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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Chelicerates (Chelicerata) » Arachnids (Arachnida) » Spiders (Araneae) » True Spiders (Araneomorphae) » Entelegynae » Orb Weavers (Araneidae) » Spotted Orbweavers (Neoscona)
Photo#848218
Hermit Crab like Spider - Neoscona
Copyright © 2013 Kupjones

Hermit Crab like Spider - Neoscona
Georgetown, Williamson County, Texas, USA
September 27, 2013
Size: 3/4" long, 1/2" wide
I found this spider in the top corner of our door to the backyard when my head bumped into his web. It felt like I had literally run into something. His web was very strong and very large. Approximately 3 feet across. In the top most corner of his web, it was thicker and denser almost like a cocoon. He looked like he had a shell on his back. My husband took him down out of our doorway and put him in our woods. I've seen a lot of spiders out here, but nothing like this.

Images of this individual: tag all
Hermit Crab like Spider - Neoscona Hermit Cran like Spider - Neoscona Hermit Cran like Spider - Neoscona
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Contributed by Kupjones on 27 September, 2013 - 11:21pm
Last updated 26 November, 2013 - 12:23am

Moved
Moved from Spiders.
… john and jane balaban, 26 November, 2013 - 12:23am login or register to post comments

Moved
Moved from ID Request. This is a female orb weaver as mentioned below. I don't think I see any of the humps usually found on spiders in the genus Araneus, so I'm thinking it might be one of the Neoscona species instead. Compare with N. crucifera.



Let's see if others agree with me. All our orbweavers are harmless or at least what are called medically insignificant.
… Lynette Elliott, 28 September, 2013 - 7:01am login or register to post comments

 
Any chance ...
it's Neoscona nautica? I'm thinking something about it looks a little strange for N. crucifera.


If you see another of these an image of the underside of the spider might be helpful.
… Laura P., 30 September, 2013 - 12:07pm login or register to post comments

 
I thought about that
and decided I didn't think so. The middle pattern looks to wide for that species. However, I have enough doubt that I'm not willing to place to a species like I normally would.
… Lynette Elliott, 1 October, 2013 - 7:42am login or register to post comments

 
It's mostly the ...
black along the sides that jump out at me. The shape of the abdomen looks more like nautica to me too, but I also noticed what your saying about the median abdominal pattern, that doesn't look like the other nauticas in the Guide.
… Laura P., 1 October, 2013 - 12:20pm login or register to post comments

 
Identification
Thank you. It's an awesome spider. We transplanted into our woods so that we wouldn't keep running into it.
… Kupjones, 28 September, 2013 - 10:04am login or register to post comments

Spider
It appears to be Orb Weaver. I am not sure which species though.
Maybe Araneus.
… Lisa I., 27 September, 2013 - 11:53pm login or register to post comments

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