Purseweb/trapdoor spider range?

[Biollantefan54]

When I was in Alabama and Georgia I learned of pursweb spiders and trapdoors. I didn't know where to look exactly so I didn't find any lol. Anyways, I am wondering what the range on these two spiders are. Does there range come up to here? I am the piedmont area of Nc, basically the middle of Nc. If we have them here, I will be outside until I find one lol. These spiders just fascinate me XD. They look so cool lol. Thanks ahah.

 

[The Snark]

Your problem is range is normally determined by individual species. Pursewebs are a family, Atypidae, of three genera and trapdoor spider family, Ctenizidae, has about a dozen genera. So you need to narrow your query down to the species level if you want a definitive answer.
As example, trapdoor spiders are found on all the land masses of the world below the arctic zones.

 

[Biollantefan54]

Well I didn't know they were individual species here. My question was simply do I have any defiant species of those 2 family of spiders are here. I am mainly talking about the large ones (1/2 * 1 inch). I don't know which ones attain that size of these species. Basically though, can I go outside and find pursewebs and trapdoors here lol.

 

[tonypace2009]

There have been reports of trapdoor spiders in North Carolina in Warren County. Pull up the bugguide.com. Or just google trap door spiders in North Carolina. I pulled up purse web spider in North Carolina and got a hit on bug guid the picture was actually a trapdoor in warren county. I hope this helps.

 

[Biollantefan54]

Thanks, I am in Gaston County by the way lol and by the looks of it, all of those counties are up above me so I think they might be here! I hope I can find some lol! Does anyone have some good ways of locating them?

 

[jecraque]

Good question! I'm not entirely sure how many of our WNC species extend to the piedmont, which tends to have lower diversity than the coastal plain & mountains. I know we get Sphodros sp. in my neck of the woods; a (trustworthy) friend has seen wandering males in a local parking lot and I've spotted pursewebs with females near Clemson, SC.

You may have some luck with Antrodiaetus sp. too. Look for clay soils on a steep bank or roadcut; they're easier to spot at night when they're hanging out at the burrow entrance for food.

 

[Biollantefan54]

Went huntin'

Welp. I went looking for these shperders and I didn't find a trace of one. I checked 2 different creeks in completely different locations and everything. No trap doors. Went in 3 different sets of woods. Nothing. No pursewebs. I found these small, looks to be grass spiders though, and some millipedes, centipedes and other bugs. Oh well.

 

[Ambly]

Trapdoors are very difficult to find. I was lucky to hear of a MM wandering around work from a reputable source - a coworker who knows and identifies birds. I later saw an open trapdoor - a shallow one - with an empty pupa at the bottom. Possibly unrelated, but also possibly parasitized. In that area I found 3 more; 2 within inches 1 within 2 feet. I found each of those 100% by accident, brushing my hand. It will be far easier to find pursewebs than trapdoors.

There are some threads on here with info about them - folks who describe where they are found - but they may be well suited to all sorts of habitats with certain requirements. I know around here I find them in loamy clay soil, mild slope, between the curb of a parking lot and pine-needle mass/grass scrub in a spot where they receive morning and afternoon sun. They are also located in spots that stay bare for most of the active time of year - they will move stray leaves and twigs.

It's gonna be hard, but when you find them it will be awesome. Be careful if you plan to collect. They are limited in their dispersal and taking a few big adults from one spot may do more damage than we are aware (and I mean that, I'm no expert but from what I have observed in the wild I wouldn't be surprised).