Egg Sac Construction and Oviposition of the Green Lynx Spider, Peucetia viridans (Oxyopidae)

Abstract

Observations were made on egg sac construction by Peucetia viridans (Hentz). This usually began between 11 P.M. and 4 A.M. and lasted ap- proximately five hours. First, a horizontal disk was made. A bowl with an opening in the bottom was constructed under this disk. The eggs were then forced upward into the bowl, the opening closed, and the egg sac was completed. Although Peucetia viridans (Hentz) is a common spider through- out the southern United States, little has been written on its life history. This large green conspicuous spider is abundant on many kinds of shrub-like plants. It is often observed on the upper surface of a leaf near the top of the plant, where it awaits its prey. This spider overwinters as a spiderling. Adults are first found in Arkansas in July. Mating takes place as early as August 15, and egg sacs are found in the upper branches of shrubs after September 15. In the laboratory, the young hatch in 12 days but do not emerge from the egg cases until approximately 24 days after oviposition. The appearance of the egg sac was described by Hentz (1875), McCook (1890), Rea and Bragg (1909), Comstock (1912, 1940), and Gertsch (1949). When first constructed, the egg sac is light-green and becomes gray or straw-colored with age. It is a rounded object 2 cm. in diameter and flattened on one side. The thick outer coating has many small pointed projections. A maze of lines extending from the egg sac to nearby leaves and stems ties the egg sac securely to the plant. Other lines appear to have no present purpose but later are inhabited by the newly emerged spiderlings until they are ready to fend for themselves. The mother hangs under the sac with dorsum downwards or on the side of the sac with head downwards, holding the sac close to her body with her long legs. Maternal care is as great as with the fisher spiders. She stands guard over the spiderlings long after they emerge from the sac. Although the authors cited above discussed various phases of the life history of this species, none reported observations on egg sac con-