Garden Spider
ExploreInsects
Garden Spider
Araneidae
The Garden Spider is a friendly little creature that spins beautiful webs in gardens. They help catch pesky insects, making them great helpers for plants!
Habitat: Gardens, fields, and forests
Appearance
The Garden Spider has a large, rounded abdomen, typically brownish-grey to orange, often marked with a distinctive cross pattern of white spots. Its legs are usually banded with lighter and darker shades, making it stand out from plain spiders.
KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassArachnidaOrderAraneaeFamilyAraneidae
Category
InsectsRarity
Common
Danger
2/5 · Low
Snaps
Be the first to snap!
Interesting facts
Female Garden Spiders are much bigger and stronger than the males of their species!
Their egg sacs can hold hundreds of tiny baby spiders, waiting to hatch safely!
They use vibrations in their sticky web to 'hear' when prey is caught inside!
This amazing spider eats its old web every single night to recycle the silk!
Special abilities
Ability
Master Weaver
Garden Spiders can build intricate orb webs from super-strong silk, helping them catch flying prey with incredible efficiency.
Ability
Venomous Bite
Garden Spiders have a mild venom that helps them quickly paralyze insects trapped in their web, making them easier to eat.
Ability
Silk Swings
Garden Spiders can produce a dragline of silk to rapidly drop from danger or swing between surfaces, like a tiny zipline.
Measurements & details
- Size
- 4-18 mm
- Lifespan
- 90-365 days
- Leg Count
- 8
Diet & Feeding
Garden Spiders eat insects caught in their intricate webs, helping to keep garden pests in check.
Primary Foods
- Flies
- Mosquitoes
- Moths
- Aphids
- Small beetles
Foraging Method
- Ambush
Ecological connections
eaten by
House Fly
Musca domestica
Common flies often get trapped in their sticky silk webs.
hunts
Great Tit
Parus major
Birds like Tits frequently spot and eat spiders from webs.
hunts
European Hornet
Vespa crabro
Larger hornets sometimes prey on these spiders.
Traits
Wildlife
Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats.
Solitary
Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
Web Builder
This trait characterizes organisms that construct elaborate silken webs for catching prey, shelter, or reproduction.
Colorful
Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
Insectivorous
This trait identifies organisms whose diet primarily consists of insects and other small invertebrates.
Forest
Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life.
Urban Friendly
This habitat trait indicates species that can coexist with humans in urban and suburban environments, utilizing man-made structures and green spaces.
Also known as
Araneus diadematusCross Orbweaver
Collections
Safety
Danger
2/5 · Low
Do not touch or pick up. Some insects sting or bite. Ask an adult for help.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big is Garden Spider?
4-18 mm
How long does Garden Spider live?
90-365 days
What does Garden Spider eat?
Garden Spiders eat insects caught in their intricate webs, helping to keep garden pests in check.
Where is Garden Spider usually found?
Gardens, fields, and forests
How does Garden Spider hunt?
Ambush
How many legs does Garden Spider have?
8
Snap Map
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Recent Snaps
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Where to spot
Park96 sightings16 species
Massachusetts, US
Veterans Field
You might spot House Sparrow, Garlic Mustard, and Duck.
View guide →
Park88 sightings11 species
Washington, US
Centennial Park
You might spot Surf Scoter, Eastern Cottontail, and Wild Rose.
View guide →
Park39 sightings11 species
Washington, US
Queen Anne Boulevard
You might spot Snowy Owl, Bee, and American Crow.
View guide →
Park52 sightings9 species
Washington, US
Be'er Sheva Park
You might spot Garden Spider, Duck, and Fringed Willowherb.
View guide →
Park127 sightings9 species
Oregon, US
Reed College Parkway
You might spot Duck, Twinberry Honeysuckle, and Canada Goose.
View guide →
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Park49 sightings9 species
Washington, US
Washington Park Arboretum
You might spot Duck, Great Blue Heron, and Western Redcedar.
View guide →
