### Identification The Green Lynx Spider (*Peucetia viridis*) is a living emerald. This medium-sized spider—females reach 20mm, while males are smaller and more slender—is instantly recognizable by its translucent, neon-green cephalothorax and abdomen. Look closely at the legs: they are pale green or yellow, bristling with prominent, needle-like black spines (macrosetae) that give it a "thorny" appearance. Unlike orb-weavers, it has a high, narrow "forehead" with eight eyes arranged in a distinct hexagonal pattern. While it resembles its American cousin *P. viridans*, *P. viridis* is primarily an Old World species, often distinguished by more subtle red spotting on the legs and its specific Afro-Mediterranean distribution.
### Habitat & Range You’ll find this species basking in sun-drenched environments across the Mediterranean basin, Africa, and parts of the Middle East. It favors low-lying vegetation, particularly aromatic scrublands, coastal maquis, and garden shrubs. It is a master of camouflage among green leaves and is frequently spotted on flowering plants like *Cistus* or wild herbs, where it waits at the perfect elevation—usually knee-high—to intercept pollinators.
### Behaviour A diurnal hunter, the Green Lynx does not spin a web to catch prey. Instead, it is an active "sit-and-wait" predator. You’ll often see it draped over a leaf, perfectly still, until a vibration triggers a lightning-fast strike. Females are remarkably maternal; they construct a silken, straw-colored egg sac and guard it with fierce devotion, often refusing to eat while they wait for their spiderlings to emerge.
### Diet These are the "aerial acrobats" of the spider world. They hunt butterflies, bees, wasps, and moths. Because they possess keen eyesight and powerful legs, they can leap several times their body length to snatch a fly mid-air, pinning it down with those spine-covered legs before delivering a paralyzing bite.
### Fascinating Fact The Green Lynx Spider is one of the few spiders known to "spit." When threatened by a large predator or a curious human, it can spray venom from its chelicerae over a distance of nearly 20 centimeters, aimed specifically at the eyes of the intruder to cause temporary irritation and facilitate a quick escape!