Parasitized Egg Case (?) - Gasteracantha cancriformis

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Home » Guide » Arthropods (Arthropoda) » Chelicerates (Chelicerata) » Arachnids (Arachnida) » Spiders (Araneae) » True Spiders (Araneomorphae) » Entelegynae » Orb Weavers (Araneidae) » Gasteracantha » Spinybacked Orbweaver (Gasteracantha cancriformis)

Photo#1622673

Copyright © 2018 Preston Chappell

Parasitized Egg Case (?) - Gasteracantha cancriformis

Peachtree Corners, Gwinnett County, Georgia, USA
October 23, 2018

Chartreuse colored insect egg case observed on the trunk of a Red Maple tree on 10/23/18 (Photo1). I periodically checked back for any developments over the next two months. On 12/26/18 it appeared that the egg case had been disturbed and had possibly been parisitized by something? (Photo 2)

The egg case initially resembled photos of Spinybacked Orbweaver (Gasteracantha cancriformis) egg cases. It lacked, however, the faint dark middle stripe present on some (but not all) of the BG images. (For what it's worth Spinybacked Orbweavers are fairly common at this location.) Any help on the ID of the egg case or the possible parasitoid is appreciated.

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Parasitized Egg Case (?) - Gasteracantha cancriformis

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Contributed by Preston Chappell on 27 December, 2018 - 7:41am
Last updated 13 May, 2019 - 5:06pm

Moved

Moved from Unidentified Eggs and Egg Cases.

Your other photos show fly larvae and puparia.

… Charley Eiseman, 13 May, 2019 - 5:06pm

Moved

Moved from ID Request.

… Preston Chappell, 5 May, 2019 - 9:36am

Parasites…

These may be the larvae of eupelmid wasps, which are egg parasitoids. Arachnophaga, a genus that specializes in parasitizing spider eggs, is a possibility here, since it is known to attack the spinybacked orbweaver.

It might be helpful to keep an eye on the progress of these larva (you might consider placing the eggs and larvae in a jar), to see what adults may eventually emerge.

… Ross Hill, 27 December, 2018 - 9:32am

Thanks Ross

The eggs/ larvae probably would not have fared very well in their original location so I collected them and placed them (outside) in a ventilated jar. I will monitor their progress and advise if anything hatches (presumably sometime after the weather starts to warms up).

… Preston Chappell, 27 December, 2018 - 1:39pm

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