The tiny Linville Caverns spider blends in well with the surrounding rock. Photo by Brian Bockhahn
North Carolina state legislators could soon vote on a bill that would make the Linville Caverns spider an official symbol of the state, accompanying the cardinal, the Frasier fir and the dogwood.
N.C. Sen. Ralph Hise (R) is the primary sponsor for the bill, S.B. 195. He first introduced the bill in 2017 and reintroduced it March 2021. The bill awaits a vote in the Senate Committee on Rules and Operations.
The Linville Caverns spider, also known as Nesticus carolinensis, is a subspecies of cave cobweb spider with orange-white coloring. These elusive arachnids have very small bodies that blend in with rock. Males can grow to be 4.5 millimeters in length, whereas females are closer to 3.5 millimeters long.