Spiders of North Carolina

Arachnids of North Carolina

Order:
Scientific Name: Common Name:		Family (Alpha):

Kukulcania hibernalis - Southern house spider Sole representative of Filistatidae in NC			NC Records	BugGuide Account	Public View

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Distribution Records
PDF

Vetting Levels

Adult phenology:
High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
Piedmont (Pd)
Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge

synonym

taxonomic_comments

The filistatid genus Kukulcania was erected by Lehtinen in 1967 and the type species transferred to it from Filistata.

species_comment

id_comments

Large spiders: the females are robust and a velvety, dusky gray; the males are spindly and lighter brown. The 8 eyes are found on raised tubercle, and their tapeta make them appear noticeably white.

total_length

Females 13-19mm; males 9-10mm

structural_features

silk_web

Messy, flat web, typically radiating out from the spider's tubular retreat.

fld_guide_descriptions

online_photos

prey

predators

behavior

distribution_reference

technical_reference

Lehtinen, P. T. (1967). Classification of the cribellate spiders and some allied families, with notes on the evolution of the suborder Araneomorpha. Annales Zoologici Fennici 4: 199-468.

adult_id

1 identifiable by photo 2 identifiable by photo of specific features and/or supplementary info 3 identifiable from specimen only

abundance

Very common

distribution_comments

Southeastern states, west to Texas.

checklist_mt_high
>=4,000 ft.

Regular	Frequent	Infrequent	Occasional	Seldom	Frequency Regular – almost always observed on given visit; >=90% chance of observation Frequent – usually observed on a given visit; >=50%<90% chance of observation Infrequent – observed less than 50% of visits; >=25%<50% chance of observation Occasional – observed on only on a small minority of visits; >=10%<25% chance of observation Seldom – not usually seen on visits; <10% chance of observation These terms refer to visits to appropriate habitats made at appropriate times of the year, making use of common sampling/observation methods. Under those conditions, Frequency refers to the chance of observing at least one individual on a given visit made anywhere within a particular region, or over multiple visits to a single site.

checklist_mt_low
<4,000 ft.

Regular	Frequent	Infrequent	Occasional	Seldom

checklist_pd
Piedmont

Regular	Frequent	Infrequent	Occasional	Seldom

checklist_cp
Coastal Plain

Regular	Frequent	Infrequent	Occasional	Seldom

habitat

on and in buildings, often found on cinder block walls and loose clapboard, which can afford numerous crevices.

observation_methods

state_protection

NHP_ranks

NHP_status

status_comments

Photo Gallery for Kukulcania hibernalis Southern house spider
	Recorded by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 5 tube webs in holes in the mortar between bricks in a wall in a parking lot	Recorded by: Ken Kneidel Mecklenburg Co. Comment: 5 tube webs in holes in the mortar between bricks in a wall in a parking lot
	Recorded by: Michael Davern Chatham Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Terrell Tucker Moore Co. Comment: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/209255468
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Wilson Co. Comment: Specimen was collected.	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment: FOMA - In fort casemate @ -76.679142, 34.696481
	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment: FOMA - In fort casemate @ -76.679142, 34.696481	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Brunswick Co. Comment: Enjoying an Asian lady beetle for dinner.
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Brunswick Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Brunswick Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Hyde Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Hyde Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Hyde Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Hyde Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment: FOMA - In Bathhouse @ -76.697438, 34.694909	Recorded by: Michael P. Morales Cumberland Co. Comment: Crawling along the wall of one of our picnic shelters at night.
	Recorded by: Michael P. Morales Cumberland Co. Comment: Crawling along the wall of one of our picnic shelters at night.	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Skadi Kylander Hertford Co. Comment: Found in a stairwell of a college building. Also posted on BugGuide.net: https://bugguide.net/node/view/2097795	Recorded by: Skadi Kylander Hertford Co. Comment: Found in a stairwell of a college building. Also posted on BugGuide.net: https://bugguide.net/node/view/2097795
	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment: FOMA	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment: FOMA
	Recorded by: Brian WAGONER Cumberland Co. Comment: Male specimen in school classroom. Photos by Brian WAGONER	Recorded by: Morgan Freese New Hanover Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Donald Zepp Johnston Co. Comment: Found walking in downstairs bathroom	Recorded by: Donald Zepp Johnston Co. Comment: Found walking in downstairs bathroom
	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment: FOMA - In Maintenance Shop @ -76.680785, 34.694982	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment: FOMA - In Maintenance Shop @ -76.680785, 34.694982
	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment: FOMA - Restored room in fort @ -76.678895, 34.696135	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Wilson Co. Comment: Female, with egg sac
	Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman Scotland Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman Scotland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman Scotland Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Shields Onslow Co. Comment: Adult female, found in an office
	Recorded by: S. Crocker and R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment: FOMA - Observed inside maintenance building near bathhouse.

Photo Gallery for Kukulcania hibernalis Southern house spider