Detailed information on Spinyback Orb Weaver Spider (Gasteracantha cancriformis)

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fury88

WILLOW SPRING, NC | September 2013 | Positive

I'm kind of an Arachnophobe but since I've spent more and more years in NC I've seen all kinds of spiders I've never seen before. I'm trying to make a point to remember they are there for a reason and a majority of them are harmless. I just uploaded a photo of one. Fascinating some of these!

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TxPhoto

Round Rock, TX | October 2010 | Positive

Spiny Back Orb Weavers started showing up in my yard 4 or 5 years ago (North Austin, TX). First I thought they are just another spider, but when I observed further, they have become more fascinating to me, and I have become to love those guys. Last year or so, I think birds got them all and I did not see any after that until this year. There is only one that I can find so far. The other day, a medium size butterfly was caught in the web and the spider was working on it. I took a couple of photos (which I posted). Next morning, the butterfly was gone, and only the wings were found on the ground below the web.

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lvsdale

Richmond, TX | February 2010 | Positive

I love finding these spiders. Around here - near Houston-we have so many colors--orange, yellow, white, white red points

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HutchinsonJC

Ethelsville, AL | October 2008 | Neutral

On Sept 28th, 2008 I took a picture of the little guy on the front porch, though, he had been there a day or two prior. To this date (10-15-2008) he is still there and in the same spot.

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MeredithNC

Washington, NC | September 2008 | Positive

We are in eastern NC, near both water and trees, and found one spinning a web, using my car antennae as one anchor and an outbuilding 7 feet away as the other. We watched it spin several circles - very fast and very precise! Then it sat down to wait...mmm lunch!

I've only moved to NC in the last year and I had never seen such a thing before!

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midbig

Houston, TX | September 2008 | Positive

I watched her reconstruct her web.
Absolutely amazing.
I couldn't capture all of the details in the photo, but she would pause about 2 inches apart and produce this little cloud of web, resulting in a beautiful "star-like" web, greatly highlighted by these puffs of web, every 2 inches.
Impressive!!!

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Judy85

Metairie, LA | May 2008 | Neutral

I found this spider in its web in my satsuma tree in Metairie, Louisiana. It didn't enclose or eat the bugs that landed on the web, but seemed to inject, maybe, and then left. The bugs eventually worked their way free. Pretty bright yellow back on spider.

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Beyonxx

Austin, TX | October 2007 | Neutral

We have a massive amount of these spiders in Austin, Texas. I was excited to finally find out what kind of spider they were because I've never see this kind of spider in Texas

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DebinSC

Georgetown, SC (Zone 8a) | July 2007 | Neutral

Aka the Crab Spider. We have many of these in our woodland garden every summer. They make webs that stretch across wide areas between shrubs and trees, and frequently right at eye level, though I've seen them 15-20 feet up.

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justmeLisa

Brewers, KY (Zone 6b) | July 2006 | Positive

The Spinyback is an Orb weaver, it is also called a kite spider. It is a helpful spider to have in the garden. Typically it is found in tropical and sub tropical areas. The male is smaller than the female. He measures 1/16" - 1/8" (2-3mm) The female is 3/8" (8-10 mm).

The spines on this spider can also be red.

Spinyback Orb Weaver Spider

Gasteracantha cancriformis

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