Hentz Orb-Weaver, Spotted Orb-Weaver
Neoscona crucifera
Family Araneidae (Orb-Weavers), Order Araneae. Key family characteristics include building vertical wheel-shaped webs and having eight similar-sized eyes arranged in two rows.
Physical Description
Robust body with a hairy, rounded abdomen and a distinct cephalothorax. Females are noticeably larger and sturdier than males, featuring a bulbous abdomen often wider than it is long, covered in fine setae.
Size Estimate
Body length typically ranges from 10 to 19 mm for adult females, with a leg span of around 30 to 45 mm. This appears to be a mature, gravid female specimen.
Coloration & Markings
Variable coloration ranging from light brown, yellowish-orange to dark reddish-brown. The abdomen typically features a central leaf-like pattern (folium) flanked by lighter spots or a cross-like arrangement of markings, with subtle banding on the legs.
Web Type
Vertical orb web, typically constructed in late afternoon or evening. The web consists of a sticky spiral supported by non-sticky radii and a strong frame, often spanning several feet across open spaces, doorways, or between buildings.
Eye Arrangement
Eight eyes arranged in two horizontal rows on the anterior portion of the cephalothorax. The lateral eyes are often closely paired, typical of the orb-weaver family.
Leg Characteristics
Long, moderately thick legs featuring distinct dark and light banding and numerous prominent spines, held in a sprawling posture when resting on the web or hub.
Venom & Safety Information
Venom Information
Contains mild neurotoxic venom tailored for immobilizing small invertebrate prey. It is not potent enough to pose any chemical or medical danger to humans.
Medical Significance
Harmless to humans. Bites are extremely rare, usually only occurring if the spider is forcefully squeezed or trapped against the skin, resulting in minor localized pain and swelling akin to a mild bee sting.
Safety Recommendations
No special removal is necessary as they are completely harmless. If located in an inconvenient spot near a doorway, they can be gently relocated outside using a cup and a piece of paper.
Habitat & Behavior
Habitat & Range
Commonly found throughout eastern and central North America. Prefers gardens, woodlands, and human structures such as exterior walls, porches, and around outdoor lighting where insect prey is abundant.
Behavior & Temperament
Nocturnal web-weaver that often hides in a retreat or sits head-down at the center of the web during the night, retreating to crevices during daylight hours. Generally docile and non-aggressive toward humans.
Diet & Prey
Feeds primarily on flying insects including moths, beetles, mosquitoes, and flies caught in the sticky spiral of the orb web.
Seasonal Activity
Most active and noticeable during late summer and autumn when adults reach full size, build large webs, and engage in mating before dying off with the first hard frost.
Description
The Hentz Orb-Weaver is a familiar and beneficial backyard resident, known for spinning large, intricate wheel-shaped webs that catch an array of flying insects. With its robust, patterned abdomen and nocturnal habits, it spends daylight hours tucked quietly away before emerging at dusk to manage its web, showcasing the fascinating engineering of nature.
Key Features
Hairy, bulbous abdomen with a distinct folium pattern, large size, vertical orb web construction, and nocturnal habit of sitting at the web's center.
Similar Species
Araneus diadematus (European Garden Spider) and Neoscona domiciliorum (Red-legged Orb-Weaver), which can be distinguished by specific abdominal markings and leg coloration.
Life Cycle
Females produce papery egg sacs in autumn containing hundreds of eggs, which overwinter before spiderlings hatch in spring. Individuals undergo multiple molts to reach maturity by late summer.
Ecological Importance
Acts as a natural pest control agent by significantly reducing populations of flying agricultural and household insect pests.
Conservation Status
Secure and widespread, with stable populations across its native geographic range, facing no major conservation threats.
Interesting Facts
These spiders frequently consume and rebuild their entire orb webs nightly to maintain the stickiness and structural integrity of the silk capture threads.
Photography Tips
Use a macro lens with a flash or external lighting at night when the spider is active on its web to capture sharp details of the abdominal markings and leg banding.
Identified: 2026-09-02T17:04:04.062105