Orb Weavers

The Silver Orb spider’s botanical name is leucage dromedaria. It gets its common name from its bright silver abdomen. It is a member of the suborder of spiders called araneomorphs. This means that the fangs have a side-to-side operation. It is the size of a 20c piece and it hangs upside down in its web. ​Habitat:  Silver orb […]

Furrow Spiders, Larinioides cornutus, are common orb-weaver spiders often found around homes and other urban areas. Some furrow spiders are known to overwinter as adults: this is noteworthy because typical orb weaver species live for only one year, dying before winter. Several species of furrow spiders live in Kentucky and they all look very similar. […]

There are several types of Argiope spiders which live in different countries. They are not considered a dangerous spider but are venomous like all spiders. The Black and Yellow Argiopes (Argiope Aurantia) are commonly found in the United States in the Summer months. They are often called “writing” spiders because of the zigzag stablimentum which characterise their web. […]

There are at least 2 species of spiders with the common name Magnificent spider. The Bolas spider is one of them. The female is 12 mm long while the male is 2 mm. The Magnificent spider is also known as the Angler spider. This spider is part of a family (the Mastophoreae) within the orb-weaving […]

The Jewelled Spider is also known by its Latin name – Austracantha Minax, meaning “threatening and projecting”. They are also known as spiny orb weavers and are part of the orb weaving spider family and found throughout Australia. This spider’s body is very broad and grows to the size of a 20c piece, with its 8 […]

Neoscona Sp. are hairy field orb weaving spiders with a round abdomen which overhangs the carapace. The genus Neoscona is similar to Caerostris being nocturnal and cryptically coloured. The legs are equipped with numerous spines. During the day this spider takes refuge amongst leaves and in or under bark. Neoscona species are very variable in colour. This is the spider responsible for the […]

​The Two Spined spider (Poecilopachys Australasia) is a nocturnal spider. It is an immigrant from Australia and has been recorded in New Zealand since the early 1970s. The female, Poecilopachys Australasia is about 8 mm in length and when mature, has two white horn-like spines. Yellow and white bands and some red-brown markings are visible. Large body hairs […]

The Jewelled Spider is also known by its Latin name – Gasteracantha Minax, meaning “threatening and projecting”. They are also known as spiny orb weavers and are part of the orb weaving spider family. This spider’s body is very broad and grows to the size of a 20c piece, with its 8 legs being the length […]

Here’s some photos of  Golden Silk Orb Weavers. In the US they call this nephila species Golden Silk Weavers and call the Black and Yellow Argiope a golden orb weaver, which is  a bit confusing. In Australia they are called just Golden Orb Weavers. Golden silk orb weavers were  moved from the Araneidae family (orbweavers) into […]

There are many types of “Orb web” spiders, in fact any spider that spins an orb-shaped web may be classified as an “orb web weaver”. These include the Golden Orb-weaver spiders, St Andrew’s Cross spiders, Wraparound spiders and many garden spiders. The female Golden Orb-weaver may be as large as 45mm but the male is […]