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Orb Weavers come in a variety of colors and patterns, but their spiral shaped webs and rounded abdomen help in identify this helpful garden spider.
Orb Weavers are a commonly seen spider in gardens and trees. They all seem to have a bulbous abdomen and build circular webs that they sit in. Many are orange, brown, and black. Legs of an Orb Weaver are generally very long, giving length to the overall size of the spider. Males are about 6 mm long, while females can be 10 mm to 20 mm long.
Habitats for Orb Weavers range from tall grasses to the quiet corners inside homes and under protected porches. The web is a masterpiece and the Orb Weaver sits in the middle, head facing downwards, waiting for prey to enter. If the spider is not in the middle of the web, it is usually nearby monitoring the web by way of a "signal" line still attached to the spider. The moment anything gets entangled in the sticky web, the signal line vibrates and the spider comes out to finish its work.
It is reported that Orb Weavers re-spin a new web every night. Their proficiency at nighttime hunting and propensity to eat many insects make them a great tool in lowering mosquito populations. If you find an Orb Weaver near your front door or deck, and it is not in an intimidating area for you or your guests, keep it around and you may notice the mosquito population dwindle in the dusk-to-nighttime hours. Webs set among garden plants help with pest control organically.
Taxonomic Hierarchy
Kingdom:Animalia
Phylum:Arthropoda
Class:Arachnida
Order:Araneae
Family:Araneidae
Genus:Araneus
Species:spp.
Identifying Information
Scientific Name: Araneus spp.
Other Name(s): Orb Weaver
Category:
Spider
Size (Adult; Length): 6mm to 20mm (0.23in to 0.78in)
Note: An insect's reach is not limited by lines drawn on a map and therefore species may appear in areas, regions and/or states beyond those listed above as they are driven by environmental factors (such as climate change), available food supplies and mating patterns. Grayed-out selections indicate that the subject in question has not been reported in that particular territory. U.S. states and Canadian provinces / territories are clickable to their respective bug listings.
Spider Anatomy
1
Legs: Spiders have four pairs of legs and these are attached to the cephalothorax.
2
Pedipalps: Small appendages near the mouth used as taste and smell organs.
3
Cephalothorax: Contains eyes, head, mouthparts, and legs.
4
Abdomen: Contains various organs related to digestion, reproduction, and web-making.
5
Spinnerets: Used in the production of spider silk for fashioning webs or catching prey.
NOTE: Unlike insects, spiders have both an endoskeleton (internal) and exoskeleton (external).
Colors: orange, brown, yellow, black, white
