Dark Fishing Spider (Dolomedes tenebrosus) These North American spiders are all “wandering” spiders, stalking their prey rather than snaring it in webs. The members of the genus Dolomedes are the “fishing spiders.” Unlike wolf spiders, which they resemble in their giant size, fishing spiders typically live near water. They run freely over water in pursuit of prey, including small fish and aquatic insects. When frightened, they may dive beneath the surface.
Individual sacs have been known to contain nearly 1,400 eggs. Shortly before the eggs hatch, the female attaches the sac to vegetation, builds a nursery web around it, and stands guard nearby. The young live in the nursery web for some time after hatching. It is likely that the dark fishing spider requires more than one season to mature, at least in the northern parts of its range. D. R. Celebrezze
ADULTS
Dark fishing spiders are opportunistic, generalist feeders, and they have even been known to consume slugs despite their sticky mucus.
Quick Look
Copulation ends with the female killing the male spider. The large egg sac of D. tenebrosus, measuring up to 1.4 cm in diameter, is spherical, and it is held in place under the female’s body by her chelicerae (a pair of fang-like appendages near the mouth) and pedipalps (another pair of appendages behind the chelicerae).
D. R. Celebrezze
REPRODUCTION & YOUNG
Size: Can be more than 3 inches (7.6 cm) long, including legs. Habitat: Swamp, pond, and lake margins. Distribution: This spider is found throughout Ohio. Distinguishing Feature: Three conspicuous black W-shaped marks on abdomen.
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