Eastern Parson Spider - Herpyllus ecclesiasticus

	Eastern Parson Spider - Herpyllus ecclesiasticus Araneae (Spiders) » Araneomorphae (True Spiders) » Entelegynes » Gnaphosidae (Ground Spiders) [2] Live adult eastern parson spider photographed indoors. Size: 12 mm Insects & Spiders \| Spider Pictures \| Spider Index \| Jumping Spiders \| Beetles Index \| Butterflies

This is a really cool, big black spider - but GOD I don't want that thing in my house!

The spider pictured here was found in my second-story office, but I suspect it had somehow wandered into the house and was not in its native habitat. This is a pretty big spider, and might scare the crap out of some people, myself included. I don't want big, black spiders near me. As it happens, spiders of this sort are very secretive, and true to type, this one was determined to avoid my camera flash.

The ground spiders (family Gnaphosidae) include nearly 2,000 described species in over 100 genera worldwide. Ground spiders are characterized by their longer cylindrical anterior spinnerets being far enough apart that the median spinners are visible.

Ground spiders do not build webs for prey capture, but are active nocturnal hunters, mostly of other spiders. [1] They chase down their prey much like the wolf spiders (family Lycosidae) or the jumping spiders (family Salticidae). They spend the day in a silken retreat. The thick-walled egg sacs are guarded by the mother until the spiderlings hatch. [3]

Common name derives from the dorsal abdominal stripe resembling an old-style cravat worn by clergy in the 18th century. [2]

References

Thomas Eisner, Maria Eisner, and Melody Siegler, Secret Weapons: Defenses of Insects, Spiders, Scorpions, and Other Many-Legged Creatures (Belknap Press, 2005).
Bugguide.net, Herpyllus ecclesiasticus (Eastern Parson Spider)
Watson, L., and Dallwitz, M.J. 2004 onwards. The families of spiders in the British Isles.