Spiders of North Carolina

Arachnids of North Carolina

Order:
Scientific Name: Common Name:		Family (Alpha):

Araniella displicata - Sixspotted orbweaver Araneidae Members:			NC Records	BugGuide Account	Public View

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Distribution Records
PDF

Vetting Levels

Adult phenology:
High Mountains (HM) ≥ 4,000 ft.
Low Mountains (LM) < 4,000 ft.
Piedmont (Pd)
Coastal Plain (CP)

Click on graph to enlarge

synonym

taxonomic_comments

species_comment

Latin for "scattered, dispersed"

id_comments

Rounded oval abdomen is yellowish or white in most forms, but also red, orange or pink forms and mottling. All forms show a series of six black spots on back of abdomen, largest towards the rear. The spots are ringed in pale orange or yellow. Unbanded legs and cephalothorax are yellow, orange or reddish. Legs and palps covered in dark setae. Males reddish or light orange with reduced mottling, smaller abdomen and retaining black spots.

total_length

Small, Female total body length 4.8-7.2 mm, Male total body length 4.0-5.0 mm.

structural_features

silk_web

Small orb web, 3-4 inches in diameter.

fld_guide_descriptions

online_photos

prey

Preys upon longlegged flies or other insects that walk across the surface of leaves.

predators

behavior

Small web three to four inches, often spanning just one leaf suspended near the tip of a conifer branch up to six feet off the ground. Web is sometimes built on the horizontal plane where it hands underneath, where vertical hangs facing down. Can be found in the center of the web during the day.

distribution_reference

technical_reference

Spiders of North America - Bradley; Bugguide

adult_id

1 identifiable by photo 2 identifiable by photo of specific features and/or supplementary info 3 identifiable from specimen only

abundance

Infrequent

distribution_comments

Found throughout North Carolina, US and Canada. One of the most widespread spiders in all of North America. Overwinter as subadults and mature in spring and early summer when mating occurs. Egg sac contains an average of 80 eggs and is covered in loose fluffy, yellowish silk. Egg sac is placed in a curled leaf that also serves as the mother's retreat at the end of the web.

checklist_mt_high
>=4,000 ft.

Regular	Frequent	Infrequent	Occasional	Seldom	Frequency Regular – almost always observed on given visit; >=90% chance of observation Frequent – usually observed on a given visit; >=50%<90% chance of observation Infrequent – observed less than 50% of visits; >=25%<50% chance of observation Occasional – observed on only on a small minority of visits; >=10%<25% chance of observation Seldom – not usually seen on visits; <10% chance of observation These terms refer to visits to appropriate habitats made at appropriate times of the year, making use of common sampling/observation methods. Under those conditions, Frequency refers to the chance of observing at least one individual on a given visit made anywhere within a particular region, or over multiple visits to a single site.

checklist_mt_low
<4,000 ft.

Regular	Frequent	Infrequent	Occasional	Seldom

checklist_pd
Piedmont

Regular	Frequent	Infrequent	Occasional	Seldom

checklist_cp
Coastal Plain

Regular	Frequent	Infrequent	Occasional	Seldom

habitat

tall grasses, shrubs, old fields, under story and low shrubs in forests.

observation_methods

Visual surveys, sweep nets or beat sheets.

state_protection

NHP_ranks

NHP_status

status_comments

Photo Gallery for Araniella displicata Sixspotted orbweaver
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Macon Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Ashe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Mitchell Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Henderson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Chatham Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Macon Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Davie Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Davie Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Chatham Co. Comment: White Pines Survey	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Brunswick Co. Comment: Subadult male. On glass globe of back porch night light.
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Brunswick Co. Comment: Subadult male. On glass globe of back porch night light.	Recorded by: Vin Stanton Buncombe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Clay Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn, Kyle Kittelberger Alleghany Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Alleghany Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Stokes Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Stokes Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Watauga Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Stokes Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Surry Co. Comment:

Photo Gallery for Araniella displicata Sixspotted orbweaver