Extension > Garden > Diagnose a problem > What insect is this? > General/curiosity insects > Insect relatives ½ – 1 inch long > Nursery web spider

Nursery web spider

Pisaurina mira

Sturgis McKeever, Georgia Southern University, Bugwood.org

Jeff Hahn, University of Minnesota Extension

Description: 1/2 - 3/4 inch long. Light brown or orange. There is usually a dark stripe that runs down the cephalothorax (front of the spider including the head) and abdomen. The legs are not banded. Females carry their egg sacs under their bodies between their mouthparts; when they are ready to hatch she builds a "nursery" by folding a leaf over and then using silk to fill in the space underneath.

Where/When: Found in fields and understory plants in wooded areas.

Significance: Beneficial as a predator on insects. Does not harm people.

More information on Nursery web spiders