# What's everyone's favorite small spider species?



## AmphibianAddict (Sep 19, 2018)

Jumping spiders? Ant spiders? Orb-weavers? Widows? What’s everyone’s favorite small spider species??


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## AngelDeVille (Sep 19, 2018)

Latrodectrus, but we did see some kind of jumping spider on the wall recently that was super cool, and the orb weaver by the front door is gorgeous.

So, all of them.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Ratmosphere (Sep 19, 2018)

Jumpers all day every day.

Reactions: Agree 4 | Love 1


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## AmphibianAddict (Sep 19, 2018)

Ratmosphere said:


> Jumpers all day every day.


Same

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Dovey (Sep 19, 2018)

They aren't small, but I'm a big fan of our local Sonoran Olios giganteus, the giant crab spider. Coolest true spider ever, and easy to breed.

Reactions: Like 2


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## AmphibianAddict (Sep 19, 2018)

Dovey said:


> They aren't small, but I'm a big fan of our local Sonoran Olios giganteus, the giant crab spider. Coolest true spider ever, and easy to breed.


Ooh!! They look gorgeous!!



Dovey said:


> They aren't small, but I'm a big fan of our local Sonoran Olios giganteus, the giant crab spider. Coolest true spider ever, and easy to breed.


Umm, you said they were easy to breed, do you breed them?


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## Dovey (Sep 19, 2018)

Not lately, though I've got a female that's getting to that size. She is wild caught. Well I say wild-caught... She actually cutie patootied her way across my desktop this spring and virtually danced right into a habitat.

I keep thinking a male will take up residence on the ceiling sooner or later. It's definitely the season for it here as monsoon is well underway and in fact just about to wrap up soon. But I haven't seen a mate for her yet.

Reactions: Like 1


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## NYAN (Sep 19, 2018)

Latrodectus are my favorite. So many different colors and patterns. In addition to this, I think they are cool to observe, easy to keep and their venom potancy for their size is something to marvel at.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## AmphibianAddict (Sep 19, 2018)

Dovey said:


> Not lately, though I've got a female that's getting to that size. She is wild caught. Well I say wild-caught... She actually cutie patootied her way across my desktop this spring and virtually danced right into a habitat.
> 
> I keep thinking a male will take up residence on the ceiling sooner or later. It's definitely the season for it here as monsoon is well underway and in fact just about to wrap up soon. But I haven't seen a mate for her yet.


Make sure to message me if you get babies!!

Reactions: Agree 1


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## The wolf (Sep 20, 2018)

Either dysedera crocata or segestria florentina depending on how my newest project plays out

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1 | Optimistic 1


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## spookyvibes (Sep 20, 2018)

Jumping spiders, they're so cute

Reactions: Agree 2


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## Quetzalcoatl Nyarlathotep (Sep 20, 2018)

Northern Black widows, and black purseweb spiders. Both are native to my area, though I have yet to find any pursewebs with all the studying this season, I'll have to wait till next season to go into those mixed forest fields for my lovely black potato spuds.

Reactions: Like 1


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## AmphibianAddict (Sep 20, 2018)

spookyvibes said:


> Jumping spiders, they're so cute


They are!!!


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## AmphibianAddict (Sep 20, 2018)

Geb Arachnia Whitney said:


> Northern Black widows, and black purseweb spiders. Both are native to my area, though I have yet to find any pursewebs with all the studying this season, I'll have to wait till next season to go into those mixed forest fields for my lovely black potato spuds.


How are you keeping your widows?? I’ve contemplated getting some of that species for a bit.


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## InvertAddiction (Sep 20, 2018)

I'm biased for the little jumping spiders   It was the very first true spider I was ever willing to handle when I first got over my fear of spiders.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## Quetzalcoatl Nyarlathotep (Sep 20, 2018)

AmphibianAddict said:


> How are you keeping your widows?? I’ve contemplated getting some of that species for a bit.


 I buy fish tanks at garage sales, and cheese cloth at Walmart to tie around the lids. I like them lower to the ground, so I give mine shells and pine cones to build webs in. I think I have a few pictures in the gallery of them.


