Nursery Web Spider
Scientific Name: Pisaurina mira
Order & Family: Araneae: Pisauridae
Size: 10 to 19 mm (body length), with a leg span often exceeding 50 mm.
Natural Habitat
Tall grass, shrubs, and wooded areas; often found near human structures like garages or porches during seasonal changes.
Diet & Feeding
Carnivorous; they are active hunters that eat a variety of small insects including flies, beetles, and other spiders.
Behavior Patterns
They do not build webs to catch food but hunt actively. Females are known for carrying their large egg sacs under their bodies and building a 'nursery' web for the spiderlings after they hatch.
Risks & Benefits
Generally harmless to humans; they have venom but are not aggressive and rarely bite unless handled roughly. They provide ecological benefits by controlling insect populations.
Identified on: 6/7/2026