Arachnid · GBIF taxon 2159593
Spined Micrathena
Micrathena gracilisAlso known as Castleback Orbweaver
Spined micrathenas construct dense, circular orb webs across shady forest paths, resting head-down at the web hub throughout the day to ambush airborne prey. Their sharp, spine-studded abdomens serve as a physical deterrent, making them difficult and painful for small woodland birds to swallow. Females dismantle and rebuild the sticky spiral of their silk snares nearly every morning, ingesting the used silk to recycle vital proteins.
Web BuilderDiurnalWoodland
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Diet & prey
- Mosquitoes
- Fungus gnats
- Fruit flies
Predators
- Insectivorous birds
- Spider wasps
- Jumping spiders
ThreatsForest clearance, broad-spectrum insecticide spraying, and severe storms
HabitatsDeciduous forests, shaded woodland ravines, and overgrown trail borders
Life spanUp to 1 year
Size / weightNot available
Classification
- FamilyAraneidae
- SpeciesMicrathena gracilis
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
- Trail Awareness: Scan between waist and eye level when hiking shaded woods, where females suspend webs across clearings.
- Gentle Detours: Duck under or step around webs rather than breaking silk, preserving hours of the spider's architectural effort.
Competitor (c) Katja Schulz, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Predator (c) dhasdf, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Judy Gallagher, some rights reserved (CC BY) · cc-by
Close Relative (c) Judy Gallagher, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA), uploaded by Judy Gallagher · cc-by-sa
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