# Spined Micrathena

*Micrathena gracilis*

Females consume and rebuild the circular portion of their orb web every single morning to ensure the silk remains sticky.

- **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.

## About

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.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/23e8a39a-4225-4e42-ac6f-4bd97a0c23ef
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/85333
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micrathena gracilis
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/31609076/medium.jpg (Katja Schulz, CC-BY, via iNaturalist)

Habitat, diet, size and similar notes are AI-written summaries; check them against the linked sources before relying on them.