Tropical orb-weaver of the Eriophora genus and Araneidae family has a wide range, indigenous to most parts of the United States.
Size: The females are 0.47 – 0.94 inches (12 – 24 mm) in size, while the males are smaller, 0.35 – 0.51 inches (9 – 13 mm).
Color: The females have reddish-brown legs and cephalothorax. The dorsal part of their abdomen may be brown or grey. At the same time, the ventral portion possesses black triangular markings pointing backward. The males have a grey abdomen with banded legs.
Other Characteristic Features: The abdomen of the tropical orb-weaver males is smaller than their female counterparts. Some of them, particularly those living in Florida, has two humps on their backs, alongside white spots on their abdomen’s dorsal part.
The small, oval eggs remain safely enclosed in a sac.
The juveniles in the Florida region also have white spots on their abdomen like adults. They disperse from their kin after a few molts.
They have a spiral-shaped web, 19 ft (6 m) built after dark and removed before dawn.
They will not bite unless agitated, though their venom remains harmless to humans.
| Distribution | Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Gulf Coast regions of the United States; Mexico; parts of Central America; Venezuela and Colombia in northern parts of South America |
| Habitat | Woodlands, orchards, and citrus fruits grooves |
| Diet | Small insects |
| Lifespan | 12 months |
Image Source: Upload.wikimedia.org, Bugguide.net
Tropical orb-weaver of the Eriophora genus and Araneidae family has a wide range, indigenous to most parts of the United States.
Size: The females are 0.47 – 0.94 inches (12 – 24 mm) in size, while the males are smaller, 0.35 – 0.51 inches (9 – 13 mm).
Color: The females have reddish-brown legs and cephalothorax. The dorsal part of their abdomen may be brown or grey. At the same time, the ventral portion possesses black triangular markings pointing backward. The males have a grey abdomen with banded legs.
Other Characteristic Features: The abdomen of the tropical orb-weaver males is smaller than their female counterparts. Some of them, particularly those living in Florida, has two humps on their backs, alongside white spots on their abdomen’s dorsal part.
The small, oval eggs remain safely enclosed in a sac.
The juveniles in the Florida region also have white spots on their abdomen like adults. They disperse from their kin after a few molts.
They have a spiral-shaped web, 19 ft (6 m) built after dark and removed before dawn.
They will not bite unless agitated, though their venom remains harmless to humans.
| Distribution | Florida, Texas, Louisiana, Gulf Coast regions of the United States; Mexico; parts of Central America; Venezuela and Colombia in northern parts of South America |
| Habitat | Woodlands, orchards, and citrus fruits grooves |
| Diet | Small insects |
| Lifespan | 12 months |
Image Source: Upload.wikimedia.org, Bugguide.net
