Fishing Spiders – Dolomedidae

Fishing spiders, or Dolomedidae, are a group of large hunting spiders associated with water and damp habitats. In New Zealand they are best known from the genus Dolomedes, with different species found along river margins, lakeshores, wetlands, and forested streams.

Unlike orb-weavers, fishing spiders do not rely on a capture web. Instead, they hunt by detecting vibrations on the water’s surface or by searching along the water’s edge, where they prey on insects and other small animals. Some New Zealand species are strongly tied to waterways, while others are more often found in scrub, wetland, and low vegetation.

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