How to Identify a Mouse Spider
Look for thick and stocky legs., Check to see if they are 20 to 35mm (.8 to 1.4 inches) long., Watch for a dark blue, black, or dark brown body., Look to see if the front of the spider is bright red., Look for short spinnerets., Look for a burrow...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Look for thick and stocky legs.
Since the mouse spider is a ground spider, they have very thick and stocky (almost muscular) legs.
Female mouse spiders, too, have thicker legs than male spiders.
In addition, the male mouse spider may have long palps that appear as an extra pair of legs. -
Step 2: Check to see if they are 20 to 35mm (.8 to 1.4 inches) long.
Both male and female mouse spiders range between 20 to 35 mm in body length.
The females, however, tend to be toward the longer part of this range., Male mouse spiders are dark blue or black in appearance.
Female mouse spiders tend to be dark brown in color.
However, there is some variation between the 8 different species of mouse spiders., Male mouse spiders can be either red or black on the front of their body.
This bright red color is a tell-tale sign of certain mouse spider species and should not be dismissed as another sort of spider., Spinnerets are the part of the spider’s body that typically spins the web.
They are found near the front/head of the spider.
Although Mouse spiders don't spin webs, they do have very short spinnerets.The last section of mouse spider spinnerets appears button-like or dome-like. , Mouse spiders dig their homes – burrows – into the ground.
Burrows can be identified by the pyramid-shaped mounds of soil that are often found beside them.
Burrows are often characterized by a small hole in the ground with two right angle side-tunnels jutting off almost immediately.
The side tunnels may then go straight down and may have a chamber that breaks off from the main tunnel., Mouse spiders live exclusively in Australia.
They do not, however, live in Tasmania.
While they have been exported and introduced elsewhere, there is no evidence that breeding populations exist outside of their native range., Mouse spiders live throughout Australia and are common in populated, suburban areas, outside of the cities.
Their burrows can be found in suburban yards, in pastures, in parklands, and elsewhere., Mouse spiders live throughout Australia.
They inhabit forest environments and dry arid environments.
As a result, they can potentially live in just about every climate in Australia., Mouse spiders do not spin webs, and as a result, are often found on the ground.
In their range, they can be observed on the floor in dark areas of the home.
Thus, if the spider is spinning a web, it is probably not a mouse spider., Mouse spiders are active and vigorous hunters.
You may see them wandering at night chasing their prey.
In fact, mouse spiders can run quite fast., While many species of mouse spiders are night time hunters, they can also be very active in the daytime.
This is especially true during the late summer, fall, and early winter.
In addition, you may see mouse spiders moving around during the day after a heavy rain. -
Step 3: Watch for a dark blue
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Step 4: or dark brown body.
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Step 5: Look to see if the front of the spider is bright red.
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Step 6: Look for short spinnerets.
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Step 7: Look for a burrow.
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Step 8: Find the spiders in Australia.
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Step 9: Watch for mouse spiders in populated areas.
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Step 10: Look for mouse spiders in different ecosystems.
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Step 11: Watch for mouse spiders on the ground.
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Step 12: Observe the spider running.
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Step 13: Look for spiders on the move in the day time.
Detailed Guide
Since the mouse spider is a ground spider, they have very thick and stocky (almost muscular) legs.
Female mouse spiders, too, have thicker legs than male spiders.
In addition, the male mouse spider may have long palps that appear as an extra pair of legs.
Both male and female mouse spiders range between 20 to 35 mm in body length.
The females, however, tend to be toward the longer part of this range., Male mouse spiders are dark blue or black in appearance.
Female mouse spiders tend to be dark brown in color.
However, there is some variation between the 8 different species of mouse spiders., Male mouse spiders can be either red or black on the front of their body.
This bright red color is a tell-tale sign of certain mouse spider species and should not be dismissed as another sort of spider., Spinnerets are the part of the spider’s body that typically spins the web.
They are found near the front/head of the spider.
Although Mouse spiders don't spin webs, they do have very short spinnerets.The last section of mouse spider spinnerets appears button-like or dome-like. , Mouse spiders dig their homes – burrows – into the ground.
Burrows can be identified by the pyramid-shaped mounds of soil that are often found beside them.
Burrows are often characterized by a small hole in the ground with two right angle side-tunnels jutting off almost immediately.
The side tunnels may then go straight down and may have a chamber that breaks off from the main tunnel., Mouse spiders live exclusively in Australia.
They do not, however, live in Tasmania.
While they have been exported and introduced elsewhere, there is no evidence that breeding populations exist outside of their native range., Mouse spiders live throughout Australia and are common in populated, suburban areas, outside of the cities.
Their burrows can be found in suburban yards, in pastures, in parklands, and elsewhere., Mouse spiders live throughout Australia.
They inhabit forest environments and dry arid environments.
As a result, they can potentially live in just about every climate in Australia., Mouse spiders do not spin webs, and as a result, are often found on the ground.
In their range, they can be observed on the floor in dark areas of the home.
Thus, if the spider is spinning a web, it is probably not a mouse spider., Mouse spiders are active and vigorous hunters.
You may see them wandering at night chasing their prey.
In fact, mouse spiders can run quite fast., While many species of mouse spiders are night time hunters, they can also be very active in the daytime.
This is especially true during the late summer, fall, and early winter.
In addition, you may see mouse spiders moving around during the day after a heavy rain.
About the Author
Marilyn Clark
Marilyn Clark is an experienced writer with over 8 years of expertise in non profit. Passionate about sharing practical knowledge, Marilyn creates easy-to-follow guides that help readers achieve their goals.
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