The Araneus Gemmoides is an orb weaver species that occurs in the Western United States. It is also known under the common names cat-faced spider or jewel spider.
Both common names reflect the special traits of the body of Araneus gemmoides. The abdomen is large and if seen from the front, cat-faced. Others consider the shape of the spider’s body diamond- or jewel-shaped. Hence, its other common name. The spider comes in various colors ranging from almost completely white to bright orange and dark brown.
Size of the Cat-Faced Spider
The Araneus gemmoides spider usually grows between 0.2 and 1 inch long (5-25 mm). It has comparably short legs and a large-sized abdomen.
Araneus Gemmoides Bite
The fact Araneus Gemmoides are Orb Weavers means they are not dangerous to humans. They are nearly as harmless as it gets with spiders and extremely timid spiders and will always try to get away rather than fight. Cat-faced orb weavers are clumsy moving outside their webs, and even if they do bite, their venom will do nothing more than cause a small blemish that will fade. At their worst, they may cause a slight welt.
Scientific Classification
- Kingdom: Animalia
- Phylum: Arthropoda
- Subphylum: Chelicerata
- Class: Arachnida
- Order: Araneae
- Infraorder: Araneomorphae
- Family: Araneidae
- Genus: Araneus
- Species: Araneus gemmoides
Distribution of the cat-faced spider in the USA
The cat-faced spider can be found in the following states in the Western USA: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Mexico, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Utah, Washington, Wisconsin, Wyoming
This is in Helena Montana. This spider makes its home under the eaves, spinning a flat, radial web. I found her after dark (9pm) sitting on her web washing her face. By the time I got a picture of her, she had retreated under the eave. Her head, legs, and thorax are a translucent brown, and she has a very thin waist, attaching to a bulbous, cream-colored abdomen with no visible markings.The abdomen is almost cube-shaped, with two minute protrusions on either topside resembling horns. She seems very docile.
Hello Heather,
Thank you for your ID request. The spider you found is most certainly a cat-faced orb weaver (or jewel spider because of the cube-shaped abdomen). It is not a medically significant spider and great to have around for pest control.
I found this spider in the Minneapolis suburbs. It was creating a nesting area near an outside light on my house where many small bugs gather. I thought that it looked like a few different species. I specifically noted that it may be the Lichen Orb Weaver, given the brown / black legs, and olive back but it seems too small for that. It was maybe the size of a quarter. Sadly I could not get a picture of it’s backside without disturbing it.
Hi Aaron, thanks for uploading this shot! It’s definitely an orb weaver – identifying the species with a shot from the underside is tough 🙂 I agree with you, that it is probably in the species Araneus, but I don’t think it’s a giant lichen orb weaver. The short abdomen makes me think of the cat-faced orb weaver (Araneus gemmoides): https://usaspiders.com/araneus-gemmoides-cat-faced-spider/
But I am not certain of that.
This fellow is living in the corner of our window in Colorado. Elevation 8400 ft
Hello Harriet, this is a female orb weaver of the genus Araneus. A definitive ID off the dorsal view alone is not possible in this case – but I am leaning towards cat-faced orb weaver (Araneus gemmoides). Here is a picture of an identical-looking spider also taken in Colorado:
https://bugguide.net/node/view/1478180/bgimage
Here is our overview of cat-faced orb weavers: https://usaspiders.com/araneus-gemmoides-cat-faced-spider/
Can you tell me what type of spider this is he was outside on the side at the top of our porch in the northern panhandle of Idaho he was hanging from his web and then crawled back up it’s quite big probably a little biggeer then a 50 cent piece but my mom wants to know if its poisonous so if you could let me know i would greatly appreciate it
thank you
Chelcie
Hello Chelcie, thanks for getting in touch! This is definitely an orb weaver spider and not medically significant. Your ID is most likely spot on, this looks like a male cat-faced orb weaver (Araneus diadematus). Idaho is actually one of the few U.S. States without any larger known populations of medically significant spiders.
