Arachnids of North Carolina
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View Araneidae Members: NC Records

Metepeira labyrinthea - Labyrinth orbweaver

Taxonomy
Order: ARANEAEInfraorder: AraneomorphaeFamily: Araneidae                                                                                 
Identification
Online Description/Photos: BugGuide Google, iNaturalist, Wikipedia, GBIFTechnical Description: Spiders of North America - Bradley; Bugguide
Comments: Coloration variable, abdomen is hairy, brown with a black lobed folium, edged in white, that gets smaller towards posterior. Variable white markings in black folium on front of abdomen, making cross or arrow type markings similar to some Neoscona. Cephalothorax dark and covered in hairs. Legs have brown-orange base, hairy with some faint black and white bands. The underside has a white line behind the epigynum and another down the middle of the sternum. The Spiders of the Eastern US says that the Metepeira labyrinthea can be distinguished from other orbweavers by having longer terminal leg segments "(tarsus plus metatarsus longer than tibia plus patella)".
Total Length: Small, female total body length 4.0-8.6 mm, male total body length 3.0-6.8 mmAdult ID: identifiable by photo
Structural photos

Epigynum of NCBP5580
Distribution in North Carolina
Comments: Frequent and widespread throughout North Carolina and the southeastern and mid-Atlantic regions. Females spring through autumn, males spring and summer.
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: shrubs in forest understory, open woodlands, forest edges, man made structures and rock walls.
Observation Methods: Identified readily by web, adults can be teased out of retreat with a paintbrush.
Abundance/Frequency: Frequent.
Silk / Web: Orb web along massive tangle of lines, the labyrinth. Retreat is thimble shaped and covered in detritus.
Predators: Spider wasps prey on adults, parasitic wasps invade egg sacs.
Behavior: 5-6 cone shaped egg cases of the female are covered in brown paper like silk and are incorporated into the detritus above a tubular retreat in the tangle. After emerging from an egg case, the spiderlings may reside in the labyrinth and even feed on insects captured in the web.
Status in North Carolina
Natural Heritage Program Status:
Natural Heritage Program Ranks:
State Protection:
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 Photo Gallery for Metepeira labyrinthea - Labyrinth orbweaver

41 photos are available. Only the most recent 30 are shown.

Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-01-08
Greene Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2024-01-08
Greene Co.
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Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-11-14
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Mark Basinger on 2023-11-14
Wilson Co.
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Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2023-09-20
Mecklenburg Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-08-23
Transylvania Co.
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Recorded by: K. Bischof on 2023-08-23
Transylvania Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2023-07-13
Mecklenburg Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2023-06-27
Wilson Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: David George on 2022-08-28
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: Donald ZEPP on 2021-10-02
Johnston Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Donald ZEPP on 2021-10-02
Johnston Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2021-09-29
Durham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Simpson Eason on 2021-09-04
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2021-08-19
Rockingham Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Donald ZEPP on 2021-08-18
Johnston Co.
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Recorded by: Donald ZEPP on 2021-08-18
Johnston Co.
Comment: See epigynum in "Structural photos," above.		Recorded by: Owen McConnell on 2020-11-10
Durham Co.
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Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2020-09-18
Buncombe Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Vin Stanton on 2020-09-18
Buncombe Co.
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Recorded by: Barbara McRae on 2020-08-24
Macon Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Barbara McRae on 2020-08-24
Macon Co.
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Recorded by: Donald Zepp on 2020-08-19
Johnston Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: B. McRae on 2020-07-22
Macon Co.
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Recorded by: B. McRae on 2020-07-22
Macon Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Ken Kneidel on 2020-07-02
Mecklenburg Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn, Kyle Kittelberger on 2020-06-02
Wilkes Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2018-09-08
Iredell Co.
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Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn on 2017-06-29
Orange Co.
Comment: 		Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman on 2017-05-03
Scotland Co.
Comment: