Bug FAQWhite Micrathena
Micrathena mitrata · Order: Araneae · Family: Araneidae
Also called: White Micrathena Orbweaver, orb weavers
White Micrathena spiders are small, with females 4 to 9 mm and males 3 to 4 mm in body length. They have a shiny black abdomen and spiky yellow-brown legs, and live in wooded areas near water across eastern and central North America and into Canada.
Source: Wikipedia
Size
Females are 4 to 9 mm long and males are 3 to 4 mm long.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it lives
Found mainly in the eastern and central United States and Canada, especially in wooded areas near streams or other water bodies.
Source: Wikipedia
What it eats
It is a carnivore that captures insects and other small arthropods.
Source: Wikipedia
Life cycle
Reproduction follows the typical spider pattern. After mating, the female may become aggressive and sometimes kills and eats the male.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it comes from
Its range extends from the United States down to Brazil.
Source: Wikipedia
Where it is found in the US
Recorded in 34 of 51 states and DC. Most records: Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, North Carolina, Ohio, Maryland, Alabama, Missouri.
Darker = more records. Counts are museum and citizen-science records, not population size.
Source: GBIF
Status: native in North America. Source: iNaturalist
Months it is reported in the US
Source: GBIF
More photos
Questions people ask
Are White Micrathena spiders dangerous to people or pets?
No, they are not considered dangerous and are harmless to humans.
Source: Wikipedia
What do White Micrathena spiders eat?
They feed on insects and other small arthropods, especially flying insects like flies, mosquitoes, and moths.
Source: Wikipedia
Where can I find White Micrathena spiders?
They are common in wooded areas near streams in the eastern and central United States and Canada, and their range extends down to Brazil.
Source: Wikipedia
How big are White Micrathena spiders?
Females measure 4 to 9 mm and males 3 to 4 mm in body length.
Source: Wikipedia
Same family (Araneidae)
Sources
- Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micrathena_mitrata
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.