Found this little guy outside my house here in Cody, Wyoming. Couldn’t find any pictures that quite matched. Almost looks like an orb weaver or an arrowhead spider by the triangular hindquarters. However, it’s legs look thicker than the pictures I’ve seen of those spiders. Just curious what it could be. Thanks for your help!
Hello Dave, thanks for getting in touch. This is definitely a male orb weaver, not medically significant. I’m fairly certain that this is a male cat-faced orb weaver (Araneus gemmoides): https://usaspiders.com/araneus-gemmoides-cat-faced-spider/
This lovey. I “feed” her at night when I flip on the porch light and all the fliers find her web
We call them Halloween spiders as they are huge by the end of October.
Hi Krys, thanks for getting in touch and for uploading this great shot! This is a European garden spider (Araneus diadematus): https://usaspiders.com/araneus-diadematus-european-garden-spider/
This spider has made a web three times now on my back patio after me knocking it down each day, in Glenwood Springs, Colorado. Do you know what this is?
O after
Hello Becca, thanks for uploading this great shot! This is definitely some type of orb weaver of the genus Araneus. Given your location, it is most likely a cat-faced orb weaver (Araneus gemmoides): https://usaspiders.com/araneus-gemmoides-cat-faced-spider/
They are not medically significant and rebuild their web every day to catch flying insects.
Hi, found this bad boy on a walk in Southrrn California. Couldn’t identify it properly. It’s massive! It caught a big green beetle yesterday so it’s definitely well fed. The best pic I could get was underneath, but I did take a few more.
Here’s the top view. This was in Chino Hills, CA.
This spider was sitting on the side of my shed in the backyard in Idaho Falls, Idaho. It looks to be about the size of a brown recluse but with red stripes on the legs and such. Spider did not move much when I move looked up to see it or opening and closing the door. Came back a couple times to observe it.
Hello Michael, thanks for getting in touch! This is a male cat-faced orb weaver (Araneus gemmoides): https://usaspiders.com/araneus-gemmoides-cat-faced-spider/
It’s not medically significant.
Today in Post Falls Idaho. I’ve never seen a red spider like this It’s body looks flat and it was good sized.
Hello Kerri, thanks for getting in touch! This appears to be a cat-faced orb weaver (Araneus gemmoides): https://usaspiders.com/araneus-gemmoides-cat-faced-spider/
Found this lady? On our honeysuckle often hiding under a leaf
This spider was weaving their web on our back deck. Body was tan, underside has distinct dark brown marking with two white dots in center. Beautiful web that is about 2+ feet across.
Hello Tana, thanks for getting in touch! It’s hard to make a good ID off this photo alone. I can definitely say that this is a female orb weaver spider (family Aranidae). The body shape and the pattern on the ventral side make me think of Araneuis gemmoides, the cat-faced orb weaver: https://usaspiders.com/araneus-gemmoides-cat-faced-spider/
Found this spider lurking outside my garage man door in Montana. Scary looking, and huge – it startled me.
Hello Rick, thanks for getting in touch! This is most likely a cat-faced orbweaver (Araneus gemmoides): https://usaspiders.com/araneus-gemmoides-cat-faced-spider/
It’s not medically significant.
Hi, I just wanted clarification that this was, in fact, a cat faced orb weaver. I apologize for no better pictures were taken before almost our entire family (headed by our mom) performed a savage execution of the spider with a broom and shovel in the thought that it was poisonous, for we had never seen such a large spider in our home in Minot, North Dakota before. Had we known it was harmless and actually helpful might have let it be, so thanks for the further knowledge your website provided.
Hello, found this orb weaver in San Diego living in a magnolia tree. Is this crab or cat faced?. Thank you Mike
“A white/grey cat-faced orb weaver photographed by Matt in Warren, Vermont.” I’m looking at map of distribution it doesn’t show that cat faced spiders occur naturally lol n Vermont. Maybe he’s keeping as a pet he either brought from different part of country or bought online?
I’m guessing a jewel spider, but photographed in Florida. What else might it be?
Hello Dan, this is a spiny-backed orbweaver (Gasteracantha cancriformis): https://usaspiders.com/gasteracantha-cancriformis-spinybacked-orb-weaver/