Any ID guesses for a green jumping spider? I got bit.

No pics at this moment, but I can give a half-decent description. Main reason why I'm wondering what it is, is because the darn sucker bit me. Bite felt similar to the painful sting from a deer-fly bite, and hurt for about 6 hours. Now there's just an somewhat itchy red welt. Not a spider I'm familiar with either. I squished the one that bit me (swatted it because I thought it was a deer-fly at first), but figured out what it was because the remaining carcass had pretty close resemblence to other spiders prowling the picnic table.

Here's the description:
A small jumping spider, about 4mm in length. Legs, body and abdomen are translucent yellowish-green in color. (Could be said to be a "Mt. Dew" kind of green, which might be a better description.) On the abdomen, there are 3 or 4 thin horizontal black stripes going from side to side. Possible mimicry of ladybug or lacewing larva when sitting still, there is some resemblence and they hold their legs tight to the body when resting. I didn't notice it was a spider until it was moving and could see all 8 legs.

Location is at the Dan Brown forest preserve in Elk Grove, IL. under some trees to the south side of Busse Lake. (I'm also wondering if it's something native, or a possible hitchiker from the airliners at the nearby O'hare. Knowing how tiny spiderlings are...)

I may be able to get pictures later on. Depends on the weather tomorrow.

Contributed by pauljs75 on 16 August, 2012 - 3:00pm

Lyssomanes is the first one to come to mind based on: JUMPING SPIDER + PALE GREEN -- though not sure about distribution. Otherwise I'd tend to guess Phidippus. There's also the lynx spider Peucetia.

… Kevin Pfeiffer, 17 August, 2012 - 12:53am

Lyssomanes

I don't think that there are any records of Lyssomanes that far north, but with this screwy weather, who knows. I was going to suggest Paraphidippus aurantia which is often very green (particularly young or females). A photo would be very helpful. Oxyopes salticus is another green spider with black lines type that jumps (but not a salticid). I don't think Peucetia are in Illinois either.

Rich

… Richard Bradley, 18 August, 2012 - 10:04am

Whatever it was looked most l

Whatever it was looked most like the Lyssomanes Viridis, but instead of pairs of spots on the abdomen, it had bars going all the way across. Unfortunately I wasn't able to spot the spiders again for pics. Cooler weather the next time I was there and perhaps a combination of the park workers moving the tables around such that they were no longer under a favored tree. (I think the table was under a locust tree.)

They're small and perhaps hard to spot at first, but once you encounter those spiders it's hard to not know they are there. They're quite active hunters. And unlike the insect larva they resemble (while sitting still), they jump and can turn around on themselves they way that jumping spiders do.

I seem to have no long term ill effects, but you also definitely don't want to get bit by one. (Like the "zebra" spider in that regard.) Hurts a lot the first day, and an small itchy blister-like bite mark the next day.

Oh and a minor correction on location, _Ned_ Brown Forest Preserve. The other info is correct though.

As you said though, might not be a typical or normal location for whatever spider it may be. Hot dry summer, and the nature preserve is near a major airport. (Right under a landing approach for O'Hare.) I don't see why spiderlings couldn't hitch a ride on a plane and settle somewhere else provided conditions are favorable at the time.

… pauljs75, 30 August, 2012 - 6:28am

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