Giant lichen orb weaver is indigenous throughout parts of the United States and Canada. The enormously large size of these spiders earns them their name.
Size: Females spiders are 0.78 – 1.18 inches (2 – 3 cm) while males are around 0.39 inches (1 cm).
Color: Their abdomen has blotches of light green or reddish-brown. They also have blotchy green legs, with a reddish-orange base and a black band.
Other Characteristic Features: They have prominent humps on their abdomen.
This species lays eggs in a silk sac that the female spider spin prior to the reproduction period.
The spiderlings have a pale green body and mostly disperse from their kin in a few days after hatching.
The Giant lichen orb weaver makes orb-shaped or spiral webs with a diameter of up to 8 feet. They do not stay in the middle of their web in an upside-down posture. Instead, these spiders sit at the edge, waiting for their prey.
The giant lichen orb weaver rarely bites, and though their venom is harmful to their prey, it is not dangerous to humans.
| Lifespan | 1 year |
| Distribution | Southeastern Canada and United States (eastern part) |
| Habitat | Forests |
| Diet | Insects and wasps |
Image Source: Pestcontrolcanada.com, Live.staticflickr.com, A4.pbase.com
Giant lichen orb weaver is indigenous throughout parts of the United States and Canada. The enormously large size of these spiders earns them their name.
Size: Females spiders are 0.78 – 1.18 inches (2 – 3 cm) while males are around 0.39 inches (1 cm).
Color: Their abdomen has blotches of light green or reddish-brown. They also have blotchy green legs, with a reddish-orange base and a black band.
Other Characteristic Features: They have prominent humps on their abdomen.
This species lays eggs in a silk sac that the female spider spin prior to the reproduction period.
The spiderlings have a pale green body and mostly disperse from their kin in a few days after hatching.
The Giant lichen orb weaver makes orb-shaped or spiral webs with a diameter of up to 8 feet. They do not stay in the middle of their web in an upside-down posture. Instead, these spiders sit at the edge, waiting for their prey.
The giant lichen orb weaver rarely bites, and though their venom is harmful to their prey, it is not dangerous to humans.
| Lifespan | 1 year |
| Distribution | Southeastern Canada and United States (eastern part) |
| Habitat | Forests |
| Diet | Insects and wasps |
Image Source: Pestcontrolcanada.com, Live.staticflickr.com, A4.pbase.com
Sahana Kanjilal on June 24, 2020.
Dr. Watuwa James
© 2023 (Spider Identifications). All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited.
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