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Spined Micrathena (Micrathena gracilis) is a spider in the family Araneidae (orb-weavers), commonly known as the Spined Micrathena. This spider spins a moderately large (may be 30 cm or more across), very tightly coiled web, often in wooded or brushy areas. It is completely harmless to humans.
Usually, it is only the female spider that is seen. She is about 1/2
inch long, with a chunky abdomen that has ten spines on it. The abdomen
varies in color; usually it is whitish, yellow, or brownish-black. The
cephalothorax (front section) is much smaller than the abdomen, and it
is amber-colored. This spider's legs are glossy black. The male Spined Micrathena is about half the size of the female. It
has only a couple of spines and a much flatter abdomen. Only females
build webs. To trap prey, the Spined Micrathena builds her web between shrubs or
small trees, three to seven feet off the ground. Insects that try to fly
in between the trees don't see the web and get stuck. First, the
micrathena weaves three main lines of web; then she builds her orb
(circular part of the web). The orb is six to eight inches across. As
soon as the sun goes down, she eats her web. When the sun comes up, she
builds it again. The silk for the web comes from the tip of her abdomen.
She weaves the silk with her hind legs. Predators of micrathenas include
the usual spider-eaters, such as birds, toads, frogs, and lizards.
Female micrathenas build an "escape line" into their web. They also make
a low-pitched buzzing sound when they are disturbed. You can hear it if
you're very close to the web.
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6 October, 2011:
Hi Glen,
Great site.
I caught that spider outside on my trashcan today… looked peculiar so I figured it could be a nice add-on to your collection.
I live in Moorestown, NJ.
Can you tell me what it is ?! (it makes very wide spiderwebs !)
Thanks
Stef
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26 August, 2011:
Hi, I recently came in contact with this spider in the woods at Turkey Run State Park in Marshall Indiana. It has an odd triangle body. The sides of the spider contain yellow and black thin stripes. The picture was taken while it was on its side "playing opossum." The back legs were supporting the triangle shaped body and spot where the web comes out. Could you tell me more about the spider?? Thanks sooo much.
Bryce from IN
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12 October, 2010:
Hi Glen—
I wrote about a month ago and sent in two pictures of Rhoda, the spined micrathena that was living above my front bushes. After our last super-severe thunderstorm, she was gone, but I did get several more better pictures of her beforehand, building one of her webs. They’re attached.
A few days after Rhoda’s disappearance, there was another spider hanging in her place, which I (think) correctly identified as a garden orbweaver. I named her Lindsay Lohan since she’s out at night and red. I attach a pic of her at night and one during the day when she was hiding in a leaf of the tree her web was attached to. Unfortunately, she is also gone now.
A friend of mine yesterday posted a picture on Facebook of what I think is a black and yellow argiope that she found hanging in her garden. Her husband thinks it’s a St. Andrew’s Cross, but I’m pretty sure it’s a black and yellow argiope. Which one is it?
I love your site! I’ve been able to identify grass/funnel spiders all around my apartment building and am now curious every time I see any spider about what kind it is.
You can use these pics for you site if you wish.
Thanks again—
Andrea |
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14 August, 2010:
Hi—
I found your website a few days ago after Googling “Spined Micrathena Spider.” I have a Facebook friend who is into bugs, herps, birds, etc., and after I posted a picture of this spider I have living above my front bushes, he suggested it might be the spined micrathena. In fact, it is! I just wanted to share a couple of pictures I took of *her* (since I now know it is a female). Feel free to publish them to your micrathena page if you wish. I know there are already a few on your page that look similar, but thought I’d submit these anyway. It’s interesting to see the kind of spiders people get photos of.
(I named her Rhoda.)
Thanks!
Andrea |
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4 September, 2008:
Thanks so much Glen,
I attach photos of a couple of other spiders I have seen recently.
Feel free to upload them to your web if you like them!!
