Iowa

Steatoda borealis

Steatoda borealis, a spider species that belongs to the genus Steatoda is one of the members family of Theridiidae. In United States, they are found east of the Rocky Mountains as well as in Alaska. Many spiders in the genus Steatoda are frequently misidentified as widow spiders and are dubbed “false black widows”. And even […]

Castianeira Longipalpa – Long-Palped Ant Mimic Sac Spider

Castianeira longipalpa, sometimeys referred to as the long-palped ant mimic sac spider is found along the Eastern United States as well as in the Pacific Northwest. The small black spider with at least four white lines along its abdomen is not medically significant. Castianeira longipalpa is often confused with its close relative, Long-Palped Ant Mimic […]

Enoplognatha Ovata – Candy-Striped Spider

Candy-striped spider is not only one of the coolest names for a spider – it also looks great. This spider, which goes by the scientific name of Enoplognatha ovata, is part of the cobweb spider family and has been introduced to the United States and Canada from Europe. Over the last years, its populations have […]

Platycryptus Undatus – Tan Jumping Spider

The tan jumping spider is a mostly black and gray jumping spider found in the Eastern United States. The can reach a maximum body size of 0.5 in (13 mm) and have a light-colored chevron-pattern on their back. Male individuals have a horizontal orange stripe under their eyes. Description of the tan jumping spider The […]

Mangora gibberosa – Lined Orbweaver

Mangora gibberosa, the lined orbweaver, is a common spider found throughout the eastern part of North America. One of the main characteristics of the lined orbweaver is its special web-style. The webs ob Mangora gibberosa have an inner circle that is spun with thicker silk, forming a white ring around the web’s center. Description The […]

Micrathena gracilis – Spined Micrathena

Micrathena gracilis, commonly known as spined micrathena, is one of the spiny orb weaver spiders. The spiny body serves to protect them from birds, lizards or other predators. The hard spines should hurt predators when dealing a bite. These easy to recognize, unobtrusive forest denizens are abundant throughout the Eastern United States and especially common […]

Micrathena mitrata – White Micrathena

The spider species Micrathena mitrata, commonly called white micrathena, is an orb weaving spider. They have a large bulbous white abdomen with spines and black markings and are found throughout the Eastern United States as well as Central and South America. Description The white micrathena has a brown and small cephalothorax (head) and legs and […]

Verrucosa Arenata – Arrowhead Spider

The arrow-head spider, Verrucosa arenata, is an orb-weaver spider found throughout the United States. Its common name arrowhead spider or triangle orb weaver comes from the triangle-shaped yellow or white coloration on the spiders’ abdomen. Arrow-Shaped Orbweaver Description Verrucosa arenata are generally easy to distinguish from similar orb weavers because of their special color pattern and […]

Micrathena Sagittata – Arrow-Shaped Orbweaver

The arrow-shaped orb weaver, Micrathena sagittata, is a strange-looking, arrow-shaped spider that is commonly found in gardens of the Eastern United States. The spider’s abdomen is large and yellow with two large red and black spines on its back. Its specific name “sagittata” is Latin for “arrowed” and it refers to the shape of the abdomen. Arrow-Shaped […]

Araneus Bicentenarius – Giant Lichen Orb Weaver

While the giant lichen orb weaver may not be the largest orb weaver in terms of diameter, thanks to its massive abdomen, it is one of the heaviest orb weaver spiders. Like most other orb weavers, Araneus bicentenarius is a nocturnal spider and spins large webs. Quick Overview: Araneus bicentenarius – Giant Lichen Orb WeaverMedically […]

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