Arabesque orb-weaver of the Araneidae family is a common orb-weaving spider indigenous throughout North America. However, being a species of Neoscona genus, they are found in abundance in other continents too.
Size: Females who are 0.20 to 0.28 inches (5 to 7mm) long are slightly bigger than males, having a body length of 0.20 to 0.24 inches (5 to 6 mm).
Color: Their colors vary from brown to orange, while some could even have a black or gray body.
Other Characteristic Features: Their most prominent feature is the swirling patterns on their abdomen in the form of curves and dashes, seen in both sexes. While females have a rounder and broader abdomen, the males pose a slender appearance.
Like most orb-weaver spiders, their egg sac, containing many small, round eggs remain safely wrapped beneath a leaf.
The juvenile spiderlings begin dispersing from their family after a while, starting to spin webs and also hunt for their prey.
The females spin a vertical, circular web with a diameter of 5.9 – 17.7 inches (15 – 45 cm, and 18 – 20 radii. There are two threads for opening and crossing the center of the web. At night, the female species rests in the middle of the web, with her abdominal tip pushed through the space that is opened. In the day, however, she remains away from her web, hidden within a curled leaf.
They are not considered dangerous to humans, and there have been no reports of these spiders inflicting harm.
| Distribution | Throughout North America |
| Habitat | Forests, human structures, gardens, and fields |
| Diet | Small insects and other spiders |
| Lifespan | About 1 year |
Image Source: Alchetron.com
Arabesque orb-weaver of the Araneidae family is a common orb-weaving spider indigenous throughout North America. However, being a species of Neoscona genus, they are found in abundance in other continents too.
Size: Females who are 0.20 to 0.28 inches (5 to 7mm) long are slightly bigger than males, having a body length of 0.20 to 0.24 inches (5 to 6 mm).
Color: Their colors vary from brown to orange, while some could even have a black or gray body.
Other Characteristic Features: Their most prominent feature is the swirling patterns on their abdomen in the form of curves and dashes, seen in both sexes. While females have a rounder and broader abdomen, the males pose a slender appearance.
Like most orb-weaver spiders, their egg sac, containing many small, round eggs remain safely wrapped beneath a leaf.
The juvenile spiderlings begin dispersing from their family after a while, starting to spin webs and also hunt for their prey.
The females spin a vertical, circular web with a diameter of 5.9 – 17.7 inches (15 – 45 cm, and 18 – 20 radii. There are two threads for opening and crossing the center of the web. At night, the female species rests in the middle of the web, with her abdominal tip pushed through the space that is opened. In the day, however, she remains away from her web, hidden within a curled leaf.
They are not considered dangerous to humans, and there have been no reports of these spiders inflicting harm.
| Distribution | Throughout North America |
| Habitat | Forests, human structures, gardens, and fields |
| Diet | Small insects and other spiders |
| Lifespan | About 1 year |
Image Source: Alchetron.com
Mumpi Ghosh on July 8, 2020.
Dr. Watuwa James
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