Try for Free
tab list
Picture Insect
English
arrow
English
繁體中文
日本語
Español
Français
Deutsch
Pусский
Português
Italiano
한국어
Nederlands
العربية
Home Application Download FAQ
English
English
繁體中文
日本語
Español
Français
Deutsch
Pусский
Português
Italiano
한국어
Nederlands
العربية
Icon about
About
Icon about
General Info
Icon about
Search Tips
Icon about
Harmful or Not
Icon about
Common FAQs
Icon about
Similar Insects
Icon about
Popular Insects
Great raft spider

Great raft spider

Dolomedes plantarius

A species of Fishing spiders

The great raft spider or fen raft spider (Dolomedes plantarius) is a European species of spider in the family Pisauridae. Like other Dolomedes spiders, it is semiaquatic, hunting its prey on the surface of water. It occurs mainly in neutral to alkaline, unpolluted water of fens and grazing marsh.

General Info About Great raft spider
Instantly identify insects with a snap
Snap a photo for instant insect ID and risk assessment, gaining quick insights on bite assessment, toxicity, pest control, behavior, habitat, and safe interaction tips, etc.
Download the App for Free
Rectangle
Attributes of Great raft spider
Colors
Brown
Black
Habitat
The great raft spider, as with most other Dolomedes species, is a semi-aquatic spider. It inhabits lowland fen and grazing marsh areas and is dependent on the presence of standing or slow moving neutral to alkaline water. Within these areas it can be found on the margins of pools or ditches. Emergent vegetation is highly important for use as perches for hunting and basking and to support nursery webs. As a warmth loving species they avoid areas where water surfaces are shaded.
Adult Food Sources
Larger insects like dragonflies, grasshoppers, and flies, aquatic invertebrates such as leeches, snails, and small fish, amphibian larvae, juvenile fish, other spiders, potentially including those of the same species
Larva Food Source
Small aquatic invertebrates, water fleas, insect larvae, recently hatched tadpoles, smaller spiders from different species
Biting/stinging
Not reported
Allergy-causing
Not reported
Pollinator
Not reported
Pest-Eating Predatory
Not reported
Phytophagous
Not reported
Predatory
Not reported
Biting animal or pet
Not reported
qrcode
Img download isoImg download android
Rectangle
Species Status of Great raft spider
Although the species is widely distributed in Europe, under-recording and confusion over identification make assessment of its status difficult. Populations are known to have declined substantially throughout its range particularly in western and central areas but remaining populations are believed to be well established in Scandinavia and the Baltic States. These reductions in population are primarily due to the degradation and loss of habitat. The great raft spider is listed as a vulnerable species on the IUCN Red List.
Rectangle
Predators of Adult Great raft spider
Birds, mammals, larger spiders, reptiles
Rectangle
Interesting Facts About Great raft spider
The great raft spider has the remarkable ability to walk on water, using its hydrophobic legs to glide over ponds and streams in search of prey.
Rectangle
Scientific Classification of Great raft spider
Tips for Finding Great raft spider
Your ultimate guide to understanding insects
Unlock the secrets of insect life cycles, habitats, behaviors and observation tips!!
Download the App for Free
Rectangle
Youth Habitat of Great raft spider
Freshwater Habitats
Rectangle
When is the Best Time to Observe Great raft spider
The best time to find great raft spider is usually at night or early morning, as they are nocturnal hunters who rest during the day.
Rectangle
What is the Best Weather to Observe Great raft spider
Mild weather with high humidity is optimal for great raft spider activity, particularly after rainfall when their prey is also active.
Rectangle
How and Where Can You Find Great raft spider at Different Life Stages
Egg Great raft spider egg sacs are often hidden in protected locations near the water. Look for silken sacs attached to vegetation or under rocks near the water's edge.
Juvenile Great raft spider spiderlings disperse and can be found near water. Locate them on low vegetation or on the water's surface, where they practice their hunting skills.
Great raft spider juveniles are bigger and start to show adult-like behavior. They can be found nearer to or on the water, often resting on vegetation or hunting.
Adult Great raft spider adults are large and can be found around the edges of water bodies. During mating season, males can be found wandering in search of females. Look for great raft spider on low-hanging branches, docks, or stones close to or on the water's surface.
Are Great raft spider harmful?
Your Complete Pest Control Guide
Discover effective tips for preventing and eliminating pest infestations to keep bugs away from your home.
Download the App for Free
Common Questions People Also Ask
Get Quick Insect Answers with a Snap
Snap a photo for instant insect ID and answers on bites, toxicity, pest control, behavior, habitat, and safety tips!
Download the App for Free
More Insects that are Similar to Great raft spider
Common white-flanked water spider
Common white-flanked water spider

Distinctive for its semi-aquatic lifestyle, common white-flanked water spider exhibits a remarkable adaptation to life both in and out of water. While the adults are consummate hunters on land, skillfully capturing prey with their agile movements, the juveniles take refuge in the water, displaying surprising dexterity in this unusual habitat. Their diet is predominantly carnivorous, ranging from aquatic insects to small land invertebrates.

Read More
Arrow
Nursery web spider
Nursery web spider

The nursery web spider (Pisaura mirabilis) is not something you would expect in a nursery rhyme. Instead, it earns its name from the web it spins to hold its young. It is identified by having long legs and a slender abdomen, with one pair of the legs being longer than the rest. It is one of the few spiders that offers a nuptial gift, which females bite into when beginning to mate.

