Bug FAQSpined Micrathena
Micrathena gracilis · Order: Araneae · Family: Araneidae
Also called: Orb Weavers, Spined Orbweaver, Spined Orbweaver Spider, Spiny-bellied Orbweaver
Source: Wikipedia
Spined Micrathena are tiny spiders, only a few millimetres long, with a distinctive spiky, black-and-white abdomen that can sometimes show yellow on the sides. They live in moist, hardwood forests of North and Central America, especially near small bodies of water, and are most active from late summer into fall. These spiders hatch in spring, live about a year, prey on skimming bluets and are eaten by white-eyed vireos; their bite is harmless to humans.
Source: Wikipedia
How to recognize it
The spider has a large, spiky abdomen and a black-and-white body; some individuals show yellow on the sides.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Adults range from about 4.2 mm to 10.8 mm in length.
Source: Wikipedia
Does it bite or sting?
Its venom is harmless to humans.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It prefers moist hardwood forests with oak and hickory trees, often near lagoons, ponds, or other small water bodies.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
It hunts skimming bluet dragonflies and is preyed upon by white-eyed vireos.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Eggs hatch in spring and the spider lives about one year.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
Adults are most active at the end of summer and the start of fall.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
It is native to North and Central America.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 37 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Ohio, Virginia, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Maryland, New York, Illinois, Michigan.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America; native in Canada; native in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
Do Spined Micrathena bite people?
They can bite, but their venom is harmless to humans.
Source: Wikipedia
Where can I find Spined Micrathena?
They live in moist hardwood forests with oak and hickory, often near small ponds or lagoons, in North and Central America.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Araneidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spined_micrathena
Look it up elsewhere: GBIF · iNaturalist · BugGuide · ITIS · Wikipedia
Text written 2026-10-22 from the sources above and checked sentence by sentence against them. Data fetched 2026-10-22.