If you are looking for a bit harrier orange spider you may be looking at the cross orb weaver ( Araneus diadematus), which also seems to suddenly appear around the same time as the marbled orb weaver. Baby marbled orb weavers, I have to admit I did a short "squee" when I saw these little guys (Photo: Sean Denney, Flicker Sharing). Marbled orb weavers don't live more than 6-7 months total. Bad news is, after she lays eggs both she (and the males) dies with the first frost, though her eggs over-winter (in a flat silk cocoon nest) and hatch in early spring. Most likely it's all about energy/food sequestration as she's swelling up with eggs. So what's the deal, why do they appear suddenly from out of nowhere, showing their big orange Halloweeny-rumps and legs right around October? There are quite a few guesses, and I can't say I've heard any good answers other than to suggest that the females lay their eggs in October, and to get ready they chow down on their insect prey, bulking up like a hungry-hungry hippo. Marbled orb weaver, lighter abdomen variation (Photo: Wiki Commons). A lot of articles I've read say they mostly hide at the base of the web, but I have to say that it's my experience that they're fine in the middle, hanging out, just waiting for dinner to fly in. Sometimes they'll hide in the leaf litter near the base of the web, with a leg on the silk strands, waiting for insect vibrations. Orb weavers will often sit in the middle of their webs, with their legs drawn up, or just lightly resting on the strands of silk. Marbled orb weavers are usually found in forested areas, and around streams, though we've had one living on our educational dock near the salt marsh for quite some time. The largest web I've seen is about tire size in diameter. Marbled orb weavers are aptly named, because they weave symmetrically round orb-shaped webs to capture their prey (flies, bugs, and other insects). The weaver's eyes are black, and if you look carefully you can see them as they look at you! Marbled orb weaver in middle of web (Photo: Jason Pler in DC, Flicker Sharing).
The legs of marbled orb weavers are the ultimate in Halloween candy-corn patterning, with orange bases, whitish legs and black spotting at the joints and tips. Look at this cute little spider's pairs of eyes (Photo: Kurt Andreas, Flicker Sharing). It may also have dark lines down the side of its head-middle section. Their cephalothorax (sef-a-low-thor-ax, or fused head middle) is orangish with a kind of burnt umber colored hue. A few I've seen even look like they have lacy patterns on their big rumps. Marbled orb weavers can have brown marbling and sometimes spots. A pretty orange marbled orb weaver (Photo: Seabrook Leckle, Flicker Sharing) When female animals are bigger than males scientists use the fancy term "reverse sexual dimorphism".why this is easier than "the females are bigger" I have no clue. In both color variants it's the female that is usually most striking, because they're usually 2-3 time the size of the males, and can come in at about small marble size (up to 20 mm), which is horrifying for those that find spiders of any size a bit creepy.
There are really two color forms, dark orange butts and pale yellow butts with dark blotchy bits near its rear (only in Europe). Female marbled orb weaver (Photo: Wiki Commons).īoth males and females of this species have yellowish-orange abdomens (that can run to even a washed out yellow). If you really don't like picking up spiders, but want to remove them from your house, try the spider grabber, also called the "Critter Catcher" on Amazon. Even though I don't recommend this one's diminutive hairy drumsticks it's not poisonous either). Even though they are brightly colored THEY ARE NOT VENOMOUS (remember venomous means "injecting venom" and plants and animals are only poisonous if you eat them. It's quite a common spider, ranging all across North America, from Northern Canada down to Texas and coast to coast. The marbled orb weaver belongs to the genus Araneus, which has over 1,500 members world wide. Marbled orb weaver (Photo: Lisa Brown, Flicker Sharing). It's a great name for a rather large and brightly colored spider. So what is the most common orange and black spider you see right now? Most likely you are beginning to notice Araneus marmoreus, or the marbled orb weaver. I admit a soft spot for orange spiders, because they always signal fall and Halloween to me, a changing of the seasons if you will. Identifying The Most Common Orange and Black Spiderįall, in the Eastern US, is a time for my favorite spiders to start showing themselves. What is That Big Orange Spider? Marbled orb weaver (Photo: Ben Jackson, Flicker Sharing).
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