Orchard Orb Weaver - Leucauge venusta

Leucauge venusta – (Orchard Orb Weaver)

     If there is a spider that could be labelled as pretty, the Orchard Orb Weaver would be it. Its abdomen is slightly elongated and can have a mixture of several colors. Most commonly the abdomen looks like it is white or silver with a few thin black stripes running down its length. Among the stripes will be different markings of yellow, green, bright orange and/or pink.

     The Cephalothorax will usually be a greenish yellow with brown on the sides. The legs are a bright green that often become black further away from the body.

Bite Info

 For bite and other information, please return to Orb Weavers

SIZE
Female Body Length = 3/16” - 5/16" (5 - 8mm)
Female leg span = 3/4" - 1 1/8” (19 - 29mm)
Male Body Length = 1/8" - 3/16” (3 - 5mm)

Photographed by: Jennifer Wolf - Berrien Springs, Michigan



Marbled Orb Weaver - Araneus marmoreus

Araneus marmoreus – (Marbled Orb Weaver)

The Marbled Orb Weaver can have several appearances. The coloring can be a bright orange, a mixture of lighter orange and beige, Bright yellow with black, pale yellow and black, cream, to brown to even red. Usually, mixed within the patterns on its abdomen, are two swirling darker stripes that run side by side down the middle. It is almost wrong to call them stripes because of how much they swirl, and often even touch each other. These patterns give the abdomen a marbled like appearance.

Bite Info

 For bite and other information, please return to Orb Weavers

SIZE:
Body Length = Size not confirmed
Leg span = Size not confirmed

Photographed by: Louise Kotz - Linwood Michigan



Spotted Orb Weaver - Neoscona crucifera

Neoscona crucifera – (Spotted Orb Weaver)

I have yet to figure out just why they call this the Spotted Orb Weaver. So far, any that I have seen, do not have any spots. One way to recognize this spider is by the extra thick spiky hairs on its abdomen, giving it an almost porcupinish look to them.

Often, this species is almost identical to the Neoscona domicilorum. It can usually be distinguished by a lack of a pattern on the abdomen and a rusty red coloring.

Due to the heavy coating of thick hairs on the abdomen, the abdomen often seems to lack a pattern or the pattern may be faint. The legs will also have spiky hairs that are easy to notice.

Bite Info

 For bite and other information, please return to Orb Weavers

SIZE:
Body Length = 3/8" to 3/4"” (10 to 20mm)
Leg span = 3/4" to 1-3/8" (19 to 35mm)

Photographed by: Randy Richardson - Flat Rock, Michigan

Furrow Spider - Larinioides cornutus

Larinioides cornutus – (Furrow Spider)

The Furrow Spider can range from brown, to tan, to gray, white, or even black. On a rare occasion, they may even have a reddish shade to them. The markings on the abdomen can range from brown, to black, and on a rare occasion can have a white outline to some of the markings.

The markings on the back of the abdomen are very distinctive and other than a color difference, the pattern is very similar between all Furrow Spiders. The problem is I cannot figure out how to put the description into words. If anyone can figure out how to do this, please do so and if I find on a like, I will use it. …. I guess you can imagine two columns of squares and both columns alternating between one darker color and another lighter color, and then the outside of the pattern being trimmed away into a sort of cloud shape.

Bite Info

 For bite and other information, please return to Orb Weavers

SIZE:
Body Length = 9/16” (14mm)
Leg span = 1 1/4" (32mm)



Photographed by: Steve Foxer - Goodrich Michigan

 



Photographer unknown - If you sent this picture to me, please email me to verify




Photographer unknown - If you sent this picture to me, please email me to verify



Shamrock Spider - Araneus trifolium

Araneus trifolium – (Shamrock Spider / Pumpkin Spider)

NOTE** - This species is nearly identical to Araneus groenlandicola. I have yet to learn how to tell the two apart. However, since every site I go to has far more of the A.trifolium, I have decided to make that the dominant species and make the side note about the A.groenlandicola.

The quickest way to recognize the Shamrock Spider from other Garden Orb Weavers, is the white bands on the legs. Not all of the Shamrock Spiders have these white bands, but when you do see the white bands, it is likely an Araneus trifolium.

