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Canadian Arachnology

 EXTERNAL SITES
Jumping Spiders of N.Am.
Jumping Spiders of Canada
International Society of Arachnology
Canadian Arachnologist

Spiders at Ojibway

An incredible variety of these fascinating arthropods inhabit every habitat at Ojibway. By late summer spider numbers can grow to 100,000 per hectare, supported by the immense insect population at that time of year.

Prairie areas at Ojibway support large numbers of wolf spiders (Lycosidae), sac spiders (Clubionidae) and sheetweb spiders (Linyphiidae). The webs of sheetweb spiders (Linyphiidae) and orbweavers (Araneidae) are best seen on early mornings after a heavy dew. Crab spiders (Thomisidae), Lynx Spiders (Oxyopidae) and jumping spiders (Salticidae) do not spin webs but can be found on flowers and foliage.

Even your home is habitat for spiders. The two most common household spiders in Ontario are the Black-footed Spider, Cheiracanthium mildei, a species introduced from southern Europe and the House Spider, Achaearanea tepidariorum, which is responsible for most cobwebs found in buildings. The Zebra Spider, Salticus scenicus, is a small jumping spider often seen on vertical surfaces such as walls and doorways. The Funnel-web Spider, Tegenaria domestica, is a large harmless spider best known for its distinctive flat web of silk which leads back into a short tunnel where the spider rests.

The pocket sized Golden Guide to Spiders and their kin by Herbert Levi et.al. (ISBN 0307240215) provides an excellent introduction to spiders, illustrates hundreds of species and is highly recommended.

Click here for a Checklist of the Spiders of Ojibway provided by Gergin Blagoev.

	DYSDERIDAE
	Woodlouse Hunter, Dysdera crocata, Aug 2007, Ojibway Nature Centre. This cosmopolitan species is the most common spider that people bring to the nature centre for identification. They are often found in in damp dark spots in and around homes. The very large chelicerae are used to pierce sow bugs (woodlice) and beetles. Photo by Tom Preney.
	PHOLCIDAE, daddy-longleg spiders
	Long-bodied Cellar Spider, Pholcus manueli, June 2007, Ojibway Nature Centre. These common spiders build loose webs in the corners of the ceiling or other quiet corners at the nature centre. These are also called vibrating spiders. When disturbed they violently spin in a fast circular motion. Photo by Tom Preney.
	THERIDIIDAE, cobweb weavers
	female Black Widow, Latroectus sp., Oct/95, Windsor. This is one of the few spiders with a bite dangerous to humans. It is not common in the local area.
	LINYPHIIDAE, Sheetweb and Dwarf Spiders
	web of Bowl-and-Doily Spider, Frontinella pyramitela, Aug/07, Ojibway. The elaborate web consists of a small bowl, about 20cm in diameter, with a flat "doily" web below. In this early morning photo the bowl is covered in dew.
	Bowl and Doily Spider, Frontinella pyramitela. This small spider is common in prairie, meadow and old field habitats.
	ARANEIDAE, orbweavers
	Female Black & Yellow Garden Spider, Argiope aurantia, Aug 24/95, Spring Garden Prairie. This is a common late summer orbweaver of prairies and goldenrod meadows.
	Female Banded Garden Spider, Argiope trifasciata, Oct/99, Ojibway. This orbweaver is less common than the former species.
	Dorsal view of an orbweaver, Araneus sp., Oct/96, Ojibway. This is the largest genus of spiders with over 1,500 species worldwide. Several species are found in southern Ontario.
	Ventral view of an orbweaver spider, Araneus cf. marmoreus, Sept 28/96 Backus Woods. showing prominant jaws (chelicerae) and spinerets.
	A brightly coloured Marbled Orb-Weaver, Araneus marmoreus. These spiders typically hide during the daylight hours. Photo by K. Cedar
	female Spined Micrathena, Micrathena gracilis, Sept/96, Ojibway. A common woodland orbweaver with a distinctive body shape. The large web often stretches across footpaths.
	female Spined Micrathena, Micrathena gracilis, Aug/06, Rondeau Provincial Park
	female Arrow-shaped Micrathena, Micrathena sagittata, Sept 15/91, LaSalle Woodlot.
	TETRAGNATHIDAE, tetragnathid spiders
	female orchard spider, Leucauge sp. Sept/94, LaSalle. Spiders are often attracted to the abundant prey at porch lights.
	MITURGIDAE (CLUBIONIDAE), sac spiders
	Black-footed Spider, Cheiracanthium mildei Sept/01, LaSalle. This small (10 mm) pale Mediterranean species is commonly found in buildings and homes.
	PISAURIDAE, nursery web and fishing spiders
	Nursery Web spider, Pisaurina cf. mira September 18, 2002, LaSalle. This small family of nursery web and fishing spiders (seven species in Canada) includes our largest spiders. They spin a "nursery" web when the eggs are ready to hatch.
	Six-spotted Fishing Spider, Dolomedes triton. Photographed at the pond in Ojibway Park, July 2010. © Laurene Maycock.
	OXYOPIDAE, lynx spiders
	Lynx spider, Oxyopes scalarius August 19, 2002, LaSalle. Only two species of lynx spider are found in Canada. These small spiders can easily be identified by their prominent leg spines and tapering abdomen. They lack the "headlight" eyes of jumping spiders. This individual was in a prairie meadow where it captured a winged ant.
	SALTICIDAE, jumping spiders
	female zebra spider, Salticus scenicus, June/00 LaSalle. Jumping spiders have the best eyesight of all spiders and can be identified by the pair of prominent "headlight" eyes
	female zebra spider, Salticus scenicus, June/00 on concrete wall in LaSalle.
	male Dimorphic Jumping Spider, Maevia inclemens, at Ojibway Park © Brad Hamel.
	male jumping spider, Hentzia palmarum, Sept/98 at Ojibway Park.
	male jumping spider, Phidippus clarus, June/84 at Ojibway Park. This common jumping spider is often found in plant foliage and flowers.
	female Three-spotted Jumping Spider, Phidippus audax, with earwig. July 16/00. This is the most common large (15 mm) jumping spider at Ojibway. Note the bright metallic green chelicerae.
	PHILODROMIDAE, running crab spiders
	running crab spider, Tibellus sp.July/06, Ojibway Prairie. Rather than wait at a web these common spiders search for prey in grassy areas. When frightened they stretch themselves along the underside of a blade of grass and remain motionless.
	THOMISIDAE, crab spiders
	a flower spider, Sept/98, LaSalle. Crab spiders wait motionless in flowers to ambush insects attracted to the blooms. These spiders even attack wasps and bees much larger than themselves.
	female flower spider, Misumenoides formosipes, July/00, LaSalle. Some types of crab spiders can change colour to match their surroundings. They do not catch prey in webs.
	female flower spider in Rigid Goldenrod, August 2004 at Ojibway Park. This well camouflaged spider has captured a large hover fly.
	Photographs © P.D. Pratt

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