Explanation of Names
Latin: "of dwellings", genitive plural form of domicilium- "dwelling place"
Author of the name: Hentz. Year first published: 1847.
Identification
More brightly colored than Neoscona crucifera, and with the part of the legs closest to the body bright red. Females "have a bright white or grayish yellow abdominal dorsum, with lateral wide, black stripes on each side." (Univeristy of Florida)
In N. crucifera, the second tibia of the male has two rows of clasping macrosetae (N. domiciliorum has three rows) and the epigynal scape (part of the female genitalia) has two pairs of bulges (versus one pair in N. domiciliorum). (Univeristy of Florida)
female
Range
"N. domiciliorum occurs southeast of a line drawn from Massachusetts to Indiana southwest to Texas." (UF)
domiciliorum - AL, CT, FL, GA, IN, KY, LA, MA, MD, MS, NC, NJ, NY, OH, PA, RI, TN, TX, VA, WV
Remarks
N. crucifera & N. domiciliorum build thier webs at dusk and then take the webs back down around dawn. (Kaston 1976).
Print References
Howell and Jenkins, pp. 193-194, fig. 113
(1)
Kaston, p. 149, fig. 374
(2)Internet References
University of Florida describes differences between N. crucifera and N. domiciliorum.
