Spined Micrathena
Micrathena gracilis
Females consume and rebuild the circular portion of their orb web every single morning to ensure the silk remains sticky.
- Scientific name
- Micrathena gracilis
- Taxonomy
- Animalia › Arthropoda › Arachnida › Araneae › Araneidae › Micrathena
- IUCN Red List status
- Least Concern
- Population trend
- stable
- Biome
- forest
- Habitat
- Deciduous forests, woodland edges, and shaded gardens.
- Diet
- Small flying insects including gnats, flies, and mosquitoes.
- Range
- North America, Central America
- Size
- Females 7-10mm; Males 2-3mm.
- Lifespan
- 1 year
- Active
- diurnal
- Threats
- Widespread pesticide use and deforestation of deciduous woodlands.
- Safe to approach?
- Harmless to humans. While their spines look intimidating, they are not aggressive. If you walk into their web, gently relocate the spider to a nearby branch. Their bite is rare and typically no more painful than a mild bee sting; wash with soap and water if bitten.
Micrathena gracilis is a spider in the family Araneidae (orb-weavers), commonly known as the spined micrathena . This spider spins a moderately large (can be 30 cm (11.81 in) or more across), very tightly coiled web, often in wooded or brushy areas. It is completely harmless to humans.
Photo: Katja Schulz, CC-BY, via iNaturalist
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