Identification, Images, & Information
For Insects, Spiders & Their Kin
For the United States & Canada
 

Register · Log In
HomeGuideID RequestRecentFrassForumsDonateHelp
Clickable Guide
Moths Butterflies Flies Caterpillars Flies Dragonflies Flies Mantids Cockroaches Bees and Wasps Walkingsticks Earwigs Ants Termites Hoppers and Kin Hoppers and Kin Beetles True Bugs Fleas Grasshoppers and Kin Ticks Spiders Scorpions Centipedes Millipedes

Calendar
Upcoming Events

Registration is open for the 2024 BugGuide gathering in Idaho July 24-27

Moth submissions from National Moth Week 2023

Photos of insects and people from the 2022 BugGuide gathering in New Mexico, July 20-24

Photos of insects and people from the Spring 2021 gathering in Louisiana, April 28-May 2

Photos of insects and people from the 2019 gathering in Louisiana, July 25-27

Photos of insects and people from the 2018 gathering in Virginia, July 27-29


Previous events
TaxonomyBrowseInfoImagesLinksBooksData
Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Chelicerates (Chelicerata) » Arachnids (Arachnida) » Spiders (Araneae) » True Spiders (Araneomorphae) » Entelegynae » Pirate spiders (Mimetidae) » Mimetus » Mimetus puritanus
Photo#3585
Cobweb Weaver - Mimetus puritanus - female
Copyright © 2004 Tom Adams

Cobweb Weaver - Mimetus puritanus - Female
Marblehead, Massachusetts, USA
August 4, 2003
Guarding egg sac in web on decorative post. Genus is likely Theridion. Measures 0.2 inch long.
tag · login or register to post comments
Contributed by Tom Adams on 1 May, 2004 - 12:40am
Last updated 7 June, 2009 - 9:30am

Moved
Moved from Mimetus.
… Lynette Elliott, 7 June, 2009 - 9:30am login or register to post comments

Pirate spider!
Quite a rarity! The pirate spiders,family Mimetidae, invade the webs of other spiders (in this case it is guarding the egg sac of the house spider, Achaeranea tepidariorum). See the long spines on its legs? Dead giveaway it is not a Theridiidae. This specimen is most likely in the genus Mimetus. Great photo!
… Eric R. Eaton, 11 June, 2004 - 4:43pm login or register to post comments

 
After my egg sac observations
I believe that might actually be the Mimetids egg sac it is guarding.
… Ciphor1, 2 July, 2012 - 4:56pm login or register to post comments

 
Not sure about that
Pirate spiders have a very unique egg sac & that doesn't look like the one above to me. I took a quick look at the image you just posted today and I think you actually have a type of cobweb spider. I'll leave more comments on the image
… Lynette Elliott, 2 July, 2012 - 7:44pm login or register to post comments

 
I stand corrected
Thanks Eric. Those setae are the key identifier. I have only once observed a pirate spider invade a web, and attack and consume a cob-web weaver. Are you an expert? It's obvious I'm not.
… Tom Adams, 11 June, 2004 - 6:01pm login or register to post comments

Comment viewing options
Select your preferred way to display the comments and click 'Save settings' to activate your changes.

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2024 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by:

Plant Pathology, Entomology and Microbiology at Iowa State University logo

Printer Friendly Version 		Terms of Use
Privacy Statement
Site Map
Contact