Spiders of North Carolina

Arachnids of North Carolina

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

Eustala anastera - Humpbacked orbweaver Araneidae Members:			NC Records	BugGuide Account	Public View

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Male

Distribution Records
PDF

Vetting Levels

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

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synonym

taxonomic_comments

species_comment

id_comments

Abdomen longer than wide with a distinct dorsal hump. Varies in color and pattern, but it is usually dark brown to reddish brown. Some individuals have a dark folium or spots on abdomen. Cephalathorax is completely covered with light hairs. larger and darker than emertoni & cepina. Males differ from emertoni & cepina by having a row of three to five short macrosetae on the venter of the second femur. Color forms include a mottled lichen coloration, dark reddish brown with varying cream/white patch on dorsal surface, with or without pair of black wavy lines on abdomen, a gray form with a black vertical striped on the dorsal surface of abdomen and several other color morphs. Can resemble E. anastera, but the three species reportedly in NC can be generally determined by their abdominal profiles: anastera is separated from cepina and emertoni by tip of abdomen upturned, and neither rounded nor blunt in side view (see illustration under "Structural photos," below).

total_length

Small, female total body length 5.4-10mm, male total body length 3.9-9.5mm

structural_features

silk_web

Orb web, rebuilt each evening and removed before dawn.

fld_guide_descriptions

The prosoma is variable in color, usually matching the opisthosoma. The opisthosoma is triangular and tallest at the posterior end; this humped appearance leads to the common name. The coloration and pattern can vary from shades of tan and brown to vivid greens. Some have a pair of spots on the lateral sides of the humped area of the opisthosoma; some have a dark line down the median. Many have a foliate pattern. The ventral opisthosoma has a light central mark that runs from the epigastric furrow to the spinnerets; the mark is bordered in black. The scape of the female epigynum is directed anteriorly. The legs also vary in color and are covered with short spines in the female; the spines are more pronounced in the mature males. More than a dozen species of Eustala are in North America, and identification to species level is difficult without a specimen. (Rose, 2022)

online_photos

prey

predators

behavior

Nocturnal. Webs are usually built among dead branches in the understory of conifer and broadleaf forest, or in open woodlands. The young emerge from the egg case, grow during the summer and then overwinter as subadults. Spider waits in the web at night with her legs slightly spread apart. The spider does not build a retreat but rests curled up on branches, looking like a piece of bark. If disturbed, the spider may run a short distance then resume this cryptic pose.

distribution_reference

technical_reference

Spiders of North America - Bradley; Spiders of the Carolinas – Gaddy; Bugguide; an examination of the structure and genitalia of Cyclose and Eustala: http://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/4314711#page/79/mode/1up

adult_id

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

abundance

Common.

distribution_comments

Common throughout North Caorlina and the eastern United States. Adults spring through fall.

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

forest edge, understory of pine and hardwood forests, goldenrod fields and marshes.

observation_methods

Sweep netting.

state_protection

NHP_ranks

NHP_status

status_comments

Photo Gallery for Eustala anastera Humpbacked orbweaver
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Gaston Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Owen McConnell Graham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Mitchell Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Mitchell Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik Chatham Co. Comment:	Recorded by: David George, Jeff Niznik Chatham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Macon Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Basinger McDowell Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger McDowell Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Chatham Co. Comment: White Pines Survey
	Recorded by: Mark BASINGER & Donald ZEPP Lenoir Co. Comment: Beaten from low tree branches-	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Wilson Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Wilson Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Lee Co. Comment: Opisthosoma shape of E. anastera.
	Recorded by: Mark Basinger Lee Co. Comment: Opisthosoma shape of E. anastera.	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Dare Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Stokes Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman Scotland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman Scotland Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Jim Petranka Moore Co. Comment: Web was suspended about five feet above ground; not sure if this is a juvenile or not.
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Avery Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Avery Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Avery Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Donald Zepp Johnston Co. Comment: Mature female, ca. 10mm, found on pile of cut, drying bamboo in back yard. Released after ex-situ photos.
	Recorded by: Donald Zepp Johnston Co. Comment: Mature female, ca. 10mm, found on pile of cut, drying bamboo in back yard. Released after ex-situ photos.	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn New Hanover Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn New Hanover Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Erich Hofmann and Kayla Weinfurther Buncombe Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Durham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Durham Co. Comment:	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment: THRO
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Rockingham Co. Comment:	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment: FOMA - found in saltmarsh @ -76.682720, 34.695979
	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment: FOMA - found in saltmarsh @ -76.682720, 34.695979	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment: FOMA
	Recorded by: R. Newman Carteret Co. Comment: FOMA	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Ashe Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Polk Co. Comment:	Recorded by: B. McRae Macon Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn, Kyle Kittelberger Alleghany Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Stokes Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn New Hanover Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Ken Kneidel Yancey Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: F. Williams, S. Williams, C. Richardson Gates Co. Comment: MEMI	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn New Hanover Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn New Hanover Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Orange Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Rockingham Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Cumberland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Wake Co. Comment:	Recorded by: j.wyche Gates Co. Comment: MEMI - on handrail of the floating dock at the old canoe area
	Recorded by: F. Williams, S. Williams Gates Co. Comment: MEMI	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Wake Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman Scotland Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman Scotland Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Tracy S. Feldman Scotland Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Granville Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Owen McConnell Graham Co. Comment:	Recorded by: K. Bischof McDowell Co. Comment: LAJA - Obs. Ranger residence. Green house. Black Light. ID by A. Fuller.
	Recorded by: K. Bischof McDowell Co. Comment: LAJA - Obs. Ranger residence. Green house. Black Light. ID by A. Fuller.	Recorded by: j.wyche Gates Co. Comment: MEMI - on handle of boat dock at old canoe area; It looked like a speck of dirt, but I photographed it anyway. It was there last week too.
	Recorded by: j.wyche Gates Co. Comment: MEMI	Recorded by: j.wyche Gates Co. Comment: MEMI - in corner of boat dock handle at old canoe area
	Recorded by: j.wyche Gates Co. Comment: MEMI - on hand rails on dock at the old canoe area	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Burke Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Bladen Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Rockingham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Warren Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Halifax Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Wake Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Rockingham Co. Comment:
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Wake Co. Comment:	Recorded by: FKW, SBW Gates Co. Comment: MEMI - Honey Pot Rd. Male
	Recorded by: Brian Bockhahn Durham Co. Comment:	Recorded by: Chris & Rachel Helms Columbus Co. Comment: LAWA - Found while using beating sheet around forest edge at Supt. residence.

Photo Gallery for Eustala anastera Humpbacked orbweaver