Brown Marbled Spider

The marbled orb weaver belonging to the class arachnida is one of the good looking spiders.

Brown marbled spider.

Araneus marmoreus commonly called the marbled orb weaver is a species of spider belonging to the family araneidae it is sometimes also called the pumpkin spider from the resemblance of the female s inflated abdomen to an orange pumpkin. Wolf spiders range in size from tiny the size of a pencil eraser to about the size of a u s. Orb can in english mean circular hence the english name of the group. There are many species of wolf spiders in kentucky but most are dark or light brown usually with contrasting spots or stripes.

It s quite a common spider ranging all across north america from northern canada down to texas and coast to coast. Physical description and identification adults. Females are 0 35 0 8 in 9 20 mm while males are around 0 19 0 35 in 5 9 mm. The top picture shows a western lynx spider one of the mailbox species.

Like other orb weavers this spider creates a new circular web daily. Araneus marmoreus is found throughout all of canada to alaska the northern rockies from north dakota to texas and then. Most marbled orb weavers hide in rolled up leaves until an unsuspecting prey gets captured in their webs. Orb weaver spiders are members of the spider family araneidae they are the most common group of builders of spiral wheel shaped webs often found in gardens fields and forest.

Marbled orbweaver araneus marmoreus black yellow argiope argiope aurantia. Araneids have eight similar eyes hairy or spiny legs and no stridulating organs. Some individuals may have an orange and yellow abdomen while others have black and yellow black and orange or black and white. Silver dollar with legs outstretched color.

The abdomens of these spiders become yellow with black marbled patterns as they mature and sometimes around halloween the yellow turns to an orange color. The family is cosmopolitan including many well known large. Their abdomen has several marble like patterns which are the reason behind the name. The marbled orb weaver belongs to the genus araneus which has over 1 500 members world wide.

Abdomen with light brown grey colour and a clear white marbled drawing. Bockhahn 2012 funnel web spider. The abdomen als has much more explicit drawing. However the marbled cellar spider has a clear black band on the underside of the abdomen.

Wolf spiders are fast moving and they are typically seen running on the ground. It has a holarctic distribution. Marbled orb weavers are some of the showiest spiders found in our area. It s a great name for a rather large and brightly colored spider.

Spider with elongated abdomen and long thin legs. Marbled orb weavers prefer wooded areas near water sources like creeks stream rivers ponds and marshes. An examination of the 39 year round resident spiders suggests that many of them fit into the traditional common house and garden spiders category such as orb weavers crab spiders jumping spiders cobweb spiders and lynx spiders. Lisa brown flicker sharing.

Common spiders of north carolina web builders b.