Green Lynx Spider
The Green Lynx Spider (Peucetia viridans) is a species of arachnid found in the United States, Central America, the West Indies and Venezuela. The species name viridans is derived from the Latin word viridis, meaning “green”.
The adult female is about 0.86 inches long. The male is more slender and reaches only 0.47 inches in length. A red patch is sometimes visible between the eyes, and red spots are found all over the body. The legs are greenish to yellow, with long black spines and covered with black spots. The pregnant female can change its color to camouflage itself within its surroundings. The process takes about 16 days.
The female constructs 1 to 4 egg sacs between September and October and deposits 25 to 600 bright orange eggs in each sac. The female will hang upside down near the egg sacs and will attack anything that comes near. The eggs hatch within two weeks and then an additional two weeks go by before the spiderlings emerge from the egg sacs.
The bite of this species is harmless and it seldom bites humans. It is used agriculturally for pest management as it feeds on several harmful moth species. However, it also feeds on beneficial insects, such as the honey bee.