Dysdera crocata
(Woodlouse Hunter)

Picture ID 198658

Comments & ID Thoughts

I think it is a woodlouse hunter (Dysdera crocata)…
This is one of three individuals I found. All appeared to be the same species, although they varied slightly in size—all individuals appeared to have large, elongated abdomens. Each spider was found wrapped in a silken chamber/hammock that was adhered to the underside of a pot—within 1-2” of each other—and when the silk “bags” were removed from the pot it took several seconds-a minute for the spiders to move/react.

QUESTION: Does anyone know what the silken chambers may have been for? Each appeared to only hold a single spider (no visible egg sac)…I am unsure if this species creates a silk pouch to molt in, if the spiders were merely resting, or if there was some other reason they were discovered like that (especially given that they seemed delayed in their initial reactions as if they were all in a torpor).

Submitted by:
an-actual-goat
Submitted: Jul 22, 2024
Photographed: Jul 22, 2024
Spider: Dysdera crocata (Woodlouse Hunter)
Location: Chehalis, Washington, United States
Spotted Outdoors: Man-made structure (building wall, fences, etc.),Under rock, log, or debris
Found in web?: Yes
Attributes:

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Nod

July 22, 2024 5:40 pm

I think this may be a woodlice hunter…Dysdera crocata
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/157250170

TangledWeb

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Reply to Nod

July 22, 2024 11:19 pm

It is. The only US spider that resembles it is the Broad-faced Sac Spider, which has a gray abdomen.

TangledWeb

Moderator

July 22, 2024 11:35 pm

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woodlouse_spider I didn’t know about their silk resting retreats. The link is to a poorly-worded Wikipedia article that mentions this. I think you woke them before they were ready or they were ” playing dead.” The one in the photo is in the defensive pose with it’s legs pulled in. I think they do that to look less like a spider to predators of spiders, like parasitic wasps. I accidentally grabbed two Black Lace Weaver spiders and they completely stopped moving for about 5 minutes ( I timed them). Some spiders, like False Widows respond this way when they are… Read more »