American nursery web spider
(Pisaurina mira)
Conservation • Description • Habitat • Ecology • Distribution • Taxonomy
Conservation Status
IUCN Red List
not listed
NatureServe
NNR - Unranked
Minnesota
not listed
Description
Size
Web
Similar Species
Habitat
Ecology
Foraging
Active hunter (Cursorial Hunter)
Prey
Behavior
Life Cycle
Season
Distribution
Sources
Pisaurina mira (Walckenaer, 1837) in Bánki, O., Roskov, Y., Döring, M., Ower, G., Hernández Robles, D. R., Plata Corredor, C. A., Stjernegaard Jeppesen, T., Örn, A., Pape, T., Hobern, D., Garnett, S., Little, H., DeWalt, R. E., Miller, J., Orrell, T., Aalbu, R., Abbott, J., Abreu, C., Acero P, A., et al. (2026). Catalogue of Life (2026-08-26 XR). Catalogue of Life Foundation, Amsterdam, Netherlands. https://doi.org/10.48580/dgyy9
Occurrence
Common
Taxonomy
Class
Order
Suborder
Araneomorphae (Typical Spiders)
Infraorder
Entelegynae
Zoosection
Rta clade (RTA Clade Spiders)
Zoosubsection
Oval calamistrum clade (Oval Calamistrum Clade Spiders)
Superfamily
Lycosoidea (Wolf Spiders and Allies)
Family
Subfamily
Pisaurinae
Genus
Pisaurina
Subordinate Taxa
Synonyms
Dapanus mirus
Dolomedes binotatus
Dolomedes mira
Dolomedes mirus
Dolomedes virgatus
Micrommata canadensis
Micrommata carolinensis
Micrommata marmorata
Micrommata serrata
Micrommata subinflata
Micrommata undata
Ocyale mira
Ocyale undata
Ocyale virgata
Pisaurina mira
Pisaurina mira ssp. subinflata
Pisaurina subinflata
Pisaurina undata
Common Names
American nursery web spider
nursery web spider
Visitor Photos
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I took these pictures of a spider crawling on some grass in my backyard in La Crescent, MN.
Minnesota Seasons Photos
Slideshows
American nursery web spider
DianesDigitals
American nursery web spider (Pisaurina mira)
Andree Reno Sanborn
Visitor Videos
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Other Videos
American nursery web spider (Pisauridae: Pisaurina mira) near Nest
Carl Barrentine
American nursery web spider (Pisauridae: Pisaurina mira) Female
Carl Barrentine
American nursery web spider (Pisauridae: Pisaurina mira) Female Camouflaged
Carl Barrentine
Visitor Sightings
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Luciearl
10/6/2026
Location: Lake Shore, MN
Should the spider go outside? Or house spider?
John Valo
10/9/2026
Short answer: Outside!
While American Nursery Web Spiders occasionally wander into homes, especially during late summer and autumn, they are not indoor/house spiders. They rely on grasses, shrubs, and woods to hunt insects; and on low shrubs or tall weeds to build their nursery webs to protect their egg sacs and newly hatched spiderlings.
They are reluctant to bite and harmless to humans and pets. The easiest way to relocate one is with the classic glass-and-cardboard method, releasing it near bushes or tall grass. However, they are fast, and catching it may not be easy.
Alfredo Colon
8/25/2022
Location: Albany, NY
Alfredo Colon
8/21/2022
Location: Albany, NY
Alfredo Colon
8/19/2022
Location: Albany, NY
Alfredo Colon
8/15/2022
Location: Albany, NY
Alfredo Colon
8/5/2022
Location: Albany, NY
Greg Watson
6/18/2021
Location: La Crescent, MN.
I took these pictures of a spider crawling on some grass in my backyard in La Crescent, MN.
Loren
9/12/2020
Location: Maple Grove, MN
Aaron
6/4/2017
Location: Glen, Minnesota
I have a couple very good pictures of it.
David L. Corgard
6/16/2013
Location: Sherburne County