Hobbies And Interests
Tuft-Legged Orb Weaver Spider
This is a relatively small spider that ranges from 0.2 to 0.28 inches in size when adult, and is brown, black and white in color. Its abdomen has a spotted pattern, while its hairy legs have a stripped pattern. Its scientific name is "Mangora placida." The spiders are typically found in forest undergrowth as well as tall grasses. It is is identifiable from other orb weaver spiders by its vertical webs with a straight incline, in addition to its orb shape. The web itself is fine and mesh-like.
Venusta Orchard Spider
Found in forested areas, the brightly-colored venusta orchard spider, or "Leucauge venusta," has a patterned green, teal, silver, red and yellow abdomen with long legs relative to the rest of its body. The spider is however quite small, measuring 0.12 to 0.16 inches in adult size, not including the legs. The spiders are typically found in shrubs and trees. The webs are constructed from widely-spaced strands. They can often be seen hanging upside-down while waiting for prey.
Six-Spotted Orbweaver Spider
This spider is easily identified by its pale colors of yellow, brown, pink and ivory and six black spots on its abdomen. They may be found in tall grasses, meadows, fields and pastures. Their webs are often built low near the ground. Eggs are laid in the autumn, and eggs hatch in the winter while the adults die. Sizes range from 0.16 to 0.35 inches. Its scientific name is "Araniella displicata."
Long-bodied Cellar Spider
This spider is also known as the daddy-long-legs, however this is incorrect as the daddy-long-legs refers to another type of species. Long-bodied cellar spiders differ by having a long abdomen in addition to relatively long legs. They are brown colored and range from 0.28 to 0.39 inches in size, not including the legs. As the name suggests, they are commonly found in dark and damp areas of the household. The spider is known to bounce on its web as a means to make it less visible to predators.