Effect of temperature on hatching and nest site selection in the Green lynx spider, Peucetia viridans (Araneae:Oxyopidae)

1.Thirty-seven Peucetia viridans egg sacs were incubated at 15, 17.5, 20, 25, 30, 32.5 or 35 °C. Hatching time was inversely proportional to temperature, and no hatching occurred at the extremes (15, 17.5 and 35 °C).2.Mean incubation temperature of egg sacs in natural field habitats was 20.0±0.6 °C and mean time until hatching was 30.8±0.8 days.3.Physical models of egg sacs placed in the field indicated natural incubation sites could vary by as much as 10 °C during the daytime and as little as 1 °C at night. As expected, incubation sites were warmest near the ground and the coolest at the top of vegetation.4.Regardless of egg sac model placement, predicted hatching time only varied by 2-3 days throughout the incubation period.5.Natural egg sac placement sites of P. viridans occurred near the top of vegetation indicating females were not selecting the warmest available microhabitats for egg incubation.