Thanks again!!
edu
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4 September, 2008:
Hi,
Thanks for you very nice site. I’m living in Holland, and in our Holliday in Venezuela I made a photo of this spider,. Can you tell me what it is?
Regards from Holland,
Eric
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22 August, 2008:
Hello my name is Chad, I live in Corpus Christi, and found this spider today and was wondering if you could help me ID it.
Thanks
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11 August, 2007:
Hi, I was wondering if you could help my dad and I
identify this spider. We found him under our porch. Shana from Guilford, Connecticut
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5 August, 2007:
hi, I live in northern
new jersey. came across your website trying to find what type of
spider I was looking at. great site by the way.. any information
would be helpful, thanks. Blake
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4 September, 2006:
hello,
I live in Northwest Indiana, and I was wondering what kind of
spider this is. It is a really small spider, about the size of a
pinky nail. No more than a quarter inch. Thanks.
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19 August, 2006:
Dear Friends, I took these pictures this afternoon in our backyard in
Southeastern PA. My first thought was that it looked like a
crab, with a hard body. But it doesn't seem to be a "crab
spider." Do you recognize it? Deb |
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19 August, 2006:
what are these? |
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6 November, 2005:
Hi Glen, I have some photos of some spiders I’ve photographed. I think
I might be right on the ones I’ve identified but I’m not
sure. If you wouldn’t mind trying to figure out what these
little guys are I would greatly appreciate it.
Sincerely, Quinten (Louie) Adams
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6 November, 2005:
I found a weird spider and was wondering what it is? I live
in New Jersey if that helps at all.
Thanks,
Cindi |
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6
October, 2005:
Hi there, I was wondering if you could tell me what kind of
spider this is. I found him outside around my porch he is upside
down, but appears to have a some kind of thorny thing on his back,
on his belly it does have some coloring. Is this harmless? Thanks,DD |
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14 September, 2005:
Glen,
This guy is on my back porch. I live in Southwestern Pennsylvania,
specifically Donora, Washington County. Please email me if you can
tell me about it. Also, I cut this pic to 800x600 if you want a cool
background.
Thanks,
Eric E. Allard |
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Reply: Micrathena gracilis, the spiny/
spined micrathena. Nathan Hepworth
1 August, 2005:
I've attached a picture of spider I found on a bush outside
my house (I live in western PA). I've looked everywhere on the web,
but haven't been able to identify it. I've never seen anything like
it before. Can you help?
thanks,
Ann |
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Reply: That is a
species of Micrathena, possibly Micrathena gracilis. It is not
dangerous. Nathan Hepworth
5
November, 2004:
Hi: My name is Victor
Carpizo, I photographed this weird specimen near Mexico City and I
would like to know if it´s dangerous. Best Regards,
Victor Carpizo |
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Reply: That is a spined Micrathena,
species Micrathena gracilis. A harmless oddity.
Nathan Hepworth
15
September, 2004:
I live in Ohio.. Could you tell me what kind of spider this
is?? thanks, Ami Todd |
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Reply: This looks like some sort of spiny Micrathena.
14
September, 2004:
My son pointed this spider out to me today. I haven't seen
this before. Can you tell me what it is?? Thanks!
Ilona |
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18 July, 2004:
I'm sorry now I didn't take the time to take more photos of
this spider which I found on an orb shaped web suspended in the
doorway of a tool shed. I'd noticed the web earlier but then later
walked through it in a hurry to find a tool I needed. The spider
ended up on
my arm and when I brushed it away I noticed it was unusual. I found
it crawling on the floor and at that time it's back looked very much
like the photo's Arya A. Sadhana took and that are posted on your
site. It reminded me of a large fly when looking at the back.
I live in central West Virginia in the US. I left it suspended on a
web strand hanging from the bail of a small bucket where it had
crawled and appeared to have settled in for the afternoon. Tonight
it is gone and I hope to find it in a web somewhere on my back porch
in the morning. I'd love to know what the heck this spider is
called.
Wes Jones |
Reply: It looks like a
spiny micrathena. |
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