Meet the Green Lynx Spider (Peucetia viridans), a common spider in Texas and Mexico. It surprised me when I was out inspecting my sugar pumpkin vines. I’m amazed I saw it — its lime-green coloring makes it perfectly camouflaged against the vines, and though it was on a bloom and holding a bee, I’m pretty sure what drew my eyes to it were those hairy legs.
I’m sad that it chose for its meal one of my precious honeybees, but I’m glad this beneficial spider has found my garden. It might pounce on bees, but it also feasts on wasps (which had been getting out of control during the summer) and pest moths and caterpillars (they’re arriving). This beautiful spider is a female, and like most spiders, she’s much larger than the typical male. The female Green Lynx spiders are fierce protectors of their egg sacs — I’m pleased, because I’d like to see more of them around the garden.
The spines on the spider’s legs seem to match little hairs on the pumpkin blooms, stems, and foliage. With her perfect camouflage, it’s easy for this spider to hide and lurk, and then leap onto her prey, which is how lynx spiders got their name.
Ugh! That is THEE ugliest thing. Spiders give me the creeps and yet they are so beneficial in the garden, too, because they eat those pesty insects that reek havoc on the garden. I blogged about my spider experience a week or so ago. If they are in their home I leave them alone, but if they cross over into mine, they are toast! 🙂
Yes, it sure is ugly … but an amazing picture!
Heh, and here I was thinking she’s such a beautiful spider! But I do adore spiders, whether outside or inside. As long as they aren’t poisonous to my family, they are welcome.
Ahhh yes, the give and take. Sure is a pity for the bee though.
-Nice shot!
Great picture, Meredith. Thanks for letting me know about the lynx spider.
That’s a really cool spider! I’ve never seen one. Thanks for sharing!
Although spider is beautiful and you have captured some nice shot but right now she is predator of a bee, not something i admire much. hats off to you for this picture meredith.
I know, I wish she could be trained to only go after the bad bugs and not my bees. But she’ll eat many more pest bugs, I know.
I am sorry to say this but EWWWW! I really hate all spiders, but I am with Miss Daisy. I smash em inside and let the ones in my garden live. It gives me the creeps! But a nice photo, if a spider can be NICE.
Rosey
What an amazing picture. I watched one of my spiders drop down its web over my kitchen window (which it puts up overnight) and parcel up a fly that had got caught in the gossamer. Then it hauled the parcel up to the top of the web close to where the spider lives during the day. All done with great speed!