Green Lynx Spiders (Peucetia viridans)

Maybe another sign of autumn. The Green Lynx spiders (Peucetia viridans) have appeared in the butterfly bush. I’ve seen a few now. There aren’t a lot of insects around the bush at the moment. The heat has suppressed flowering after the spring and the bush is just starting to show signs of new leaf and flower development for autumn. Fiery skippers and the occasional Silver-spotted skippers have been the main visitors to the bush. The Green Lynx spiders have been catching Fiery skippers.

Yesterday morning I found a female Green Lynx that had caught a skipper.

A male Green Lynx spider was also there.

He would approach the female. She would drop down a little on her silk and then climb up again when he retreated a little. This was repeated many times. I am not sure if he wanted to steal her butterfly or if his intentions were amorous. In either case, the female was not letting him near her meal.

Identification resource:
- BugGuide: Green Lynx Spider (Peucetia viridans) [Male] [Female]
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