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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Chelicerates (Chelicerata) » Arachnids (Arachnida) » Spiders (Araneae) » True Spiders (Araneomorphae) » Entelegynes  » Orb Weavers (Araneidae) » Araneus » Cross Orbweaver (Araneus diadematus)

Species Araneus diadematus - Cross Orbweaver

Classification · Other Common Names · Synonyms and other taxonomic changes · Size · Identification · Range · Habitat · Life Cycle · Remarks · Print References · Internet References
Garden Spider - Araneus diadematus - male Spider Four: the big guy - Araneus diadematus Cross Orbweaver - Araneus diadematus young spider, - Araneus diadematus Crossed Orb Weaver I think, Male - Araneus diadematus - male rather large spider - Araneus diadematus Cross Orbweaver (Araneus diadematus)? - Araneus diadematus Orb Weaver - Araneus diadematus
Classification
Kingdom Animalia (Animals)
Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)
Subphylum Chelicerata (Chelicerates)
Class Arachnida (Arachnids)
Order Araneae (Spiders)
Infraorder Araneomorphae (True Spiders)
No Taxon (Entelegynes )
Family Araneidae (Orb Weavers)
Genus Araneus
Species diadematus (Cross Orbweaver)
Other Common Names
Cross Spider, Cross Orbweaver, European Garden Spider
Synonyms and other taxonomic changes
See the World Spider Catalog.
Size
Body length adult female: 6-20mm.
Body length adult male: 6-13mm.
Identification
The dorsal, white cross on the abdomen can typically be diagnostic:


There is also an atypical variation that does not have the cross. This might be confused with A. gemma. See atypical diadematus here:


Ventral Pattern


Female epigyne/scape:


Web
Range
Mostly southern Canada and the northern 1/3 of the USA (now including northern California). Uncommon in the Great Plains area.
Habitat
Common in gardens, though it is more a species of scrubby heathland or amongst gorse.
Life Cycle
Shriveled Female and egg sac:


Mature couple:


Mature male, immature female:

Males reach sexual maturity before females do, and will often pair off with an immature female in order to claim her.

Juveniles:


Spiderlings


Egg Sac
Remarks
Introduced to North America from Western and Northern Europe.
Print References
Dondale, C. D., J. H. Redner, P. Paquin & H. W. Levi. 2003. The insects and arachnids of Canada. Part 23. The orb-weaving spiders of Canada and Alaska (Araneae: Uloboridae, Tetragnathidae, Araneidae, Theridiosomatidae). NRC Research Press, Ottawa, 371 pp.
Internet References
delta-intkey.com - Illustrations.
Contributed by Troy Bartlett on 13 April, 2004 - 12:39pm
Additional contributions by Hannah Nendick-Mason, Beatriz Moisset, Robin McLeod, Lynette Elliott, Christopher Hunt, Jeff Hollenbeck, cheins, Chuck Entz, kschnei, Mandy Howe
Last updated 4 August, 2015 - 9:21am

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