Arachnids of North Carolina
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Common Spiders of NC
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Order:
Araneae - Spiders
Opiliones - Harvestmen
Pseudoscorpiones - Pseudoscorpions
Scorpiones - Scorpions
Scientific Name:
Common Name:
Family (Alpha):
ACROPSOPILIONIDAE-
AGELENIDAE-Funnel Weavers
AMAUROBIIDAE-Hacklemesh Weavers
ANTRODIAETIDAE-Folding Trapdoor Spiders
ANYPHAENIDAE-Ghost Spiders
ARANEIDAE-Orb Weavers
ATYPIDAE-Purseweb Spiders
BUTHIDAE-
CADDIDAE-
CHEIRACANTHIIDAE-
CHEIRIDIIDAE-
CHELIFERIDAE-
CHERNETIDAE-
CHTHONIIDAE-
CLUBIONIDAE-Sac Spiders
CORINNIDAE-Antmimics and Ground Sac Spiders
COSMETIDAE-Armoured harvestmen
CTENIDAE-Wandering Spiders
CYBAEIDAE-
DEINOPIDAE-Ogrefaced spider
DESIDAE-
DICTYNIDAE-Mesh Web Weavers
DYSDERIDAE-
EUCTENIZIDAE-Wafer-lid Trapdoor Spiders
FILISTATIDAE-
GARYPINIDAE-
GNAPHOSIDAE-Ground Spiders
HAHNIIDAE-
HALONOPROCTIDAE-
HYPOCHILIDAE-
LARCIDAE-
LEPTONETIDAE-
LINYPHIIDAE-Sheetweb and Dwarf Spiders
LIOCRANIDAE-Liocranid Sac Spiders
LYCOSIDAE-Wolf Spiders
MICROHEXURIDAE-
MIMETIDAE-Pirate spiders
MYSMENIDAE-
NEOBISIIDAE-
NESTICIDAE-Scaffold Web Spiders
OECOBIIDAE-Wall spiders
OONOPIDAE-
OXYOPIDAE-Lynx Spiders
PHALANGIIDAE-
PHALANGODIDAE-Armoured harvestmen
PHILODROMIDAE-Running Crab Spiders
PHOLCIDAE-
PHRUROLITHIDAE-
PISAURIDAE-Nursery Web Spiders
SABACONIDAE-
SALTICIDAE-Jumping Spiders
SCLEROSOMATIDAE-
SCYTODIDAE-
SEGESTRIIDAE-
SICARIIDAE-
SPARASSIDAE-Giant Crab Spiders
STERNOPHORIDAE-
TARACIDAE-
TETRAGNATHIDAE-Long-jawed Orb Weavers
THERIDIIDAE-Cobweb Spiders
THERIDIOSOMATIDAE-Ray Spiders
THOMISIDAE-Crab Spiders
TITANOECIDAE-
TRACHELIDAE-
TRIAENONYCHIDAE-Armoured harvestmen
TRIDENCHTHONIIDAE-
ULOBORIDAE-Cribellate Orb Weavers
VAEJOVIDAE-
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Araneidae Members:
Acacesia hamata
Acanthepeira cherokee
Acanthepeira marion
Acanthepeira stellata
Araneus alboventris
Araneus bicentenarius
Araneus bivittatus
Araneus bonsallae
Araneus cingulatus
Araneus gadus
Araneus guttulatus
Araneus iviei
Araneus juniperi
Araneus marmoreus
Araneus miniatus
Araneus niveus
Araneus nordmanni
Araneus partitus
Araneus pegnia
Araneus pratensis
Araneus saevus
Araneus thaddeus
Araneus trifolium
Araneus tuscarora
Araneus unidentified species
Araniella displicata
Argiope aurantia
Argiope florida
Argiope trifasciata
Cyclosa caroli
Cyclosa conica
Cyclosa turbinata
Eriophora ravilla
Eustala anastera
Eustala cepina
Eustala emertoni
Gasteracantha cancriformis
Gea heptagon
Hypsosinga funebris
Hypsosinga rubens
Larinia directa
Larinioides cornutus
Larinioides patagiatus
Larinioides sclopetarius
Mangora gibberosa
Mangora maculata
Mangora placida
Mangora spiculata
Mastophora bisaccata
Mastophora phrynosoma
Mastophora stowei
Mastophora timuqua
Mecynogea lemniscata
Metazygia calix
Metazygia carolinalis
Metazygia wittfeldae
Metepeira labyrinthea
Micrathena gracilis
Micrathena mitrata
Micrathena sagittata
Neoscona arabesca
Neoscona crucifera
Neoscona domiciliorum
Neoscona pratensis
Ocrepeira ectypa
Ocrepeira georgia
Trichonephila clavata
Trichonephila clavipes
Verrucosa arenata
Zygiella nearctica
NC
Records
Araneus trifolium
- Shamrock orbweaver
No image for this species.
Taxonomy
Order:
ARANEAE
Infraorder:
Araneomorphae
Family:
Araneidae
Species Comment:
Another common name Pumpkin Spider.
Identification
Online Description/Photos:
BugGuide
Google
,
iNaturalist
,
Wikipedia
,
GBIF
Technical Description:
Spiders of North America - Bradley; Spiders of the Carolinas – Gaddy; Bugguide
Comments:
The name of this spider is derived from the distinct pattern of light spots on the abdomen, said to resemble a shamrock. The base color of the abdomen is often cream colored, but may be green yellow or red. The cephalathorax is distinctly marked with three broad dark lines, one down the center expanding to cover the head region, the other two along the side of the carapace. The legs are boldly banded.
Total Length:
Large, female total body length 9-20 mm, male total body length 5-8 mm
Adult ID:
identifiable by photo
Distribution in North Carolina
Comments:
Most common in mountain region of North Carolina. Ranges across Canada, south to California, New England to North Carolina. Adults July through October.
County Map:
Clicking on a county returns the records for the species in that county.
Adult phenology:
High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
Piedmont (Pd)
Coastal Plain (CP)
Click on graph to enlarge
Habitats and Life History
Habitats:
open habitats, particuraly moist areas, marshes, swamps and bogs, grass bald, forest edge and old fields.
Observation Methods:
Web built in low bushes or grasses. This spider can change color of the body to match the background. The red form is found among red or orange colored leaves in the autumn. The spider waits in its retreat among the vegetation near the web, holding a signal line connected to the hub. The large egg sac with a great many eggs is laid in autumn. The young usually emerge in spring but sometimes in late fall.
Abundance/Frequency:
Occasional
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks:
State Protection:
Comments:
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