my newly
blooming iris, but he chose this dried up mess of old iris
instead. Have to work with what they give us, I suppose.
Cathy. Click for a larger view. |
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28 December, 2006:
Hey, this spider was chillin in my garden so i had to
shoot it..with my camera i mean..haha....Cody, SoCal
Click for a larger view.
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14 December, 2006:
Hi Glen
These are two pictures of a lynx spider
I found in my garden (Cape Town, South
Africa) a little while ago. You are more
than welcome to use them on your site if
they meet the standard. I have them in
higher res forms if you like.
Jason Suter
Click for a larger view. |
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31 October, 2006:
Here are a few pictures of a green spider
that I took on my vines. We are
located in Fallbrook, CA. The babies started
moving around today.
Judy
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22 October, 2006:
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20 October,
2006:
Thankfully I ran across your website, and was able to
identlify this spider, I took this picture after the mama
spider made her egg sac. One question though, is this spider
poisonous? Go ahead and use my picture if you would like!
Thanks,
Crystal
Foert Rucker, Alabama
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20 October,
2006:
My friend found this on the tip of her finger while
gardening.. it looks like a green lynx but has more red in
it. Am I correct?
THANK YOU AND I LOVE THE SITE!!
Carrie Lopez, Los Angeles, CALIFORNIA
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24 September,
2006:
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24 September,
2006:
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24 September,
2006:
Thanks to your amazing website, I was able to
identify a spider that has been a daily visitor to my
hummingbird feeders. I have been observing him/her for
about two weeks. I'm not sure how good the photo shows
the spider with it's catch, but I now know why this
beautiful specimen sits perched for hours on the bottom
of the feeder. Once it caught the wasp it moved to a
nearby hanging plant, I'm guessing to devour it's kill.
Jami in Arkansas
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21 September,
2006:
Glen, this almost looks like a young Green Lynx I found
on our Orchid plant outside, what do you think? - Jason
Click for a larger view.
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17 September,
2006:
I was trimming my butterfly bush today when I ran upon
this. It's not as clear as I'd like it, but I thought
you might want to put it on your site.
Take care!
Sheila
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17 September,
2006:
Glen, I just love your website! My husband bought
me a new camera where I can now take macro shots of bugs,
etc. I have been shooting all weekend so far.
I've also attached a photo of a green lynx. I've never seen
one turn brownish-red like this one did. Maybe it's
pregnant? She stays in my Indian Blanket flowers and blends
in VERY well.
Thanks! Sheila Bragg
Savannah, GA
USA
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3 August, 2006:
Here are some more spider pics from La Mesa,Ca. A lynx spider
[looks like a male] and a couple of these comb-footed species which
I wrongly thought were brown widows. [by the way, thanks for your
email reply] I'm using a cheap 2 meg fujifilm camera so the quality
is not so great,but still... If you can use them please do so. Roy
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13 August, 2006:
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17
July, 2006
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27
June, 2006:
Hi Glen,
I, too, ran across your web-site while trying to identify the
green lynx. I recently moved from Kansas where we had Wolf
Spiders but when I moved to the Waco, TX area I found them to be
on steroids. I guess it's true "everything's bigger in Texas."
My finger is approx. 2 3/4" long in the picture with the Wolf.
Thanks, Glenda Click for a
larger view. |
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18
June, 2006
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15
June, 2006
Hello I love your sight !
However i did not see my leggy friend on here, I found this
spider on my husbands boat. we were in the middle of the Grand
traverse Bay so i photgraphed him, thnm flicked him to the
fishies! Can you tell me what he/she is? I am in Northern
Michigan He was found at the end of May. I hope you can help me
Please reply
Thank you for your time
Jessi
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7
January, 2006
This is a Spider that resides in Spring, Texas. What is it and is
the only place this is found ?
Thank You,
Tom Johnson |
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20 October, 2005:
Hi today as we were outside at the playground, we saw this
spider and it looks like maybe it had a sac of babies(possibly). So
I took out my camera and took some close up's. I love your site and
figured I would send this in, this site has helped me out a lot
since we have moved to texas.
Dawn
Kingsville, Texas |
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21 September, 2005:
I think..Green Lynx? Dave B, San Antonio, Texas |
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9
August, 2005:
Hi. I have contributed to this site in the past and thought I would
send along another picture you could use. I live in Tampa and that's
where the photo was taken.
Enjoy
Click for a larger view.
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29 October, 2004:
Hi. My name is Jennifer Hand and I teach biology at Cairo High
School in Cairo, GA. I noticed this spider (green lynx) in our
outdoor classroom and took these pictures. I thought you could use
it for your site. The female spider is guarding the young, but I was
curious about some of the other spider remains. I thought maybe it
was the remains of the male, but I am beginning to think it is a
molted exoskeleton of the female. Do the females eat the male after
mating? My class and I are curious...so could you help us out?
Thanks, Jennifer |
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28 October, 2004:
I'm not sure how to upload to your site other than this. I just
thought this pic turned out very well. I've been watching this
spider before it even laid its eggs. Now they are hatched, and the
mother is sucking on a bee. Taken in Rancho Bernardo, Southern
California 10/26/04. Hope you like...
-Dan Kuffrey
Click for a larger view.
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15 October, 2004:
I'm sending you my best spider pics from the last couple months.
Thought you might like to have them for your image library, maybe
display a couple in the "known" spider pages. I'm getting better at
capturing close-ups. One of these days I'll get a real good shot of
that Jumper. Until then... Keep up the good work, I love your site!
Cheers, Terry Lucas
Lakewood, Ca.
Click photo for some lovely close ups. |
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5 October, 2004:
I am embarrased to admit that I have been searching online
for this particular spider for a while now. I came across your site
and was pleased. I was wondering if anyone could identify this? I
live in Gainesville, GA. I found it in our butterfly bushes with its
egg sack and I'm assuming its a female. Please help me out. Thank
you for your time.
Click for a closer view
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5 September, 2004:
Greets Glen,
Here's a couple shots of a green Lynx spider I took this morning. He
likes to sit on the Salvia and wait for moths and bees and the like,
and jumps and grabs them. He's fast, real fast. Anyways, Love the
site, Thanks.
Cheers,
TL (So. Cal.)
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29 August, 2004
I found this Spider in my garage located in Flower Mound,
Texas, a suburb north of Dallas, Texas. Can you tell me what type of
spider it is?
Best Regards,
Raymond Grubbs
cpbsolutions@comcast.net
Reply: Looks like a lynx spider. |
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16 June, 2003:
Bee ware! Green lynx spider with honey bee.
barb |
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16 June, 2003:
This is a nice shot of a Green Lynx spider (Peucetia viridans)
with a flower bee. You can see her egg sac in the background. The
small bumps on the sac are spiderlings. This animal was very
depleted and thin, due in part I think to her selected location,
which was mostly in the shade all day. Another female lynx had an
egg sac in a pine tree which was in a sunny spot, and she was quite
robust in comparison.
Green Lynx spiders are unique in that the females have been observed
spitting venom to protect their eggs. I stayed out of spitting
range!
barb |
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16 June, 2003:
This is the Green Lynx spider who nested in the pine tree. As you
can see, she is much more robust than the other spider who lived in
the shaded part of the yard. Her egg sac is visible below. She
wove some of the pine needles together behind it, and the hatchlings
took shelter in it after leaving the egg sac.
barb |
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16 June, 2003:
This is a young Green Lynx spider on a Nigella flower.
This is probably the offspring of the Pine Tree lynx of last winter,
as it's only a couple of meters away from the pine tree.
barb |
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