Our green lynx spider, Peucetia longipalpis, has settled in nicely in our balcony terrarium. She doesn’t build a web. She’s an ambush hunter, like several of her neighbors in the tank — praying mantises (Mantis religiosa). Both the green or brown insects and the green spider remain absolutely still for long periods until an unwary creature crawls too near, then they pounce! Last week, the lynx lunched on a meadow katydid. As soon as it crept close, she seized it and immediately dropped off her leaf, dangling by a silk thread, to prevent the katydid from being able to hop away.
Last night, the lynx laid her eggs and wrapped them up in a crinkled silken ball, which she is now guarding, perched atop it with her legs wrapped around it.
The green lynx has settled in nicely, living on a plant that is exactly her color.
Last week, our green lynx lunched on an unwary meadow katydid.
Mantis religiosa arrived in the United States from Europe by ship in 1899, and has flourished ever since.
Mantis religiosa, another ambush hunter in our terrarium.
The green lynx perches on her egg sac, wrapping her long, spiny legs around it.
The mother lynx spider protects her eggs.
Peucetia longipalpis atop her egg bundle.
Steven E. F. Brown 