1980] 
Richman & Whitcomb — Lyssomanes viridis 
129 
and second postembryonic stages was measured in the laboratory; 
however, these were not raised through the various instars. 
Weather information for Tall Timbers was obtained from the 
research station. Rainfall during August 1971 to February 1973 
averaged 11.4 cm (SD = 7.6 cm) with 33.7 cm falling in June 1972 
(hurricane Agnes) and only 1.6 cm falling in September 1972. 
Rainfall during July 1977 through June 1978 averaged 10.9 cm(SD 
= 4.3 cm) per month with a maximum of 16.9 cm in August 1977 
and a minimum of 3.7 cm in October 1977. Relative humidity 
almost always reached 100% at some time during the day except for 
a few days during the winters. 
Results and Discussion 
We found that mating took place in May and that the males 
disappeared by mid-June. Some females lingered on at least until 
August. Gravid females (Figure 2) laid 25-70 eggs (mean 42.7, 
SD=11.6, no. =24) at a height of 33-131 cm (mean 87.9, SD=28.0, 
no. =12) on the magnolia stand from May 31 to July 6. Second 
clutches may have been produced only occasionally as females 
usually guarded the eggs until first instar and females laid second 
clutches only twice (infertile) in the laboratory (not included in egg 
counts). The bright green eggs (Figure 3) were ca. 1 mm in diameter 
and were loosely covered by silk (there was no distinct cocoon). The 
first postembryonic stage (Figure 4 — chorion molted) lasted 32-35.5 
hours (no. of egg masses = 4) and the second postembryonic stage 
(legs free of vitelline membrane) lasted 7 days (no. of egg masses = 
5). The carapace widths (Figure 5) indicated that there were 
probably 7 instars including adult female after second postembryo, 
based on Hagstrum’s (1971 Figure 1) data for laboratory reared 
Lycosidae, Loxoscelidae, Clubionidae and Oxyopidae and for field 
collected Ctenizidae. Males may have one less instar than females. 
The immature stage individuals lasted from June to the next May 
when most matured (Figure 5). Spiderling first instars occurred 
from June to July, most individuals reaching second instar by the 
first of August. The majority reached third to fourth instar in 
September and passed through the winter as third to fifth instars. 
The female’s sixth, or penultimate, instar started to be evident in 
March. Courtship was observed by Richman (in press). 
Immature spiders, especially early instars, fed primarily on 
