Bug FAQTropical Tent-web Spider
Cyrtophora citricola · Order: Araneae · Family: Araneidae
Also called: Global Tentweb Weaver, orb weavers
Source: Wikipedia
Females grow to about 10 mm while males are only around 3 mm long. The spider lives worldwide, often in farms and cities, and has become common in Florida backyards. It catches moths, flies, dragonflies, beetles and stink bugs, and can form colonies that may reduce predation.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Females reach about 10 mm (0.39 in) and males about 3 mm (0.12 in).
Source: Wikipedia
Is it a pest in the house?
In Florida it is a frequent backyard nuisance, and in the Dominican Republic it is listed as an important pest of citrus trees.
Source: Wikipedia
How to get rid of it
Control methods include high-pressure water sprays and chemical treatments to remove colonies.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
It is found globally, unlike close relatives that are region-specific. The spider is increasingly common in agricultural fields and urban areas.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
It preys on moths, flies, dragonflies, beetles and stink bugs.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
The species shows variable social behaviour and can live in colonies, possibly because colonies face fewer predators.
Source: Wikipedia
When you see it
It is active at night; most hunting and web work happen after dark.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range includes Asia, Africa, Australia, parts of the Americas, Southern Europe and it was first recorded in Florida in 2000.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 1 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Florida.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: introduced in North America; introduced in United States. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
Is this spider a problem for my garden?
Yes, it can damage citrus trees and is considered an agricultural pest.
Source: Wikipedia
How can I get rid of a colony?
High-pressure water sprayers and appropriate chemical controls are used to eradicate colonies.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Araneidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrtophora_citricola
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.