Summary
The “Cross Orbweaver,” Araneus diadematus, is named for the pattern of white spots on the abdomen that forms a cross in most specimens. This species is also known as the “European Garden Spider” because it is native to Europe and Asia. Introduced to North America long ago, it is now found across the northern third of the U.S. (scarce in the Great Plains), and adjacent southern Canada. It spins the classic wheel-like orb web, usually sitting head-down in the hub (center), especially at night. This is a common spider of yards, gardens, and parks. Webs are usually built chest-high or higher, spanning gaps in foliage of evergreens, deciduous trees, or the columns on your front porch. There they intercept flying insects attracted to outdoor lights. Spiderlings typically overwinter inside the egg sac, emerging in late spring or early summer of the following year. You may find clusters of spiderlings at that time. Adults are solitary arachnid icons of late summer and autumn.
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Taxonomy
Common Name (Official / AAS)
Cross Orbweaver
Other Common Names
European Garden Spider, Cross Spider, Diadem Spider, Garden Spider
Pronunciation
uh-RAY-nee-uhs dye-uh-dem-AY-tuhs
Pictures of Araneus diadematus (Cross Orbweaver)
General
Female Spiders
Male Spiders
- Immature
- Perspective: Dorsal
- Misc: Spiderlings
- Location: Marysville, Washington
- Date: May 1, 2013
Adult Female- Perspective: Eyes
- Date: October 25, 2012
- Adult Female
- Perspective: Genitalia
- Date: October 25, 2012
- Immature
- Misc: Egg Sacs, Spiderlings
- Location: Fabius, New York
- Date: May 5, 2012
- Immature
- Perspective: Dorsal
- Location: Krain, Washington
- Date: February 25, 2012
Adult Male- Perspective: Genitalia
- Location: Krain, Washington
- Date: February 24, 2012
- Adult Female
- Perspective: Dorsal
- Misc: Egg Sacs
- Location: Fabius, New York
- Date: October 31, 2011
- Adult Female
- Perspective: Ventral
- Location: Fabius, New York
- Date: September 27, 2011
- Adult Female
- Perspective: Ventral
- Location: Fabius, New York
- Date: September 27, 2011
- Adult Female
- Perspective: Dorsal
- Misc: Webs
- Location: Fabius, New York
- Date: September 11, 2011
- Adult Male
- Perspective: Dorsal
- Location: Krain, Washington
- Date: August 30, 2011
- Misc: Spiderlings
- Location: Krain, Washington
- Date: June 23, 2010
- Adult Female
- Perspective: Dorsal
- Misc: Webs
- Location: South Deerfield, Massachusetts
- Date: October 31, 2009
- Adult Female
- Misc: Egg Sacs
- Location: Krain, Washington
- Date: October 23, 2009
- Adult Female
- Perspective: Gravid
- Location: Krain, Washington
- Date: October 9, 2009
- Immature Female
- Perspective: Dorsal
- Location: Krain, Washington
- Date: September 16, 2009
- Immature
- Misc: Spiderlings
- Date: May 4, 2008
- Immature
- Misc: Spiderlings
- Date: May 4, 2008
References
Benforado, J. & K. H. Kistler. 1973. "Growth of the orb weaver, Araneus diadematus, and correlation with web measurements." Psyche 80: 90-100.
Breed, A. L. et al. 1964. "The fate of the intact orb web of the spider Araneus diadematus." Behaviour 23(1): 43-60.
Cameron, H. D. 2005. Chapter 73 — An etymological dictionary of North American spider genus names, page 73 in D. Ubick, P. Paquin, P.E. Cushing, and V. Roth (eds.) Spiders of North America: an identification manual. American Arachnological Society, Keene (New Hampshire).
Colebourn, P. H. 1974. "The influence of habitat structure on the distribution of Araneus diadematus Clerck." The Journal of Animal Ecology 43: 401-409.
Elgar, M. A. & D. R. Nash. 1988. "Sexual cannibalism in the garden spider Araneus diadematus." Animal Behaviour 36: 1511-1517.
Foelix, R. F. 1970. "Structure and function of tarsal sensilla in the spider Araneus diadematus." Journal of Experimental Zoology 175(1): 99-123.
Köhler, T. & F. Vollrath. 1995. "Thread biomechanics in the two orb‐weaving spiders Araneus diadematus (Araneae, Araneidae) and Uloborus walckenaerius (Araneae, Uloboridae)." Journal of Experimental Zoology 271(1): 1-17.
Krink, T. & F. Vollrath. "Optimal area use in orb webs of the spider Araneus diadematus." Naturwissenschaften 87(2): 90-93.
Peakall, D. B. 1971. "Conservation of Web Proteins in the Spider, Araneus diadematus." Journal of Experimental Zoology 176: 257-264.
Van Nimmen, E., et al. 2005. "Modeling of the stress-strain behavior of egg sac silk of the spider Araneus diadematus." Journal of Arachnology 33(2): 629-639.
Zschokke, S. 1996. "Early stages of orb web construction in Araneus diadematus Clerck." Revue Suisse de Zoologie 2: 709-720.
Zschokke, S. & F. Vollrath. 2000. "Planarity and size of orb-webs built by Araneus diadematus (Araneae: Araneidae) under natural and experimental conditions." Ekológia (Bratislava) 19(3): 307-318.