The Bay Area’s Most Wanted Spider is a citizen science program that involves the public in Academy research by helping us obtain baseline data for the distribution and spread of the newly introduced Zoropsis spinimana spiders. Major goals include:

• Documenting the current distribution of Zoropsis spinimana spiders in the Bay Area
• Mapping the spread of these invasive spiders
• Allowing the community to experience scientific discovery firsthand:

Arachnologists at the California Academy of Sciences are interested in documenting the current distribution and spread of Zoropsis spinimana spiders introduced into California. You can help us do this by sending a photo or specimen of any potential Zoropsis spiders you discover! (Santa Clara County residents: Please send photographs only.)

Once the Academy Arachnologists confirm you have a Zoropsis we will add the data to our records.

View the map. Click here to see the current distribution map for Zoropsis spinimana within the Bay Area.

Fill out the data sheet. You can get the data sheet at the Naturalist Center front desk or download the PDF file here.

Shipping Live spiders. If you have a live specimen, put it in a non-glass container with a crumpled paper towel, which will give the spider something to hold on to and hide in during its trip to the California Academy of Sciences. If you mail the spider, please place the container in a box with sufficient protective packing. You do not have to put holes in the container for air. There will be plenty of air in the container already for the spider to survive the trip.

Shipping Dead spiders. If the spider is dead and you are mailing it, soak the spider in rubbing alcohol for a day or two before sending it to keep the spider from decomposing during shipping. On the day of mailing, pour off the alcohol before packaging up the spider because it is complicated to mail flammable liquids. If you do wish to send the spider in alcohol, please consult your local post office as to the regulations.

Sending photos. You can use a simple digital camera or even the camera from your cell phone to take a low resolution picture. E-mail the picture together with the data sheet to wantedspider@calacademy.org.

Mail specimens to:
ATTN: Bay Area’s Most Wanted Spider
Naturalist Center
California Academy of Sciences
55 Music Concourse Drive
San Francisco, CA 94118

• The first California reports of Zoropsis spinimana were from the Sunnyvale area of Santa Clara County in 1992. Since then the spider has mostly spread north and east around the San Francisco Bay area with specimens found throughout Santa Clara, San Mateo and Alameda Counties.
• Despite the fact that this spider is large enough to be intimidating, Zoropsis spinimana is harmless.
• It is a hunting spider (like wolf spiders), meaning it does not spin a web or use silk to subdue prey. Its silk is used primarily by the female to cover her egg sac.
• Like most spiders, its diet is primarily insects; however there is very little information available about the biology of this spider.

• 3/4" in body length and 1-1/2" to 2" long including legs.
• Eight eyes arranged in two rows of four, which gently curve toward the rear of the body.
• Light to Dark brown, peppered with grayish spots on the legs and abdomen. On the dorsal side of the abdomen, there is usually a dark pattern that flares outward two or three times before constricting to a pointed end.
• Zoropsis spiders look like wolf spiders but have much smaller eyes.

Key Statistics

Distribution Maps

Datasheet

Citizen Science Video

Identify Your Spider in the
Naturalist Center

Other Academy Projects