The marbled orb-weaver, belonging to the class Arachnida, is one of the good-looking spiders. Their abdomen has several marble-like patterns which are the reason behind the name.
Size: Females are 0.35-0.8 in (9-20 mm) while males are around 0.19-0.35 in (5-9 mm).
Color: Orange or light brown legs and carapaces along with black or white stripes at the leg end. The abdomen is orange, yellow or white having white, grey or black marble-like patterns.
Other Characteristic Features: The abdomen is oval and their tibial spines are of two types.
Around hundred eggs are released inside a fluffy and silky flat sphere-shaped egg cocoon or sac in October. All eggs are orange.
Spiderlings emerge from the eggs in the spring and they live on the silk of the egg sacs. Within the July, they become fully adult.
The vertically oriented web usually has a signal thread which vibrates when a prey is captured and the spider then come out to devour it.
Its venom is only effective on its preys to paralyze them. If it bites humans there is just a mark with no such serious injury.
Quick Facts |
|
Also known as | Pumpkin spider |
Distribution | Texas, North Dakota, northern Rockies, Alaska and all over in Canada |
Habitat | Grasses, shrubs, woods near water bodies like ponds, streams, creeks |
Web Type | Orb web |
Diet | Small insects |
Mode of Communication | Through pheromones, touch, and vibrations |
Lifespan | 6 months |
Predators | blue mud daubers, spider wasps, white-trimmed black wasp, organ pipe mud daubers |
IUCN Conservation Status | Not listed |
Image Credits: 2.bp.blogspot.com, Minnesotaseasons.com, C1.staticflickr.com, Mrhyker.tripod.com, Farm4.static.flickr.com,
lh6.ggpht.com
The marbled orb-weaver, belonging to the class Arachnida, is one of the good-looking spiders. Their abdomen has several marble-like patterns which are the reason behind the name.
Size: Females are 0.35-0.8 in (9-20 mm) while males are around 0.19-0.35 in (5-9 mm).
Color: Orange or light brown legs and carapaces along with black or white stripes at the leg end. The abdomen is orange, yellow or white having white, grey or black marble-like patterns.
Other Characteristic Features: The abdomen is oval and their tibial spines are of two types.
Around hundred eggs are released inside a fluffy and silky flat sphere-shaped egg cocoon or sac in October. All eggs are orange.
Spiderlings emerge from the eggs in the spring and they live on the silk of the egg sacs. Within the July, they become fully adult.
The vertically oriented web usually has a signal thread which vibrates when a prey is captured and the spider then come out to devour it.
Its venom is only effective on its preys to paralyze them. If it bites humans there is just a mark with no such serious injury.
Quick Facts |
|
Also known as | Pumpkin spider |
Distribution | Texas, North Dakota, northern Rockies, Alaska and all over in Canada |
Habitat | Grasses, shrubs, woods near water bodies like ponds, streams, creeks |
Web Type | Orb web |
Diet | Small insects |
Mode of Communication | Through pheromones, touch, and vibrations |
Lifespan | 6 months |
Predators | blue mud daubers, spider wasps, white-trimmed black wasp, organ pipe mud daubers |
IUCN Conservation Status | Not listed |
Image Credits: 2.bp.blogspot.com, Minnesotaseasons.com, C1.staticflickr.com, Mrhyker.tripod.com, Farm4.static.flickr.com,
lh6.ggpht.com