Araneus diadematus
(Cross Orb-weaver)

Featured spider picture The spider species Araneus diadematus, commonly known as Cross Orb-weaver, belongs to the genus Araneus, in the family Araneidae. Araneus diadematus spiders have been sighted 187 times by contributing members. Based on collected data, the geographic range for Araneus diadematus includes 14 countries and 17 states in the United States. Araneus diadematus is most often sighted outdoors, and during the month of October.

Taxonomic Hierarchy

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Arthropoda
Class: Arachnida
Order: Araneae
Suborder: Araneomorphae
Family: Araneidae
Genus: Araneus
Species: Araneus diadematus

Common Name (AAS)

Cross Orb-weaver

Other Common Names

European Garden Spider, Cross Spider, Diadem Spider, Crowned Orb-weaver, Garden Spider, Garden Cross Spider

Author

Carl Alexander Clerck, 1757

Primary Colors

Sightings Overview

There have been 187 confirmed sightings of Araneus diadematus (Cross Orb-weaver), with the most recent sighting submitted on November 25, 2024 by Spider ID member faitheveanna. The detailed statistics below may not utilize the complete dataset of 187 sightings because of certain Araneus diadematus sightings reporting incomplete data.

Web: 58% of the time, Araneus diadematus spiders are sighted in a spider web (Sample size: 187)
Sex: 29 female and 5 male.
Environment: Araneus diadematus has been sighted 181 times outdoors, and 26 times indoors.
Outdoors: Man-made structure (121). On flower (5). Low foliage (29). High foliage (10). Ground layer (11). Under rock or debris (2). Open field, pasture, grassland (1). Forest (2).

Location and Range

Araneus diadematus (Cross Orb-weaver) has been sighted in the following countries: Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Turkey, United Kingdom, United States.

Araneus diadematus has also been sighted in the following states: California, Connecticut, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, Wisconsin.

Seasonality

Araneus diadematus has been primarily sighted during the month of October.

January: 4
February: 4
March: 2
April: 2
May: 2
June: 1
July: 2
August: 23
September: 42
October: 75
November: 18
December: 12

Additional Remarks

The white cross marking is created by collections of guanine under the spider’s cuticle. Rarely, it may be lacking entirely.
Underside of abdomen with central black area framed by pale ‘L’-shaped brackets (but lots of other orbweavers have similar ventral markings, as well).
This species is one of the most well-known spiders in the whole world, and has been the subject of numerous scientific research papers.
It was elected as the “European Spider of the Year” in 2010.
In 1952, it was the star of a short film documentary called “Epeira Diadema” by Italian director Alberto Ancilotto. It was nominated for an Oscar in 1953.
Spider may “bounce” up and down in the middle of its web if it feels threatened.
Egg sacs roughly 20mm in diameter, made of fluffy yellowish-orange silk. Usually stuck in rolled up leaves, under eaves of buildings, within woodpiles, or other protected places, but not hung in the web itself. May contain 100-800 yellow eggs.