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## AngelDeVille (Sep 20, 2018)



Reactions: Like 1


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## Quetzalcoatl Nyarlathotep (Sep 20, 2018)

They are wonderful eaters, and the only thing they have a hard time with really are large slippery moths, and strong jumping crickets, so I often remove the tibias of the back legs, keeping the femurs intact as they have lots of nutrients within.


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## Villagecreep (Sep 20, 2018)

I just LOVE jumping spiders in general, but if I had to pick, i'd say regal/ bold jumpers (Phidippus audax).


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## AmphibianAddict (Sep 20, 2018)

InvertAddiction said:


> I'm biased for the little jumping spiders   It was the very first true spider I was ever willing to handle when I first got over my fear of spiders.


Same!!


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## AmphibianAddict (Sep 20, 2018)

Villagecreep said:


> I just LOVE jumping spiders in general, but if I had to pick, i'd say regal/ bold jumpers (Phidippus audax).


Phidippus Audax are great!!



Geb Arachnia Whitney said:


> They are wonderful eaters, and the only thing they have a hard time with really are large slippery moths, and strong jumping crickets, so I often remove the tibias of the back legs, keeping the femurs intact as they have lots of nutrients within.


Do you have any pictures of your’s?


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## pannaking22 (Sep 20, 2018)

Latrodectus. Easy to keep and there's plenty of variation in native species, though the non-natives in the hobby now are phenomenal too.

Reactions: Sad 1


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## Quetzalcoatl Nyarlathotep (Sep 20, 2018)

AmphibianAddict said:


> Do you have any pictures of your’s?















4th instar L. Variolus 'Oizyra'



__ Quetzalcoatl Nyarlathotep
__ Sep 17, 2018
__
latrodectus
latrodectus variolus
northern black widow
theridiidae
variolusa




						Here is one of my 4th instar L. Variolus females, her name is Oizyra, she is feeding on a tasty...
					
















Latrodectus Variolus 4th instar



__ Quetzalcoatl Nyarlathotep
__ Sep 14, 2018
__
feeding
latrodectus
latrodectus variolus
northern black widow
theridiidae
variolusa




						Feeding on a big black field cricket. :) Her name is Prizma, and she's got really nice legs.
					
















Latrodectus variolus [color]



__ Quetzalcoatl Nyarlathotep
__ Sep 9, 2018
__
latrodectus
latrodectus variolus
northern black widow
theridiidae
variolusa




						Colored version
					
















Latrodectus variolus



__ Quetzalcoatl Nyarlathotep
__ Sep 7, 2018
__
handling
latrodectus
latrodectus variolus
northern black widow
sling
theridiidae
variolusa




						3rd instar female Latrodectus Variolus pre-rehousing.

Reactions: Love 1


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## Quetzalcoatl Nyarlathotep (Sep 20, 2018)

I do not condone keeping brown widows because of how invasive they can be to our native widows.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## WildSpider (Sep 20, 2018)

I'm going to say that at the moment, my favorite is Araneus diadematus. Another that I like is Antrodiaetus pacificus (Folding Door Trapdoor Spider). I have caught a couple (at different times) a while back but ended up releasing them both. I would like to try my hand at keeping them again though.

Here is one of my A. diadematus:


Here is the female A. pacificus I caught:


Here is the male A. pacificus I caught:





Dovey said:


> They aren't small, but I'm a big fan of our local Sonoran Olios giganteus, the giant crab spider. Coolest true spider ever, and easy to breed.


I'll take three !

Reactions: Like 2


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## AmphibianAddict (Sep 20, 2018)

Geb Arachnia Whitney said:


> 4th instar L. Variolus 'Oizyra'
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Those at gorgeous!!

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Quetzalcoatl Nyarlathotep (Sep 20, 2018)

AmphibianAddict said:


> Those at gorgeous!!


They are my pride and joy. The reason I wake up every morning. I always treat them with the utmost care and studious attention.

Reactions: Agree 1


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## Ungoliant (Sep 20, 2018)

_Kukulcania hibernalis_












Kukulcania hibernalis (Filistatidae): Female



__ Ungoliant
__ Jan 2, 2017
__ 7
__
female
filistatidae
hibernalis
kukulcania
kukulcania hibernalis
mature female
southern house spider




						Kukulcania hibernalis: mature female (captive, wild-caught)

Commonly known as the southern...
					




any jumping spider

Reactions: Like 5 | Love 1


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## WildSpider (Sep 20, 2018)

Ungoliant said:


> _Kukulcania hibernalis_
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Just curious, is that the one that laid an egg sac even though it molted after being bred?


