Broad-Faced Sac Spider

The Broad-Faced Sac Spider (Trachelas tranquillus), belongs to the ground sac spider family Trachelidae. Most of the central and eastern United States as well as portions of Canada are included in its range. Male broad-faced sac spiders are between 5 and 6 millimeters long, while females range in length from 7 to 10 millimeters. Their abdomen can range in hue from yellow to light grey, while their chelicerae and carapace are reddish-brown in appearance. Their tiny legs seem orange-red in the meanwhile.

Broad-faced sac spiders spend the day in silken shelters, emerging at night to hunt for prey. They frequently consume other spiders and dead insects, unlike the majority of the other spiders in New Jersey. Their bite has the potential to be very painful and can even spread secondary illnesses.