# Six-Spotted Fishing Spider (*dolomedes triton*) The Six-Spotted Fishing Spider (Dolomedes triton) is a remarkable semi-aquatic arachnid found near calm bodies of water across North America. Often seen resting on lily pads or floating vegetation, this agile predator does not spin webs to catch its prey. Instead, it relies on its excellent vision and specialized sensory hairs to detect vibrations in the water surface. Famously capable of walking on water, it can dive beneath the surface to escape predators or chase down aquatic prey, including small fish and tadpoles. It is a fascinating example of adaptation, showcasing how land-dwelling arachnids can dominate aquatic edge habitats. - **Category:** [Invertebrate](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/invertebrate) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 5 - **Habitat:** Found near the margins of slow-moving or still freshwater habitats, such as ponds, lakes, marshes, and swamps, where floating vegetation is abundant. ![Six-Spotted Fishing Spider](https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/68711/medium.jpg) Photo: Benny Mazur, CC BY 4.0 · [iNaturalist](https://www.inaturalist.org/photos/68711) ## Appearance This large spider is easily identified by its dark greenish-brown to grey body, adorned with a striking pale white or cream stripe running along each side of its cephalothorax and abdomen. On its underside, it features six distinct dark spots, which give the species its common name. The abdomen also boasts several pairs of small white spots. Females are significantly larger than males, with a body length reaching up to 2.6 centimeters, and long, robust legs that can extend the total span to over 6 centimeters. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Arachnida - **Order:** Araneae - **Family:** Dolomedidae - **Genus:** Dolomedes ## Interesting facts - Despite their large size and aquatic hunting habits, these spiders are harmless to humans and will typically dive or swim away when approached. - Female fishing spiders are devoted mothers, carrying their large, silken egg sac in their jaws until the eggs are ready to hatch, then building a protective nursery web for the spiderlings. - They can remain submerged underwater for over half an hour, utilizing an air bubble trapped on their abdomen like a tiny scuba tank. ## Special abilities - **Surface Tension Walk:** Uses hydrophobic hairs on its tarsi to distribute weight, allowing it to skate rapidly across the water's surface without sinking. - **Subaquatic Diving:** Can submerge underwater for up to 30 minutes by trapping a silvery bubble of air around its body using specialized water-repellent hairs. - **Vibration Sensing:** Employs sensitive leg hairs called trichobothria to detect ripples made by struggling insects or tiny fish on the water's surface from several inches away. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 1+ cm - **Weight:** 0.001+ kg - **Lifespan:** 1+ years - **Speed:** 3 km/h - **Clutch Size:** 200+ - **Incubation:** 14+ days ## Diet & Feeding An opportunistic ambush predator that feeds on terrestrial insects that fall into the water, as well as small aquatic organisms. - **Age differences:** Juveniles feed mostly on small aquatic and terrestrial insects, while mature adults are large enough to capture small vertebrates like fish and tadpoles. - **Primary Foods:** Mosquito larvae, Damselflies, Tadpoles, Small minnows, Water striders - **Foraging Method:** Ambush ## Ecological connections - **Hunts:** Common House Mosquito (*Culex pipiens*) — The spider actively hunts and consumes mosquito larvae on the water surface. - **Eaten by:** [Bluegill](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bluegill) (*Lepomis macrochirus*) — This spider is frequently preyed upon by predatory fish sharing its aquatic habitat. - **Eaten by:** [American Bullfrog](https://www.snappit.app/explore/american-bullfrog) (*Lithobates catesbeianus*) — Large frogs readily capture and eat these spiders when they skate too close to the shoreline. ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low No special safety notes yet. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Six-Spotted Fishing Spider? Compare body proportions, leg shape, abdomen markings and the web, if there is one. Eye arrangement can be decisive but rarely shows up in a casual phone photo. A web is a supporting clue, not proof of who built it. Spider Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Six-Spotted Fishing Spider? 1+ cm ### How much does Six-Spotted Fishing Spider weigh? 0.001+ kg ### How long does Six-Spotted Fishing Spider live? 1+ years ### How fast can Six-Spotted Fishing Spider move? 3 km/h ### What does Six-Spotted Fishing Spider eat? An opportunistic ambush predator that feeds on terrestrial insects that fall into the water, as well as small aquatic organisms. ### Where is Six-Spotted Fishing Spider usually found? Found near the margins of slow-moving or still freshwater habitats, such as ponds, lakes, marshes, and swamps, where floating vegetation is abundant. ### How does Six-Spotted Fishing Spider hunt? Ambush ## Where to spot - [Circleville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/circleville-historic-district) — Ohio, US · Historic District - [Hudson Falls Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/hudson-falls-historic-district) — New York, US · Historic District - [Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/kenilworth-park-and-aquatic-gardens) — District of Columbia, US · Botanical Garden - [Rogerson's Village Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rogersons-village-historic-district) — Massachusetts, US · Historic District - [Silver Springs](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/silver-springs) — Florida, US · Zoo [View all places to see Six-Spotted Fishing Spider](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/six-spotted-fishing-spider) ## More Invertebrate - [Coral](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coral) - [Crab Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/crab-spider) (*Mecaphesa asperata*) - [Garden Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-spider) (*Araneus diadematus*) - [Brown Recluse Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-recluse-spider) (*Loxosceles reclusa*) --- Source: [Six-Spotted Fishing Spider: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/six-spotted-fishing-spider)