The red-legged purseweb spider is mostly indigenous to the southern parts of the United States. However, photographed evidence also marks its presence in the midwestern and northeastern states of Indiana, New Jersey, Missouri, Minnesota, and Massachusetts.
Size: Female spiders are around 0.9 inches (2.5 cm) and males are smaller.
Color: Both the sexes have a black body, with the males being shinier. Sexual dimorphism is observed in the color of their legs. They appear black in females, but red or reddish-orange in males.
Other Characteristic Features: It has downward-pointing fangs and not crossed ones.
The eggs are small and oval laid in sacs.
The spiderlings replicate the adult red-legged purseweb species. Most of them have a reddish body with a black head.
They build tube-like webs near the base of the tree, 6 – 10 inches long.
There have large fangs and may bite when provoked. However, their venom is not harmful to humans.
| Distribution | United States and Canada |
| Habitat | Temperate forests and urban areas, wooded lands, and grassy vegetations |
| Web Type | Tube-like |
| Diet | Caterpillars, wasps, crickets, worker ants, and beetles |
| Lifespan | Female: 7 years Male: Not recorded |
| IUCN Conservation Status | Not Listed |
The red-legged purseweb spider is mostly indigenous to the southern parts of the United States. However, photographed evidence also marks its presence in the midwestern and northeastern states of Indiana, New Jersey, Missouri, Minnesota, and Massachusetts.
Size: Female spiders are around 0.9 inches (2.5 cm) and males are smaller.
Color: Both the sexes have a black body, with the males being shinier. Sexual dimorphism is observed in the color of their legs. They appear black in females, but red or reddish-orange in males.
Other Characteristic Features: It has downward-pointing fangs and not crossed ones.
The eggs are small and oval laid in sacs.
The spiderlings replicate the adult red-legged purseweb species. Most of them have a reddish body with a black head.
They build tube-like webs near the base of the tree, 6 – 10 inches long.
There have large fangs and may bite when provoked. However, their venom is not harmful to humans.
| Distribution | United States and Canada |
| Habitat | Temperate forests and urban areas, wooded lands, and grassy vegetations |
| Web Type | Tube-like |
| Diet | Caterpillars, wasps, crickets, worker ants, and beetles |
| Lifespan | Female: 7 years Male: Not recorded |
| IUCN Conservation Status | Not Listed |
Sahana Kanjilal on June 13, 2019.
Dr. Watuwa James
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