Spiders of The

Appalachian
The Importance of Spruce-Fir Moss Spiders and Their
Conservation

A picture of the Appalachian Mountains, home of the spruce-fir moss spider.

Angie Boger

World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF)

Washington, DC
Table of Contents

Abstract …….…………………………..…………………………. 4

Habitat Destruction ….…………………………………….... 4

Habitat Protection and Captive Breeding …….….. 5

Conservation Plan ……………………………………………. 5

Habitat and Population …………………………………………………… 5

Threats …………………………………………………………………………….. 7

Conserving Habitats ………………………………………….………..….... 8

Captive Breeding ……………………………………………………………... 8

Conclusion ………………………………………….……….…... 9

Works Cited ….…………………………………….…………. 10

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Table of Figures

The spruce-fir moss spider ……………………………. 3

Appalachian Spruce-Fir Locations …………………. 6

Fraser fir damaged by acid rain …………………….. 7

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Abstract
In the highest peaks of the Appalachian Mountains lives the smallest species of tarantula, the
spruce-fir moss spider. Spruce-fir moss spiders were
declared endangered in 1995 and are still on the
endangered species list. Only scattered populations of the
spiders have been found. The conservation of these spiders
is important to the ecosystem of the Appalachian
Mountains. The spider is currently being threatened by the
destruction of its habitat by alien species and deforestation.
Conservation methods, such as laws for habitat protection
and captive breeding programs, need to be put in place to
protect the spruce-fir moss spider. This white paper will The spruce-fir moss spider. Catley, Kefyn. “The
Spruce-Fir Moss Spider .” Travis Seaborn
discuss the spruce-fir moss spider’s current population and Research, Travis Seaborn,
www.travisseaborn.com/past-research.html.
limited habitat, threats these spiders face, importance of
their conservation, and necessary conservation methods to protect the species and the forests
it lives in.

Habitat Destruction
The spruce-fir moss spider is in danger of extinction due to threats destroying its habitat. The
populations of these spiders are small and scarce because of their specific habitat needs. Moss
mats that are damp, but not too dry or too wet, are the ideal homes for these spiders
("Spruce-fir Moss Spider."). The threat that endangers this species the most is the destruction
of Fraser firs. These trees to provide a canopy that keep the species’ moss mat homes moist,
preventing the spider from drying out (Schneider). Fraser firs are primarily threatened by a
nonnative species of insect called the balsam wooly adelgids (“Spruce-Fir Moss Spider in North
Carolina.”). The forests also face threat from human caused destruction, such as acid rain and
humans trampling on moss mats.

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Spruce-fir moss spiders are an important part of the Appalachian Mountain ecosystem. The
spiders are the top predators of their microhabitat, eating mites and springtails which holds
importance for the recycling process and the growth of plants (Schneider). Spiders play an
important role in ecosystems as a major food source and regulate insect populations (Skerl).
Extinction of animal species is happening at a larger rate than new species can develop. It’s
important to conserve all species since species of an ecosystem are connected and dependent
on each other (“Spruce-Fir moss spider: Microhexura montivaga”). The loss of these spiders,
and the Fraser firs they depend on, is a danger to the ecosystem of the Appalachian Mountains.

Habitat Protection and Captive Breeding

Certain efforts must be made to conserve spruce-fir moss spiders. The protection of the
spider’s habitat through the removal of adelgid infestations and protection of the species from
destruction by human activities is the primary concern. Chemical pours and sprays are being
used to decrease adelgid infestations and have little effect on other species as well as keep the
trees healthy (Schneider). Protective laws need to be placed to prevent air pollution and keep
humans from damaging areas where the spiders live. People visiting the Appalachian Mountains
must stick to the trail and keep out of areas where the moss mats grow to prevent trampling.
Protected areas should be created for the spiders to keep people out of their homes and fine
those who trespass. Captive breeding programs also need to be introduced to reinstate and
prolong the spider population. Further research on spruce-fir moss spiders can be done
through studying spiders in captive breeding programs to assess threats and continue making
conservation efforts that are helpful for the species.

