![]() ![]() Ground/Gnaphosid spiders often go after prey that is as large as or larger than they are, like ants, and their fellow spiders ( araneophagy). Not all spiders have or need all the options, and producing silk is “expensive,” energy-wise. To back review, spiders are capable of making different kinds of silk for use in different situations, like egg cases and trap webs and balloons and shelters and safety nets and more. There are about 2,000 species in the family just over 300 of those are found in North America, where there are more species in the west than in the east. Variegated spiders are in the Ground spider family Gnaphosidae, aka the Flat-bellied or Stealthy ground spiders (one source said that Gnaphosidae is Greek for “ living in the dark”). The BugLady started finding good stuff (most of the good stuff is silk-related) when she researched the family rather than the species. In any case, they spend their “down” time, and cooler days and nights, in a snug, silk-lined retreat. Most sources call them nocturnal, but a few disagreed, calling them diurnal (daytime) hunters. Like crab spiders and jumping spiders, Variegated spiders do not spin an elaborate trap web they stalk their prey on foot (more about that in a sec). Velvet ants (family Mutillidae) are actually flightless, female wasps whose stingers pack quite a wallop. Scientists speculate that the Variegated spider’s color pattern mimics that of some species of velvet ants that can be found in the same neighborhoods (a velvet ant picture is included here). It favors dry habitats over moist ones.Įxcept for a few genera, its family members tend to be drab, and all of them sport conspicuous twin spinnerets at the end of their abdomen. ![]() It is found across the eastern US from the Atlantic to the Great Plains, usually on the ground, under leaf litter, and in grasslands, open areas, and in sunny spots in deciduous woods. Only one source gave it a common name, but most of the other species in its family don’t have common names, either. There’s not a lot of information out there about the Variegated spider ( Sergiolus capulatus). What it lacks in size (it’s less than ½”), it surely makes up for in beauty (thanks for the ID, BugFan Mike). The BugLady found this striking spider at Riveredge Nature Center one early summer day. ![]()
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