Fauna
Arachnid

Starbellied Orbweaver

Acanthepeira stellata

Also known as Starbellied Spider, Star-bellied Orb Weaver

Starbellied orbweavers stand out instantly due to the prominent ring of conical, pointed lobes encircling their flattened abdomens. They construct vertical, highly organized orb webs strung low between stalks of prairie grasses and herbaceous wildflowers. When threatened, these spiders often drop suddenly from their webs into dense ground litter, curling their legs inward to resemble a spiky plant seed or dried burr.

Web WeaverGrasslandSpiky
Starbellied Orbweaver reference
(c) skitterbug, some rights reserved (CC BY), uploaded by skitterbug · cc-by
—observations
—countries
—peak records
Not EvaluatedConservation statusIUCN Red List categoriesLCNTVUENCREWEXNot Evaluated — not placed on the risk ladderRed List categories, explained →
Key facts
Diet & preyLeafhoppers, Flies, Small moths
Predators
  • Songbirds
  • Mud dauber wasps
  • Treefrogs
ThreatsWidespread pesticide application and loss of undisturbed grasslands
HabitatsOld fields, prairies, open meadows, roadsides, and weed patches
Life spanAbout 1 year
Classification
  1. OrderAraneae
  2. FamilyAraneidae
  3. GenusAcanthepeira
  4. SpeciesAcanthepeira stellata
Range & activity
Range data is not available yet.
Safe observation
Interaction riskLow
  1. Low
  2. Moderate
  3. High
  4. Very high
Why interaction risk is low
Safe to observe at a normal distance; bites are exceptionally rare and medically harmless.
Responsible observation
  • Morning Searches: Walk through unmowed fields with the sun behind you to spot dew-covered webs strung between grass stems.
  • Gentle Viewing: Avoid brushing against support vegetation, which triggers the spider to drop into the mulch and hide.
Related species
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