Conservation Plan

Habitat and Population

Spruce-fir moss spiders live in high elevation forests found on the highest peaks of the Southern
Appalachian Mountains of specific parts of North Carolina, Tennessee, and Virginia. The forests

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these spiders make their home in are populated with Fraser firs and red spruce trees (“Spruce-
Fir moss spider: Microhexura montivaga”). The spider makes its home in damp but well
drained moss mats on rocks in well shaded areas of these forests. The moss cannot be too dry
since the spider dries out easily, but it also cannot be too wet since large drops of water pose a
threat of drowning to the tiny spiders. Spruce-fir moss spiders make tube-shaped webs
between the moss mat and rock surface ("Spruce-fir Moss Spider"). The fir trees are important
to the spider since they keep the moss mats the correct level of moisture as well as provide
shade (Schneider). Since the spiders are dependent on these trees, they only live in the distinct
areas of the Appalachian Mountains where these forests exist. The distinct mountains where fir
trees grow are depicted in the figure below:

Appalachian Spruce-Fir Locations. Stansberry, Brian. “Appalachian

Spruce-Fir Zones.” Wikimedia Commons, 26 May 2009,
commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Appalachian-spruce-fir-zones.png.

The spiders are only known to live in six distinct locations: Swain County, NC; Watauga, and
Caldwell counties, NC; Avery and Mitchell counties, NC; Carter County, TN; and Sevier
County, TN. It is believed that there is no remaining population in Yancy County, NC where
the spiders were once found (“Arachnids: Spruce-Fir moss spider”). Avery and Caldwell
counties have a stable population while the Swain County populations are very small with only
one or two spiders located in the area. The population of spruce-fir moss spiders was found to
be healthy in Sevier County when a survey was conducted in 1989. Unfortunately, the
population was found to be declining when revisited in 1992 ("Spruce-fir Moss Spider"). The

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species faces threat of extinction with the current rate of decline in its already small
populations.

Threats

The biggest threat to these spiders is the destruction and decline of their habitat. Most of the
forests in the southern Appalachian Mountains have suffered a large decline. There has been an
increase in Fraser fir mortality from
infestations of balsam wooly adelgids, a
nonnative insect pest believed to have been
introduced from Europe. These insects kill
mature Fraser firs and the remaining trees
are left vulnerable to storms and other
damage (“Spruce-Fir Moss Spider in North
Carolina.”). Death from these bugs occurs 2
to 7 years after the initial infestation.
Grandfather Mountain has not suffered
Fraser fir damaged by acid rain. Bennett, Chris. “Dead Fraser
Fir.” Flickr, 13 Aug. 2005,
mortality rates, like other spruce-fir forest
www.flickr.com/photos/ionntag/34938345/in/photostream/ locations, but recently adelgids have been
Copy & paste
detected citation
at the site (Harp and Fridell). Ninety-five percent of mature Fraser firs in the
Southern Appalachian have died because of the adelgid pests (Schneider). Red spruce trees are
not affected by these pests but face their own threats. Declines in the forest are caused by past
logging and burning practices, storm damage, air pollution, climate changes, disease, insect
damage, and exposure shock (“Spruce-Fir moss spider: Microhexura montivaga”). Logging and
burning practices in the late 1800s and early 1900s exposed much of the damp substrate that
spiders made their home in and destroyed the organic surface layer of the soil (Hayes et al.). In
Yancy County the red spruce trees have lost 75 to 90 percent of their foliage due to acid rain.
The spiders can no longer be found in this area (Fridell).

The species is dependent on the forest canopy to keep the moss mats they call home
adequately moist through a correct level of humidity. Loss of the forest canopy means
increased light and decreased moisture in the forest causing the moss mats to dry out (Fridell).
The canopy also protects the spiders from exposure to rain since they are extremely small and

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capable of drowning with large drops of water. Moss mats are also fragile and susceptible to
human trampling. Spruce-fir moss spiders are extremely vulnerable to destruction by any single
event or activity because of the restricted range of the surviving populations (Harp and Fridell).

Conserving Habitats

An important part of habitat protection is the conservation of Fraser firs. One of the ways
these trees are being protected are chemical pours and sprays to slow down adelgid
infestations. These treatments have minimal effects on nontarget species and keep trees healthy
when initially sprayed (Schneider). Another way to help keep these forests in tact is protecting
them from deforestation and reducing air pollution. Air pollution can cause acid rain that strips
the trees of their foliage. Spiders depend on this foliage to provide shade and keep their homes
the proper temperature. It is vital to monitor population levels and habitat conditions, as well
as enforce laws to protect the species and its habitat (Harp and Fridell). People visiting to the
Appalachian Mountains must stay on the trails to avoid destruction of moss mats by human
trampling. Vegetation has nearly been destroyed by human trampling on popular high
mountains already (“Spruce-Fir moss spider: Microhexura montivaga”). Areas where these
spiders live need to be restricted from human contact to conserve the limited viable habitats.
Laws need to be put in place to keep people from entering areas where these spiders live and
fine trespassers as punishment. The spiders will be protected from visitors destroying their
homes by stepping on the moss mats by enacting such a law.

