The shamrock orb weaver is a part of the Aaneidae family found in the United States of America and Canada.
Size: Females are 0.9 inches (2.5 cm) and males are typically smaller.
Color: They have a beige or brown body with a green, yellowish, brown, or orange abdomen. It even has black legs, and white dots on its back, which distinguishes it from the other orb-weavers.
Other Characteristic Features: They have a large, round abdomen.
Eggs are laid by female spiders inside a silk sac in autumn.
After overwintering, the spiderlings hatch during spring and start creating webs for themselves.
Female spiders make webs hanging from vertical stems. Inside the webs, on either side, there could be some ‘bowers’ or ‘retreats’ located 1 meter off the ground. The spiders usually sit in the middle, but they stay connected with the web through a single strand when they hide in their retreats. In this way, they would sense any insects’ presence through vibrations.
These webs are built every morning and then eaten the following day by the spiders before making another one.
They have mild venom, which does not do harm to humans.
Other Names | Shamrock Weavers |
Lifespan | 1 year |
Distribution | USA and Canada |
Habitat | Grassland, gardens, shrubs, and forests |
Web Type | Orb Web |
Diet | Insects |
They are mostly found in humid areas, because they can drink moistures gathered in their webs.
Those with an orange abdomen is often confused with the marbled orb-weaver (Araneus marmoreus).
Image Credits: Bugguide.net, Projectnoah.org, Spiderzrule.com, Onnaturemagazine.com
The shamrock orb weaver is a part of the Aaneidae family found in the United States of America and Canada.
Size: Females are 0.9 inches (2.5 cm) and males are typically smaller.
Color: They have a beige or brown body with a green, yellowish, brown, or orange abdomen. It even has black legs, and white dots on its back, which distinguishes it from the other orb-weavers.
Other Characteristic Features: They have a large, round abdomen.
Eggs are laid by female spiders inside a silk sac in autumn.
After overwintering, the spiderlings hatch during spring and start creating webs for themselves.
Female spiders make webs hanging from vertical stems. Inside the webs, on either side, there could be some ‘bowers’ or ‘retreats’ located 1 meter off the ground. The spiders usually sit in the middle, but they stay connected with the web through a single strand when they hide in their retreats. In this way, they would sense any insects’ presence through vibrations.
These webs are built every morning and then eaten the following day by the spiders before making another one.
They have mild venom, which does not do harm to humans.
Other Names | Shamrock Weavers |
Lifespan | 1 year |
Distribution | USA and Canada |
Habitat | Grassland, gardens, shrubs, and forests |
Web Type | Orb Web |
Diet | Insects |
They are mostly found in humid areas, because they can drink moistures gathered in their webs.
Those with an orange abdomen is often confused with the marbled orb-weaver (Araneus marmoreus).
Image Credits: Bugguide.net, Projectnoah.org, Spiderzrule.com, Onnaturemagazine.com