Arachnids of North Carolina
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Larinioides sclopetarius - an orbweaver

Taxonomy
Order: ARANEAEInfraorder: AraneomorphaeFamily: Araneidae                                                                                 
Comments: Pronounced lar-i-nee-OY-deez. Formerly genus Nuctenea
Species Comment: Common names include Gray Cross Spider and Bridge spider. Formerly Araneus sericatus Clerck, 1757, Larinoides sclopetarius Roberts, 1985, Larinioides sericatus Šestáková, Marusik & Omelko, 2014 (revalidated, rejected)
Identification
Online Description/Photos: BugGuide Google, iNaturalist, Wikipedia, GBIFTechnical Description: Spiders of North America - Bradley; Spiders of the Carolinas – Gaddy; Bugguide; Clerck 1757; https://www.researchgate.net/publication/309679071_Bridge_Spider_Gray_cross_spider_Larinioides_sclopetarius
Comments: Darkest member of the genus, abdomen round oval, gray, brown or black with dark folium. There are thin white lines formed by conspicuous white hairs at the edge of the folium and surrounding a central dark mark at the front of the abdomen. L. sericatus have longer legs than the other two species in the genus, and it has a dark middle band on metatarsus IV. It also has a darker pattern & a carapace with more white on its borders. It is the least common of the three species. The Gray Cross spider male (sclopetarius) can be ID'd by the lack of the cluster of macrosetae, and tibia II is not swollen. Both other species have clusters of macrosetae on tibia II. Underside of abdomen has two yellow spots and two light colored dash marks.
Total Length: Small to medium, female total body length 8-14 mm, male total body length 6-7 mm.Adult ID: identifiable by photo
Distribution in North Carolina
Comments: Seldom seen in NC northeastern coastal areas. Likely introduced into New England from Europe, distribution concentrated in the northeastern and northwestern United States and Canada. Adults can be active all year. Can be locally numerous.
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: Forest edge, found on tree trunks near water, buildings near water, structures, gates, boats and bridges. In some areas concentrated around lighted bridges, street lamps, etc.
Observation Methods: Visual observation, sweep netting.
Abundance/Frequency: Seldom
Silk / Web: Medium to large web, up to 70 cm built on bridges and other man made structures near water. Sometimes building amid other spider webs.
Prey: Insects that emerge from water at night, midges, mayflies, caddisflies, etc. Daytime prey include Greenhead flies in the Tabanus genus.
Predators: Where the spider occurs, the Black and Yellow Mud Dauber, Sceliphron caementarium, is a primary predator.
Behavior: Not strictly nocturnal, but where it is they sit in center of web at night, hide in retreat during the day. Daytime dispersing spiders drift around to new homes, and are sometimes attracted to lights to construct their evening webs. The bridge spider Larinioides sclopetarius is an extremely successful colonizer of cities worldwide and inhabits buildings near water in huge numbers. The spiders feed on insects that emerge from the water and are attracted to artificial lights, where the spiders build their webs. This species may be a great example of time period shifting as they often match their insect prey timing and can be diurnal or nocturnal. The bright spot pattern on underside of abdomen as seen in web is likely used as a lure to draw in insect prey. The bridge spider’s lure consists of yellow and orange re?ective hairs and pigments that produce a bright pattern sharply demarcated against the dark background of the spider’s thorax and abdomen. An insect attracted to the lure would ?y directly into the spider’s clutches. When the spider in its web faces a lamp, its lure faces the light, and viewed from the lamp, the light of the lure stands out against the blackness of the night.
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
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 Photo Gallery for Larinioides sclopetarius - an orbweaver

Photos: 1

Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2019-04-22
New Hanover Co.
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