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## Ungoliant (Sep 20, 2018)

WildSpider said:


> Just curious, is that the one that laid an egg sac even though it molted after being bred?


Yes, she's the one.


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## WildSpider (Sep 20, 2018)

Ungoliant said:


> Yes, she's the one.


She's a cool one. Did you get her online?


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## AmphibianAddict (Sep 20, 2018)

WildSpider said:


> I'm going to say that at the moment, my favorite is Araneus diadematus. Another that I like is Antrodiaetus pacificus (Folding Door Trapdoor Spider). I have caught a couple (at different times) a while back but ended up releasing them both. I would like to try my hand at keeping them again though.
> 
> Here is one of my A. diadematus:
> View attachment 287089
> ...


Those look beautiful!

Reactions: Like 1


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## Ungoliant (Sep 20, 2018)

WildSpider said:


> She's a cool one. Did you get her online?


She's wild-caught. (They're native to my area and are found in abundance.)

I have had her since 2012. (She was already an adult then.)

Reactions: Like 1


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## basin79 (Sep 21, 2018)

I couldn't pick which is my favourite spider. I've had jumpers and absolutely loved them. They're so clever. 

I love.............

my Deinopis sp for the way she makes a web net to catch her prey. It's phenomenal to witness. 

my Nephila madagascariensis for the beautiful web she makes and how graceful she is. 

my Gandanameno sp females because of just how cute they look. 

my Liphistius cf ornatus for the speed he/she comes flying out of the trapdoor. 

my Sicarius thomisoides for when he bursts out of the sand to catch prey and digs back down into the sand and covers himself up. 

my Macrothele species, Heteropoda lunula, Porrhothele antipodiana, Calommata signata because they're all absolutely brilliant.

Reactions: Like 1


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## RezonantVoid (Sep 21, 2018)

Probably Maratus sp. peacock jumpers, crazy little things

Reactions: Love 1


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## Spidermolt (Sep 21, 2018)

Jumpers... nuff said


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## WildSpider (Sep 21, 2018)

RezonantVoid said:


> Probably Maratus sp. peacock jumpers, crazy little things


Have seen videos of these guys. So awesome!

Reactions: Like 1


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## MintyWood826 (Sep 21, 2018)

Jumping spiders.
But orb weavers and _Latrodectus _species are growing on me.


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## RezonantVoid (Sep 21, 2018)

WildSpider said:


> Another that I like is Antrodiaetus pacificus (Folding Door Trapdoor Spider). I have caught a couple (at different times) a while back but ended up releasing them both. I would like to try my hand at keeping them again though.
> 
> Here is the female A. pacificus I caught:
> View attachment 287091
> ...


As an avid fan of trapdoors and hexithelids I massively approve of these lol

Reactions: Love 1


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## Ungoliant (Sep 21, 2018)

*Moderator note: I moved the euthanasia posts to their own thread. Carry on.*

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## RezonantVoid (Sep 21, 2018)

Another cool one is portia jumping spiders, world's most intelligent known species

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## basin79 (Sep 22, 2018)

What I particularly love about spiders is just how diverse they are in both of looks and hunting strategy.

How I love my tarantulas but apart from my Idiothele mira they're pretty much the same when it comes to feeding.

My spiders on the other hand......... these vids and pics are in my spider thread but here they are again.

Deinopis sp aka Ogre faced/net casting spider.



















Gandanameno sp aka Velvet spider.













Calommata signata aka Purse web spider.

















Liphistius cf ornatus aka armoured trapdoor spider.

No pics sadly. 







Nephila madagascariensis aka orb weaver.

















Sicarius thomisoides aka 6 eyed sand spider.











https://youtu.be/69bUht9igsU

Reactions: Like 7 | Love 1 | Award 1


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## RezonantVoid (Sep 22, 2018)

basin79 said:


> What I particularly love about spiders is just how diverse they are in both of looks and hunting strategy.
> 
> How I love my tarantulas but apart from my Idiothele mira they're pretty much the same when it comes to feeding.
> 
> ...


