# White Micrathena

*Micrathena mitrata*

The female's abdomen features two small spines and a pale, domed shape resembling a bishop's miter hat, which inspired its scientific name 'mitrata'.

- **Taxonomy:** Animalia › Arthropoda › Arachnida › Araneae › Araneidae › Micrathena
- **IUCN Red List status:** Least Concern
- **Population trend:** stable
- **Biome:** forest
- **Habitat:** Deciduous forests, woodland edges, and dense understory vegetation.
- **Diet:** Small flying insects, including gnats, flies, mosquitoes, and aphids.
- **Range:** Eastern United States, Central United States, Northern Mexico
- **Size:** Females: 4-6 mm, Males: 2-3 mm
- **Lifespan:** 1 year
- **Active:** diurnal
- **Threats:** Pesticide runoff, loss of forest understory, and habitat fragmentation.
- **Safe to approach?:** Harmless to humans. These docile orb-weavers will only bite if pinched or handled roughly. Observe their intricate webs from a safe distance of 1-2 feet. If bitten, wash the bite site with soap and water; the venom is mild and comparable to a minor sting.

## About

Micrathena mitrata , the white micrathena , is a species of orb weaver in the family of spiders known as Araneidae. It is found in a range from the United States to Brazil.

## Sources

- Plate: https://gaia-dex.com/species/b2bafdd8-b034-43da-b230-d0d3ca5dbfb8
- iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/120440
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micrathena mitrata
- Conservation status: IUCN Red List category, as recorded by Gaia-Dex
- Photo: https://inaturalist-open-data.s3.amazonaws.com/photos/30061388/medium.jpg (Judy Gallagher, CC-BY-SA, via iNaturalist)

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