SAC SPIDERS (Clubionidae)
Biology
- A key identification character is the front spinnerets which are conical in shape.
- Eight eyes of the spider are equal in size and arranged in 2 rows, 4 eyes per row.
- There are two different species. Chiracanthium mildei ranges from light green to yellow-white in color and Chiracanthium inclusum is light yellow in color.
- Each of these species has a slightly darker stripe on the upper abdomen in the middle.
- The tips of the tarsi, palps and the jaws of these two species are brown.
- Male sac spiders are approximately ¼ inch long; the female can range from 1/3 to 1/2 inch in length.
Distribution/Habits
- Common outdoors but also commonly infest homes
- Active hunters at night, but during the day retreat to silken tubes resembling thin sacs, hence the name Sac spiders
- They capture pray, paralyze it with their bite then feed on it.
- When found in homes, silken tubes can often be found in corners at ceiling level.
- It has been estimated that Sac spiders may be responsible for more human bites than any other spider(s).
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