The abdomen of the Shamrock Spider can range from white to yellow to brown or orange, and has a scattering of small white markings. It is due to the sometimes bright orange abdomens that it received its nick name as the Pumpkin Spider.

Another attributing factor for that nickname is the fact that they are most often seen in the fall time when pumpkins become popular. As the Fall sets in, their abdomens will enlarge, making them much more noticeable.

Bite Info

 For bite and other information, please return to Orb Weavers

SIZE:
Body Length = Size not confirmed
Leg span = Size not confirmed

Photographed by: Vic Burcar - Yale, Michigan

Cross Spider - Araneus diadematus

Araneus diadematus – (Cross Spider)

 The most tell-tale marking on the Cross Spider is the collection of white or light tan markings on the back of the abdomen that form a fancy looking cross. The rest of the spider will vary from light brown with darker markings (other than the cross), to Yellow with brown markings or gray with dark gray markings. The cross seems to always be white or a pale tan.

The abdomen is large and bulbous, but is largest towards the front and slightly tapered toward the rear.

The legs are of medium width and are banded and covered with spiny hairs.

Bite Info

 For bite and other information, please return to Orb Weavers

SIZE
Body Length = 13/16” (20mm)
Leg span = 2 1/2" (64mm)

Photographed by: Erin Foster - Howell, Michigan

Photographed by: K.J.Ester - Madison Heights, Michigan

Orb Weavers

The Garden Orb Weaver

When the sun is setting and the evening is easing in, the Garden Orb Weaver comes to life. You see there handiwork often enough and in fact, the Garden Orb Weaver and its web was even made into one of the most famous children’s stories of all time; Charlotte’s Web.

An interesting thing about the Garden Orb Weaver is that the first web they make is always their most perfect web. Every time the web is broken down and they need to replace it, there will be more flaws in its design. I am not sure if that shoots holes in the old adage, “practice makes perfect”, or if this is proof that Garden Orb Weavers can become frustrated.

Another interesting note about the Orb Weaver, is that when they rest in the center of their web, they will always position themselves facing the ground.

Breaking the web will not get rid of these spiders as they will often rebuild the web in the same place within a few days. If you do not wish to kill them and need them moved, use a long stick and break the web between it and its hiding place to stop its retreat. Then twirl the stick around in the web and try to get the web and the spider on the end of the stick. As they are not fast walking spiders when on in their web, you should have time to carry it to another location and knock it off the stick.

Eye Pattern

The Orb Weaver has two horizontal rows of eyes, giving them eight eyes total. However, the outer eyes on each side are butted right up against each other, giving them the appearance of only 6 eyes.

Bite Info

Orb Weavers are timid spiders. They are not prone to biting and will always prefer to run away from larger foe rather than stay and fight. For that reason, and the fact that they do not hunt their food, so they stay in their webs, it is uncommon to be bit by one. If you happen to be bit however, there is nothing to worry about.

The bite of an Orb Weaver will usually cause minor localized swelling and itchiness that will fade on its own. Only on a rare bite will someone have a reaction that will cause slight nausea, and even that is nothing to worry about.

Web

The Garden Orb Weaver spins one of the most intricate webs you will find, forming a large round net that is meant for catching flying insects. These sticky nets are held tight by support lines attached to objects around them. Break one of these lines, and the spider may come out and reattach the line or create a new line to support the web.

Often, when the Orb Weaver is not resting in the center of its web, it will be hiding somewhere nearby, with a line attached to the web that it holds onto. If something should get caught in the web, it will feel the vibration through that single strand and come out to get its dinner.

Some species of Orb Weavers have been known to consume their webs in the mornings and spin them again in the evenings.

The Species and their common names
(The names and pictures below will be changed into links as I add their pages.)

Araneus diadematus – (Cross Spider)

Araneus marmoreus – (Marbled Orb Weaver)

Araneus trifolium – (Shamrock Spider / Pumpkin Spider)

Lariniodes cornutus – (Furrow Spider)

Leucauge venusta – (Orchard Orb Weaver)

Neoscona crucifera – (Spotted Orb Weaver)


(More species will be added as I come across them.)