Species Araneus cavaticus - Barn Spider

Classification · Other Common Names · Identification · Remarks

Barn Spider - Araneus cavaticus - female

Large gray bodied spider - Araneus cavaticus

Bristly Spider in roof eave - Araneus cavaticus

Classification

Kingdom Animalia (Animals)

Phylum Arthropoda (Arthropods)

Class Arachnida (Arachnids)

Order Araneae (Spiders)

Infraorder Araneomorphae (True Spiders)

No Taxon (Entelegynes )

Family Araneidae (Orb Weavers)

Genus Araneus

Species cavaticus (Barn Spider)

Other Common Names

Barn Spider

Identification

Araneus cavaticus is often confused with Neoscona crucifera. These can be differentiated by two main features.

1) Araneus cavaticus has 'shoulders' near the front on the dorsal side of the abdomen.

cavaticus crucifera

2) Araneus cavaticus has comma shaped ventral marks, Neoscona has more of a broken "L"

cavaticus crucifera

Remarks

This is the spider in the book Charlotte's Web by E.B. White. The spider's full name is Charlotte A. Cavatica.

Contributed by Jeff Hollenbeck on 10 August, 2006 - 1:24pm
Additional contributions by Lynette, kschnei
Last updated 3 January, 2012 - 8:37am

Disclaimer: Dedicated naturalists volunteer their time and resources here to provide this service. We strive to provide accurate information, but we are mostly just amateurs attempting to make sense of a diverse natural world. If you need expert professional advice, contact your local extension office.

Contributors own the copyright to and are solely responsible for contributed content.
Click the contributor's name for licensing and usage information.
Everything else copyright © 2003-2012 Iowa State University, unless otherwise noted.

Bugguide is hosted by Iowa State University Entomology.

Printer Friendly Version