Hentz Orb-weaver, Spotted Orb-weaver, Barn Spider
Neoscona crucifera
Araneidae (Orb-Weavers), Order Araneae. Key family characteristics include the production of vertical, sticky, circular webs and a large, bulbous abdomen.
Physical Description
A robust spider with a large, globose abdomen that is slightly pointed toward the rear. The body is covered in fine, bristly white hairs (setae) giving it a fuzzy appearance. Females are significantly larger than males, which have smaller bodies and longer legs.
Size Estimate
Female body length: 9-20mm; Male body length: 5-10mm. Leg span can reach up to 2.5 inches. This specimen appears to be an adult or sub-adult female based on the prominent abdomen.
Coloration & Markings
Coloration varies from tan or rusty orange to gray. The dorsal (top) side of the abdomen often features a faint cross-shaped pattern or a series coordinates of darker 'zig-zags'. The ventral (underside) typically has two white spots/commas against a dark background.
Web Type
A classic, large vertical orb web. This species is famous for spinning its web at dusk and frequently consuming it at dawn to recycle the silk proteins.
Eye Arrangement
Eight eyes arranged in two rows. The four median eyes form a central trapezoid (the 'median ocular quadrangle'), a diagnostic feature for the Araneidae family.
Leg Characteristics
Legs are moderately long and thick with prominent spines. They often exhibit dark banding or rings, particularly at the joints, which helps camouflage the spider against bark.
Venom & Safety Information
Venom Information
Possesses a mild venom used to immobilize insects. The venom is not considered toxic to humans and is chemically distinct from neurotoxic spiders like widows.
Medical Significance
Little to no medical significance. A bite is comparable to a bee sting, resulting in localized redness, itching, or minor swelling. Severe reactions are extremely rare and usually linked to specific allergies.
Safety Recommendations
These spiders are harmless. If a web is in an inconvenient location (like across a doorway), gently move the spider using a stick or broom to a nearby bush. No medical treatment is usually required for accidental bites.
Habitat & Behavior
Habitat & Range
Common throughout North America, especially the Eastern and Central United States and parts of Mexico. Preferred habitats include woodland edges, gardens, and man-made structures like porches and fences.
Behavior & Temperament
Primarily nocturnal. They are docile, non-aggressive spiders that typically flee or drop from their web when disturbed. They spend the day hiding in a silk retreat in nearby foliage or crevices.
Diet & Prey
Generalist predators that consume a wide variety of flying insects including moths, flies, beetles, and wasps. They wrap their prey in silk immediately after capture.
Seasonal Activity
Maximum activity and visibility occur in late summer and early autumn (August through October) when females reach their full size for reproduction.
Description
The Hentz Orb-weaver is one of the most common and beneficial backyard spiders in late summer. As dusk falls, they emerge to build intricate geometric webs, serving as a natural form of pest control. Their fuzzy appearance and orange-hued bodies make them a late-season icon of the temperate garden ecosystem.
Key Features
Hairy/bristly body texture, nocturnal web-building habit, cross-like abdominal pattern, and the two light-colored 'commas' on the underside of the abdomen.
Similar Species
Neoscona domiciliorum (Red-spotted Orb-weaver) which has brighter red markings, and Araneus diadematus (Cross Orb-weaver) which has a more distinct white cross made of dots.
Life Cycle
Females lay egg sacs in the fall, containing hundreds of eggs wrapped in yellowish silk. The spiderlings hatch in spring. Adults typically live for one season, dying after the first hard frost.
Ecological Importance
Significant apex predators of the invertebrate world; they provide essential ecosystem services by controlling populations of mosquitoes, agricultural pests, and biting flies.
Conservation Status
Not evaluated by the IUCN, but considered common and stable throughout its range with no immediate threats.
Interesting Facts
This species frequently builds its web near porch lights to take advantage of the insects attracted to the light source. They are 'orb-recyclers,' eating their own web daily to conserve energy.
Photography Tips
Shoot at night with a flash to highlight the silk and the spider's ventral markings. During the day, look for them hiding in curled leaves near where a web was recently seen.
Identified: 2026-07-12T13:37:23.535084