The spider species ''Araneus diadematus'' is commonly called the European garden spider, cross orbweaver, diadem spider, orangie, cross spider, and crowned orb weaver. It is sometimes called the pumpkin spider, although this name is also used for a different species, ''

Araneus marmoreus ''Araneus marmoreus'', commonly called the marbled orbweaver, is a species of spider belonging to the family Araneidae. It is sometimes also called the pumpkin spider from the resemblance of the female's inflated abdomen to an orange pumpkin. It ...

''. It is an orb-weaver spider found in Europe, where it is native, and North America, where it was introduced.

Range

''A. diadematus'' has a holarctic distribution throughout Europe and across North America, from southern Canada to Mexico, and from British Columbia to

Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador (; french: Terre-Neuve-et-Labrador; frequently abbreviated as NL) is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region ...

.Cross Spider
Washington NatureMapping Project

Size and markings

Individual spiders' colourings can range from extremely light yellow to very dark grey, but all ''A. diadematus'' spiders have mottled white markings across the dorsal abdomen, with four or more segments forming a cross. The markings are formed in cells filled with guanine, which is a byproduct of protein metabolism. Adult females range in length from , while males range from .Cross Orbweaver
Penn State Entomology Occasionally, the female will eat the male directly after mating. (See video below.)

Specialization

The legs of orb-weaver spiders are specialized for spinning orb webs. The webs are built by the larger females, which hang head down in the center of the web or remain hidden in nearby foliage, with one claw hooked to a signal line connected to the main orb, waiting for a disturbance to signal the arrival of prey. Prey is then quickly wrapped in silk and bitten, and the prey may hang on the web to be stored for later consumption. The initial bite serves to paralyze the prey and minimize the danger of the spider herself being stung or bitten, and the enzymes thus injected serve to begin liquefaction of the prey's internal structures. Alongside the use of the web to capture other prey, the spiders are also cannibals and prey on each other, but this only happens just before, during, or just after sexual activity. They attack based on their size, sexual experience, and hunger levels. ''A. diadematus'' is a reclusive creature and only bites humans if cornered or otherwise provoked. It responds to a disturbance by vibrating rapidly in its web until it becomes a blur, a reaction that is assumed to confuse potential predators.

Gallery

File:Araneus diadematus - tunisie.jpg, Araneus diadematus - tunisia File:Araneus diadematus (Kakatu蜘蛛).jpg, On its web, showing the markings on its abdomen File:Araneus diadematus spiderlings.jpg, Spiderlings in an orb web File:Araneus diadematus spiderling cluster.jpg, Spiderling cluster File:Araneus diadematus, ventral, female (D19-101-148).jpg, Ventral view, female File:Araneus Diadematus - Facial Detail.jpg, Facial detail, female File:European garden spider on banana plant 001.jpg, European garden spider on banana plant File:Arabella web aboard second Skylab mission (cropped).jpg, European garden spiders were the first spiders in space, aboard Skylab 3. File:Araneus diadematus - mating behaviour - short.ogv, Courting male is consumed by the female. (video, 1m 38s)

References

External links

European orb-weavers
* {{Authority control Araneus Spiders described in 1758 Articles containing video clips Holarctic spiders Taxa named by Carl Alexander Clerck Space-flown life