That purse web spider is insane!!! Awesome critter

Reactions: Agree 1 | Love 1


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## basin79 (Sep 22, 2018)

RezonantVoid said:


> That purse web spider is insane!!! Awesome critter


Aye. First time I managed to actually see her feed since I got her a little while ago. She recently moulted so knew she'd be hungry.

Reactions: Like 1 | Optimistic 1


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## 8LeggedLair (Oct 31, 2018)

I like the Dwarf T D. Diamantinensis


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## Venom (Nov 4, 2018)

I really enjoy keeping Trachelas tranquillus. They're so testy! Getting a threat-display and lunge from a 1/2 inch long spider is cute. Plus, they have great color and are aggressive feeders.

Reactions: Like 1


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## SpiderGalaxy (Nov 4, 2018)

My favorite are jumpers, but I love latrodectus variolus and latrodectus bishopi.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Lil Paws (Nov 5, 2018)

Jumpers are my favorite for right now, but this is because they are so easy to ID and stinking cute, too (their intelligence is also amazing). We have a lot to learn. We just picked up the National Audubon Society Pocket Guide: Insects and Spiders, and we've been trying to ID inverts along with the birds we see when we go hiking. There are so many species—and that's just within our tiny region.

Reactions: Like 2


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## BenLeeKing (Nov 6, 2018)

Rhene flavicomans~ the wasp mimic jumping spider, they have a flat and wide carapace giving them quite a unique look for a jumping spider~


	

		
			
		

		
	
 Forgot the species name, but this black scytodes that I call “the xenomorph spitting spiders” are up there as one of my favourites too

Reactions: Like 7 | Love 2


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## Quetzalcoatl Nyarlathotep (Nov 6, 2018)

BenLeeKing said:


> Rhene flavicomans~ the wasp mimic jumping spider, they have a flat and wide carapace giving them quite a unique look for a jumping spider~
> View attachment 291492
> 
> 
> ...


Woah, I could only find scytodes fusca on my search, but wow, what a beautiful looking spider! I hope you find more to study! I'd be very interested to read a report on the species illustrated above.

Reactions: Like 1 | Agree 1


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## galeogirl (Nov 20, 2018)

The green lynx spider (_Peucetia viridans_) is on my wishlist.

Reactions: Like 1


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## Wolfspidurguy (Nov 27, 2018)

*h o g n a c a r o l i n e n s i s*

Reactions: Like 2


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## Villagecreep (Nov 27, 2018)

Villagecreep said:


> I just LOVE jumping spiders in general, but if I had to pick, i'd say regal/ bold jumpers (Phidippus audax).


Update: I've also grown a liking to Hacklemesh Weavers (Metaltella simoni), and Long-bodied cellar spiders (Pholcus phalangioides)


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## Jayvicularia (May 22, 2019)

Misumena vatia. Goldenrod crab spiders. These guys are really cool to watch waiting on flowers for pollinators. Ive seen them competing with ambush bugs on my sunflowers.


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## sloth (May 22, 2019)

My favorite true spider is Phidippus adumbratus. (A jumper of course )


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## velvetundergrowth (May 27, 2019)

_Phiddipus_!


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## ajhere (May 30, 2019)

Well my favorite was eresus sandaliatus but I can't find one due to location so I'll have my scytodes longipes got her from bugsincyberspace


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## MoranDisciple (Aug 5, 2019)

Sad PA resident hours


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## Jadestone (Aug 5, 2019)

My favorite would have to be either jumping spiders or wolf spiders. Both are very interesting to watch and keep.


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## AnastasiaDivana (Aug 6, 2019)

Ratmosphere said:


> Jumpers all day every day.


My favorite as well


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## Smokehound714 (Aug 6, 2019)

Apomastus kristenae- a euctenizid related to aptostichus, yet looks like Eucteniza from texas, but builds an open turret made of grass and leaves.  Max size- 1"

Reactions: Like 4


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## Arthroverts (Aug 6, 2019)

@Smokehound714, is that your own specimen? Crazy cool looking...

Thanks,

Arthroverts


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## Smokehound714 (Aug 6, 2019)

Arthroverts said:


> @Smokehound714, is that your own specimen? Crazy cool looking...
> 
> Thanks,
> 
> Arthroverts


the turret was untouched that's a wild specimen.  it was too cool-looking to mess with 

 the macro shots are a specimen i kept- she's about an inch


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