Orchard Orbweaver
ExploreInsects
Orchard Orbweaver
leucauge venusta
The Orchard Orbweaver is a colorful spider that spins beautiful webs in gardens. It helps control insect populations by catching bugs in its sticky traps!
Habitat: Orchard Orbweavers live in gardens, orchards, and wooded areas where they can find plenty of insects.
Appearance
The Orchard Orbweaver has a striking silvery, often iridescent abdomen marked with yellow, green, and black patterns. Its cephalothorax and legs are typically a vibrant green or yellowish-green, making it stand out from most other orbweavers.
KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassArachnidaOrderAraneaeFamilyTetragnathidaeGenusLeucauge
Category
InsectsRarity
Common
Danger
0/5 · No known danger
Snaps
Be the first to snap!
Interesting facts
Female Orchard Orbweavers are much bigger and more colorful than the males.
Its shimmering abdomen looks like liquid silver in the sunlight!
They often hang head-down in the center of their unique, angled webs.
Unlike many spiders, its web is often spun at an angle, not perfectly vertical.
Special abilities
Ability
Angled Web Master
Orchard Orbweaver can build unique, horizontally-angled orb webs because of specialized silk, helping them catch specific flying prey.
Ability
Iridescent Distraction
Orchard Orbweaver has an iridescent, silvery abdomen that can reflect light, helping them confuse predators or blend with foliage.
Ability
Quick Venom Delivery
Orchard Orbweaver can quickly inject venom into its prey using specialized fangs, which helps them immobilize and digest insects.
Measurements & details
- Size
- 3-8 mm
- Lifespan
- 150-250 days
- Leg Count
- 8
Diet & Feeding
They eat small flying insects like flies and mosquitoes, caught in their intricate, sticky webs.
Primary Foods
- Flies
- Mosquitoes
- Gnats
- Aphids
- Small moths
Foraging Method
- Ambush
Ecological connections
hunts
House Fly
Musca domestica
Traps common flies in its sticky web.
hunts
Yellow Fever Mosquito
Aedes aegypti
Helps control mosquito populations in gardens.
eaten by
American Spider Wasp
Anoplius americanus
Wasp preys on spiders to feed its larvae.
eaten by
Brown Thrasher
Toxostoma rufum
Often eaten by insectivorous birds.
Traits
Social
Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring.
Arboreal
Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators.
Colorful
Colorful describes organisms or objects displaying a wide range of bright and distinct colors.
Carnivorous
This trait identifies organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of animal tissue.
Diurnal
Diurnal animals are primarily active during daylight hours, typically resting or sleeping at night.
Also known as
Orb WeaverWeb Spider
Collections
Safety
Danger
0/5 · No known danger
These spiders are not dangerous, but it's best to admire them from a distance.
Frequently Asked Questions
How big is Orchard Orbweaver?
3-8 mm
How long does Orchard Orbweaver live?
150-250 days
What does Orchard Orbweaver eat?
They eat small flying insects like flies and mosquitoes, caught in their intricate, sticky webs.
Where is Orchard Orbweaver usually found?
Orchard Orbweavers live in gardens, orchards, and wooded areas where they can find plenty of insects.
How does Orchard Orbweaver hunt?
Ambush
How many legs does Orchard Orbweaver have?
8
Snap Map
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Recent Snaps
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Where to spot
Park40 sightings7 species
Virginia, US
McLean Hunt Park
You might spot American Toad, Eastern Box Turtle, and American Robin.
View guide →
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Park59 sightings6 species
Maryland, US
Fort Foote Park
You might spot Common Pawpaw, Huron Skipper, and Orchard Orbweaver.
View guide →
Park21 sightings3 species
Virginia, US
Burgundy Park
You might spot Spotted Lanternfly and Eastern Poison Ivy.
View guide →
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