Arachnid · GBIF taxon 2151568
Orchard Orbweaver
Leucauge venustaAlso known as Orchard Spider, Venusta Orchard Spider
Orchard orbweavers hang upside-down in the hub of low, horizontally tilted webs suspended among low vegetation and shrubs. Their striking metallic abdomens flash silver, bright emerald green, yellow, and vibrant orange spots under sunlight. These active daytime hunters quickly drop toward the ground on a dragline of silk when threatened by predators.
DiurnalOrb WeaverColorful
1 / 7—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Flies
- Mosquitoes
- Leafhoppers
Predators
- Birds
- Wasps
- Jumping Spiders
ThreatsPesticide use, habitat destruction
HabitatsDeciduous woodlands, orchards, gardens, shrubby margins
Life span1 year
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- OrderAraneae
- FamilyTetragnathidae
- GenusLeucauge
- SpeciesLeucauge venusta
Range data is not available yet.
Interaction riskLow
- Low
- Moderate
- High
- Very high
- Why interaction risk is low
- Safe to observe at a normal distance.
Responsible observation
- Web Spotting: Look for low-slung, horizontal webs tilted slightly near eye level in shady shrubs.
- Sunlight Viewing: Observe under direct morning light to see the iridescent metallic belly spots.
- Gently Approaching: Avoid touching web support lines, which causes the spider to drop into leaf litter.
Co-occurring Weaver (c) M. Whitson, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Alex Abair, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Alex Abair · cc-by
Family Relative (c) Michael and Antoni Hinczewski, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by Michael and Antoni Hinczewski · cc-by
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