Read More
Arrow
White-banded fishing spider
White-banded fishing spider

The white-banded fishing spider (Dolomedes vittatus) can be identified with a combination of white bands and dark spots located on its body. You can often see it walking on water with a safety line back to dry line when huntings its prey. They are part of a group known as nursery web spiders, meaning they have a web sac inside of a tent for their young.

Read More
Arrow
Dark Fishing Spider
Dark Fishing Spider

The dark Fishing Spider (Dolomedes tenebrosus) can hold air on the small hairs of its body so that it can breathe underwater and catch tadpoles. If approached near the water, they tend to dart under the surface and run away. Much like the wolf spider (Lycosidae), it does not use webbing to hunt. Instead, it uses webbing as a nursery for their young.

Read More
Arrow
Striped fishing spider
Striped fishing spider

Like most people who like to fish, the striped fishing spider (Dolomedes scriptus) feel most at home in the middle of nowhere, near the side of a lake. Fisher spiders wait for their prey using the ripples of water, just like a bobber and a rod. These are identified with their dark brown body and a stripe down each side of it.

Read More
Arrow
Nursery web spider
Nursery web spider

The nursery web spider (Dolomedes minor) builds its thick, cotton-like webs into a nest-like structure to protect its young. The nests are usually built on low shrubs, and the females lay their eggs inside the structures. During the day, the adults are active, but at night the females always return to guard the nest.

Read More
Arrow
Raft spider
Raft spider

Equipped with supreme aquatic skills, raft spider astounds with its ability to sprint across water, a talent facilitated by hydrophobic hairs on its feet. An adept ambush predator, it is known to consume aquatic prey like fish, a dietary habit unusual among its terrestrial counterparts. This unique feeding strategy is complemented by its ability to remain submerged underwater for extended periods, a trait that reinforces its status as an aquatic specialist within its realm.

Read More
Arrow
Striped fishing spider
Striped fishing spider

Adorned with a pattern of stripes along its body, striped fishing spider is an adept semi-aquatic predator, often found skimming the surfaces of freshwater habitats. Remarkably, it possesses the ability to detect and capture prey not just above water, but also beneath the surface, due to its specialized hairs that sense vibrations, enabling it to snag insects, small fish, and amphibians. As part of its life cycle, offspring are carried on the mother's back after hatching, showcasing a unique aspect of its reproductive behavior.

Read More
Arrow
Other Popular Insects
Western honey bee
Western honey bee

Western honey bee(Apis mellifera) is the most common species of honeybee in the world. Among the first domesticated insects, its cultural and economic impact on humanity has been vast and far-reaching, providing honey, wax and its services as a pollinator. Western honey bee faces challenges worldwide, such as colony collapse disorder, and populations are thought to be decreasing.

Read More
Arrow
Monarch butterfly
Monarch butterfly

The monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus) is the most recognizable butterfly in North America. It is best known for its appearance, but should be better known for the fact that it has a 3000-mile migration that takes the butterfly 4 generations to complete. Their diet is also a natural deterrent for predators, as they eat milkweed, a poison that induces vomiting.

Read More
Arrow
Japanese rhinoceros beetle
Japanese rhinoceros beetle

The japanese rhinoceros beetle (Trypoxylus dichotomus) is a massive beetle about the size of the palm of a hand. It's distinguished by its long Y-shaped horn, which it uses to fight other males with. It's a nocturnal bug that feeds on sap and sweet fruits. This species is sometimes kept as a pet due to its unique appearance and simple care requirements.

Read More
Arrow
Silkworm
Silkworm

The silken threads produced by silkworm during its larval stage have been highly coveted for millennia, manifesting as a luxurious fabric in human society. Remarkably, this creature has a singular diet, feeding exclusively on the leaves of its primary host plant from which it extracts the necessary nutrients to facilitate its transition into a non-feeding, winged adult.

Read More
Arrow
Menelaus blue morpho
Menelaus blue morpho

Menelaus blue morpho (Morpho menelaus) is a gorgeous butterfly with large, royal blue wings. Linnaeus named the genus Morpho the Aphrodite-Ancient Greek goddess of love and beauty for its extreme beauty. It is native to tropical rainforests. Though many butterfly gardens now cultivate them in captivity, there are still many people who never get a chance to see them.

Read More
Arrow
Atlas moth
Atlas moth

While the atlas moth (Attacus atlas) can't tell you where to find your country on the map, it does earn its name through other means. It is one of the largest moths in the world, with a wingspan that is far larger than its body, creating an abnormal comparison. In India, their silk is gathered in a non-commercial capacity and is considered to be more durable than the domestic silkworm.

Read More
Arrow
Flying peacock spider
Flying peacock spider

Both sexes reach about 5 mm in body length. Females and immatures of both sexes are brown but have color patterns by which they can be distinguished from related species. Also, the males dance to attract females.

Read More
Arrow
Multicolored asian ladybeetle
Multicolored asian ladybeetle

Often confused for the ladybug, multicolored asian ladybeetle (Harmonia axyridis) is a separate species that, unlike the ladybug, is a household pest. It is considered particularly annoying for its habit of returning to places from which it is removed. One of the most variable species in the world, there are many different colors and patterns multicolored asian ladybeetle may display, making identification potentially difficult.

Read More
Arrow