Arachnids of North Carolina
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View Araneidae Members: NC Records

Mastophora timuqua - a bolas spider

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Taxonomy
Order: ARANEAEInfraorder: AraneomorphaeFamily: Araneidae                                                                                 
Comments: Common name refers to this genus' practice of snaring prey in mid-flight by swinging a silk line with an adhesive blob on the end, similar to the bolas used by Argentinian gauchos.
Identification
Online Description/Photos: BugGuide Google, iNaturalist, Wikipedia, GBIFTechnical Description: Spiders of North America - Bradley; Bugguide
Comments: Abdomen a light brown with two sets of dimples on a shiny dorsal surface with no hairs. Cephalothorax is a darker brown with bumps, legs are light brown with dark rings on legs. M. timuqua is distinguished by others in the genus by lacking dorsal abdominal pattern and by having ringed legs.
Total Length: Small to medium sized, females up to 17mm, males up to 2 mm.Adult ID: identifiable by photo of specific features and/or supplementary info
Distribution in North Carolina
Comments: Scattered records from North Carolina to northern Florida. Bolas spiders mate in late summer. In late fall, the female spider attaches several egg-sacs suspended in the vicinity of her retreat; each one is larger than herself and contains a few hundred eggs. Males emerge as re-productively capable adults.
County Map: Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Adult phenology:
 High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
 Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
 Piedmont (Pd)
 Coastal Plain (CP)

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Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
Observation Methods: Visual observation.
Abundance/Frequency: Uncommon.
Silk / Web: Bolas spiders' minimal web is explained by the fact that they have evolved the ability to mimic moth pheromones. Male moths approach from downwind. When the moth is close enough, the spider flings a coiled ball of gluey silk to entangle its prey. The spider pulls in its line and bites the prey. Both tiny males and immature females hunt without the aid of a bolas. They use a different odor lure to attract male psychodid flies by hunting at the edge of leaves. The sticky bolas ball dries quickly, so adult spiders consume the bolas after at most half an hour if the hunt was fruitless.
Prey: Flying insects; certain species specialize on particular species of moths, to the point of releasing mimics of their pheromones in order to attract prey (virtually all male moths) within capture range.
Predators: Five species of hymenopteran parasitoids are known to attack Mastophora eggs.
Behavior: Sits on top of leaf surface, looking very much like an insect gall. When egg sacs hatch they release immature females and *mature* males! Presumably an adaptation to avoid inbreeding. Males are short-lived and much smaller (obviously) than females. When disturbed they give off an odor that is detectable at close range.
Status in North Carolina
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