Explanation of Names
Author of the name: Walckenaer. Year first published: 1842.
Range
Throughout US and Canada.
arabesca - AB, AL, AR, AZ, BC, CA, CO, CT, FL, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, LA, MA, MB, MD, ME, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NB, NC, ND, NH, NJ, NM, NS, NY, OH, OK, ON, OR, PA, PQ, RI, SC, SD, SK, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI, WV, WY
Remarks
You can separate N. arabesca from oaxacensis by the three pairs of dorsal, slanting, dark spots found on arabesca but absent on oaxacensis.
N. arabesca stays in a retreat (usually a curled up leaf) to the side of the web during the day. At night it rests in the center of the web with the tip of the abdomen pushed through the open space in the center of the web. [1]
When separating N. arabesca from N. crucifera and N. domiciliorum, range, size and time of day can be helpful. Also, when the coloring isn't obvious, I tend to think of N. crucifera & N. domiciliorum as having slashes that are more horizontal instead of the more slanted ones found on N. arabesca.
Neoscona arabesca, Neoscona crucifera, Neoscona domiciliorum
Internet References
~ [1]
biodiversitylibrary.org - The Orb Weaver Genus Neoscona in North America, Berman & Levi, 1971.
