There are about 3,400 different types of spiders in North America, so unless you're an entomologist, you probably won't be able to identify every spider you come across in your backyard. One lesser-known spider that you may encounter is the green lynx spider. Here are five things you need to know about them.

How do you identify them?

Green lynx spiders are quite distinctive looking and are easy to identify if you know what you're looking for. Green lynx spiders are large, green spiders.Their bodies are bright green and can reach lengths of up to 22 millimeters (0.85 inches). This measurement does not include their long, slender legs. These legs can be either yellow or green and are covered in black, menacing-looking spines. They typically have red dots on their backs and may also have a red patch between their eyes. 

Where are they found?

You can find these spiders in much of the southern United States. The northern boundary of their range is Maryland, and they are found from California in the west to Florida in the east. Within this range, you may encounter these spiders in outdoor environments like fields and scrub. You can also find them in your backyard or garden. If you look closely, you may spot them crawling across your lawn or sitting on top of leaves or cacti in your garden.

These spiders are very fast and you may see them running across the leaves in your garden, chasing their prey. They can also jump between leaves or branches to cover distances more quickly. 

Are they venomous?

Green lynx spiders are venomous, like all spiders, but fortunately, they're not very aggressive and don't bite people very often. They may bite if you make them feel threatened, so try to avoid picking up these spiders or touching their egg sacs. If you do get bitten, the bite is painful, but not fatal. The worst symptom associated with the bite of these spiders is the swelling. A bite can lead to a painful swelling of up to 25 centimeters (10 inches) in diameter. 

These spiders have also been reported to spit venom, but only when they're feeling very threatened, like if someone tries to pick them up. They can spit venom at targets up to 20 centimeters (7.8 inches) away. The venom can irritate your eyes and may cause conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye. This can cause short-term vision impairment but has not been shown to cause permanent eye problems. 

Do they infest houses?

Green lynx spiders are an outdoor spider. Their green coloring allows them to blend in perfectly in gardens and other outdoor spaces, but it doesn't give them an advantage indoors. They may accidentally wander into your house while they're searching for prey, but they will want to go back outside. 

While they won't infest your house, they may overrun your garden. In the fall, female green lynx spiders build golf ball-sized egg sacs that can contain as many as 600 eggs. 

How can you control them?

If you don't have a lot of green lynx spiders in your yard and garden, consider leaving them alone. They hunt moths that can damage your plants, and are so good at this that they're being considered for use in agricultural pest management.

If you have a lot of these spiders, you can control them by spraying the adults and their egg sacs with insecticides. Look for an insecticide that is designed for outdoor spider control. Residual insecticides are best because they keep working between treatments.

Green lynx spiders are large and can give you a painful bite. To control them, spray them with insecticides or have a pest control company do it for you. Click here to investigate more pest control options.