American house spider

Parasteatoda tepidariorum

Description:

Coming back from an outing, I found this drama had played out on the porch. A juvenile anole, poor thing, had stumbled into the web of an American house spider, who did not like me poking my camera into her web and was in the process of trying to wrap the much-larger lizard up, I think. The lizard's body was slightly withered, so perhaps the spider had already fed on it?

Notes:

Related spotting from my collection, same species, different individual.
Includes the "kind of happy, kind of sad story of suzmonk and the spider" ... http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/435...

The spider in this spotting went on to successfully hatch
three egg sacs in her corner of my friends' porch ...
http://www.projectnoah.org/spottings/471...

Alternate name: Common House Spider. Also found the scientific name of this spider listed as Achaearanea tepidariorum.

Species ID Suggestions

51 Comments (1–25)

suzmonk 5 years ago

Thank you, Zlatan, pure luck ...

Zlatan Celebic 5 years ago

amazing spotting - great work.

suzmonk 5 years ago

I know, right? Gram for gram, there is no creature as dauntless & determined as an American house spider. Great web to watch over time, too ...

Christine Y. 5 years ago

Wow!

RobThacker 8 years ago

Congrats again Suz! Ignore the FB critics, you documented, as has been said here already, life.

hg_williams3 8 years ago

Hey this is cool I wonder how long this prey will last it? Anyway congrats and has anyone noticed this is basically what happened in the first amazing spiderman movie? spidey vs the lizard he he. Who knows you might see an octopus or green goblin next time ;D keep up the great photography

Maria dB 8 years ago

I had no idea a house spider would have such large prey - great series!

James McNair 8 years ago

Feel for the anole but superb spotting great images and a well deserved recognition!

suzmonk 8 years ago

Thanks again, all ... I like Project Noah people verra-verra much.

The MnMs 8 years ago

You did the right thing, Suz. The spider also needs to eat! People should not interfere with nature. Most of us also eat other animals and do not make a fuzz about it, right? Nice spotting!

Scott Frazier 8 years ago

Bravo on a spotting which captures the natural struggle that is life.

Dilan Chathuranga 8 years ago

Congratulations suzmonk!

staccyh 8 years ago

I agree with Sckel! Its nature...we shouldn't interfere. Save one creature and allow another to starve? Its only ignorant people that make nasty comments anyway. So well done Suz! :)

Sckel 8 years ago

I do not understand why you feel down, Suz. You did a great job. People on Facebook like to be hypocrites.

suzmonk 8 years ago

Thanks, everyone, feeling humbled to tell you the truth. Ain't easy being me. Some of the folks on Facebook tore me up a little bit about whether I should have saved the lizard. The anole was still, very still, at the point I took the photos, felt sure he was a goner. Sad, yes, it really was ...