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Spiders and Their Kin of Acadiana Park




Orb Weaver sp., Neoscona sp.




Crab-like Spiny Orb-Weaver, Gasteracantha cancriformis



Orchard Spider, Leucauge venusta



Golden Silk Spider, Nephila clavipes



Southern Widow, Latrodectus mactans

In 1997, the Committee on English Names for American Arachnids decided to remove the word "black" from all of the black-colored widow spider species; as a good number of them are in fact black in color. However, not all of them are of the same species. For example, there are three species of widow spiders in North America alone that are black. They consist of the Southern Widow Latrodectus mactans (found here), Northern Widow L. variolus and Western Widow L. hesperus. Contrary to popular folklore, in the wild, females DO NOT routinely kill and eat their male partners. This observation was made in 1900 by an aspiring arachnologist, based on captive females where males were introduced into their enclosures. In a wild setting, this would not normally occur, as the majority of females are well fed, and thus would have absolutely no beneficial reason for feeding on such a miniscule prey item. Only in captivity would a female widow (or any other spider) for that matter, resort to killing and eating the male. The reason for this is, a captive indivual MAY not be feeding on a regular basis, and thus would turn more opportunistic. In fact, as of 1997, the ONLY widow species documented to kill and eat its male partner was L. hassleti, the Austrailian Red-backed Widow.




Brown Recluse, Loxosceles reclusa

Recluses of all species (11 North of Mexico), are infamous for their hemotoxic properties in their venom, which destroy red blood cells and break down skin tissue. They can be common in undisturbed areas with lots of cover to hide in (i.e. rocks, HUMAN trash [litter], tree bark, etc.). Many people ask why more recluses are being seen and more people are being bitten. The simple and only answer to this is because human civilization is moving more into their ALREADY EXISTING habitat. The solution? Just be careful where one sticks their bare finger/feet and always check gloves, socks and shoes before putting them on.

Fishing Spider , Dolomedes triton

These fishing spiders get their specific name "triton" due to the fork-like marking on their backside that is reminicent of Poseidon's triton. Fishing spiders feed on a variety of aquatic insects, and even small fish!

Wolf spiders are mostly terrestrial (ground-dwelling) spiders, in which some species dig holes in the ground, and will wait for would-be prey items to stumble along (see image on right). Females will carry the young on her abdomen after hatching from the eggsac.

Daring Jumping Spider , Phidippus audax

This jumping spider can be readily recoginzied by its large size for jumping spiders, the male's black-and-white fuzzy body pattern and metallic green palps (appendages on the front of face). Jumping spiders have the best vision of any group of spiders, some species being able to see 10 inches!