Pest Library

Characteristics

Orchard orbweavers are sometimes easy to miss because of the transparency of their webs and their tiny size. Females are ¼ inch in length, not including the legs, while the males are much smaller. They have eight eyes that are grouped together in a trapezoid manner. Their legs are long and are covered in spines and hairs. Both genders have a yellowish-green with a thin, dark green or black stripe down the center and along the sides. The abdomen is elongated oval and can have a variety of colors, such as silver, green, yellow, red, and blue. The front end of the abdomen is rounded.

Habitat

These spiders prefer low bushes and damp woodlands. They will create small webs in lop seed, and even in small trees. Although they can be found in different habitats, they mostly prefer moisture-rich environment like low bushes and lower portions of trees. While these spiders can multiply in wooded areas, they are not easily noticed because of their characteristic of dropping quickly into a leaf litter when they are disturbed.

Behavior

The orchard orb weaver is a tiny spider that will just sit and wait for food to come at her web than search for it. They create circular webs that are positioned at an angle to the ground, and will wait for their food while hanging in the middle of their web. You may be able to see the underside of these spiders once you look down upon their webs. They usually rest with their backs facing the ground that will allow you to see the shiny emerald greens and orange spots near their spinnerets.

Food

This spider prefers any insects that fly and jump, such as flies, mosquitoes, gnats or leafhoppers that are caught in its orb web.

Life Cycle

The orchard orb weaver is an annual species, which means it will live only for one year. This spider commonly hatches its eggs in spring and spends the rest of the season mating and laying eggs, maturing, eating, and mating and laying eggs again. They are capable of creating egg sacs as long as the weather allows them. As fall comes in, their metabolism slows down. They will die when the season becomes colder. As for the egg cases, they will overwinter and will hatch as spiderlings when spring comes.

Other Information and Tips

This orbweaver is also sometimes confused with the black widow because of its bright orange-red triangles that can be found on the underside of the abdomen. However, these two spiders create two different webs. The black widow created tangled and disorganized cobwebs while the orchard orbweaver creates symmetrical, round orb web.

Although it is common for most people to get scared of spiders, but the orchard orbweaver is a natural, organic exterminator that will get rid of insects for free. So, before you get rid of them, think if they are beneficial to your environment or not, then decide your course of action.

Photo by Philip N. Cohen (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons / resized from original