We found this spider on the fading blooms of some peacock orchids (Acidanthera) this afternoon. It is a green lynx spider, Peucetia viridans, probably a male as they tend to be more slender than females. The green lynx, named for its cat-like habit of pouncing on its prey, is a common garden spider in southern California, ranging from coast to coast in the southern United States as well as Mexico and Central America.
According to the Galveston County Master Gardeners, the green lynx spider is known to prey on beneficial insets such as butterflies, honeybees, pollinating flies, wasps, and other nectaring insects, but is of interest in agricultural pest management as an important predator of crop-damaging insects such as harmful caterpillars.
I was painting empty house in Rancho Cucamonga when first incountered the green lynx spider. I walked into a dropped family room and saw this big green spider on the other side of the cieling about 15-20 feet away. When i started investigating it from as far as i could be away from it, it started tracking me from across the room I've never seen a spider do that before especialy from that distance. So i told myself that there was no way that i was working in the same house as that thing so ran over got a broom and when i came back maybe 10 seconds it was gone. looking around and found it on the wall next to me it had cover that entire distance and I'm pretty sure he was after me, so i killed him.
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