Captive Breeding

Habitat conservation is the best method of protecting the species, but a captive breeding
program needs to be enacted in a serious case like this. Spiders can be maintained and bred
inexpensively in captivity (Skerl). A captive-holding/propagation program was started in 1992
with successful maintenance of the species for over 4 years. The only problem with the
program was a lack of successful mating (Harp and Fridell). A solution to this problem might be
found in learning breeding and captivity maintenance techniques from amateur breeders, venom
suppliers, and academic researchers. A zoo program in London has found success with captive
spiders through cooperation between dedicated amateurs and zoo professionals (Skerl).
Further studying and development of breeding techniques and establishing captive populations

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could reestablish the species in areas where they are no longer found. More research and
education on this spider and its habitat is required and can be done through studying spiders
being held in captivity. Knowledge such as the species’ life cycle, including such factors as
reproduction, food requirements, movement patterns, means of dispersal, age and growth, and
mortality rates are necessary to make recovery efforts that are not misdirected. Further
research must also be done towards current and future threats to the species to develop ways
to combat these threats before they become a problem. Genetic studies are also important to
maintain and understand genetic viability and the factors that affect viability (Harp and Fridell).
This will allow us to know if there are enough spiders left to avoid inbreeding and study what
genetic traits have allowed the remaining spiders to survive.

Conclusion
The spruce-fir moss spider is an important part of the Appalachian Mountain ecosystem despite
its miniature size. The spider is the top predator of his microhabitat and contribute to the
growth of new plant life in spruce-fir forests. Conservation efforts and education on this spider
species need to be continued for it to survive threats affecting its habitat. Conserving the
habitat of these spiders through protection from further destruction by humans or invasive
species is necessary because these threats are destroying the trees and moss mats that these
spiders depend on to make their home. Captive breeding can reinstate populations that have
nearly been destroyed and allow the species to be studied. More can be learned about these
spiders and how to create a better conservation plan and conservation methods through
further research into their habitats, current threats, potential threats, and behavioral patterns.
With further funding, the World Wide Fund for Nature can continue to actively maintain and
protect the spruce-fir moss spiders from extinction.

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 Works Cited
“Spruce-Fir moss spider: Microhexura montivaga.” U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, Dec. 2011,
www.fws.gov/asheville/pdfs/SpruceFirMossSpider_factsheet.pdf.
“Arachnids: Spruce-Fir moss spider.” North Carolina, North Carolina Parks,
files.nc.gov/ncparks/481/spruce%20fir%20moss%20spider.pdf.
Schneider, Jane. “Farewell to the World's Smallest Tarantula?” The National Wildlife
Federation, The National Wildlife Federation, 19 Oct. 2017,
www.nwf.org/Magazines/National-Wildlife/2017/Oct-Nov/Conservation/Spruce
Fir-Moss-Spider.
"Spruce-fir Moss Spider." Beacham's Guide to the Endangered Species of North America.
Encyclopedia.com. 1 Mar. 2018, www.encyclopedia.com /environment/science
magazines/spruce-fir-moss-spider.
Fridell, John A. “Proposal to List the Spruce-Fir Moss Spider as an Endangered Species.” U.S.
Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service,
ecos.fws.gov/docs/federal_register/fr2508.pdf.
“Spruce-Fir Moss Spider in North Carolina.” U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, www.fws.gov/nc-es/spider/sprummoss.html.
Harp, Joel, and John A Fridell. “Recovery Plan for the Spruce-Fir Moss Spider.” U.S. Fish and
Wildlife Service, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, 11 Sept. 1998,
ecos.fws.gov/docs/recovery_plan/980911b.pdf.
Skerl, Kevin L. “Spider Conservation in the United States.” University of Michigan, University
of Michigan, www.umich.edu/~esupdate/library/97.03-04/skerl.html.
Hayes, Mathew, et al. “The Influence of Logging and Topography on the Distribution of Spruce-
Fir Forests near Their Southern Limits in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, USA.”
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, The University of North Carolina at
Chapel Hill, 17 May 2006, www.unc.edu/~aaronm/MS/spruce-fir.pdf.

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